• • DIVISION OF CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT 5.0 Series • • • REGULATION NUMBE.'-'RC---_-=--;-o---c,--_ _.~UBJEC"L _ _ .... 5.1 Prekindergarten Registration and Entrance Procedures • 5.2 Early School Admission Policy Statement 5.3 Gifted and Talented 5.4 Scheduling in the School Library Media Centers 5.5 Procedures for Adding/Deleting Course Offerings 5.6 Guidelines on Eligibility for participation in Extra-curricular/co-curricular Activities Other Than Interscholastic Athletic Activities 5.7 Observance of Special Days and Holidays During the • School Year 5.8 Inclusion of the Song, "Baltimore, Our Baltimore" In School Activities 5.9 Curriculum: Math Requirements for Students 5.10 Reading Program: Procedures for Selecting Students for Reading Resource Services 5.11 Student Writing Folders • 5.12 Interscholastic Ath letics 5.13 Use of Swimming Pools 5.14 Physical Education Activities for Students' 5.15 Music Curriculum/Instrumental Program - Assignment and Use of Instruments 5.16 Class Piano Instruction 5.17 Risers (Platforms) • 5.18 Cataloging and Processing School Library Books 5.19 Business Education/Trades and Industry Programs 5.20 Access to Special Programs and Services for the Handicapped 5.21 Special Education Instructional Programs 5.22 Class Size/Pupil - Teacher Ratio • 5.23 Starting Dates in September for Special Education Classes • 5.24 Physical and Occupational Therapy Services 5.25 Vision Services for Handicapped Students 5.26 Guidelines for Scheduling of Exceptional Children 5.27 Guidelines for Special Education Students at P.S. #453 5.28 Vocational Education - Level IV Programs 5.29 Promotion of Handicapped Students 5.30 Graduation Requirements for Handicapped Students • 5.31 Teaching of Controversial Issues • • • B.C.P.S. 5.1 PREKINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION • AND ENTRANCE PROCEDURES The registration and entrance procedures for students into prekindergarten classes shall be based on these funding sources: Chapter I, Chapter II, and Extended Elementary Education Program (E.E.E.P.) ENTRANCE PROCEDURES FOR CHAPTER I PREKINDERGARTEN CLASSES 1. Students must be four (4) years of age by December 31. 2. Students must live in the registration area for the school. • 3. The class size of a Chapter I prekindergarten will be no more than twenty (20) students. ENTRANCE PROCEDURES FOR CHAPTER II AND EXTENDED ELEMENTARY EDUCATION PROGRAM (E.E.E.P.) 1. Students must be four (4) years of age by December 31. 2. Students must live In the registration area for the school. 3. The cllSS lize of I Chapter I prekindergarten will be no more • than twenty (20) students. The principals or his/her designee will monitor the registration Ind entrance of students to insure that proper procedures are followed. The Office of planning will verify that new registrants are in their proper zoned schools and will take appropriate steps to insure that out-of-zone students are not placed on the official pupil file. Questions concerning prekindergarten entrance procedure should be directed to the supervisor, Office of Early Childhood Education, • Division of Curriculum Management on 6-8545. • B.C.P.S. 5.2 • EARLY SCHOOL ADMISSION POLICY STATEMENT Purpose: To establish a policy under which the intent of the April 27, 1977 addition to Resolution 13.07.01.01 of the Maryland State Department of Education's By-laws will be implemented in Baltimore • City. Definition: Early School Admission - the enrollment of a child into either kindergarten or first grade prior to his/her reaching the age of five or six, respectively, by December 31st of the year he/she wishes to • enroll. Policy: The Baltimore City Public School System acknowledges that early school admission is not recommended for the majority of students. However, a four or five year old child, upon the request of the parents or legal guardians, may be considered for enrollment into • kindergarten or first grade respectively, if the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee determines that such a child has demonstrated capabilities warranting early admission. The decision to grant early admission will be based on an assessment in all areas of development. • Approved by the Board of School Commissioners at meeting of July 22, 1982. B.C.P.S 5.2 Page 2 of 3 • I. OVERVIEW It Is recognized that early admissi n into kindergarten or first grade would be applicable for only a few children. Therefore, all children whose parents or legal guardians request early school entrance will be thoroughly screened by the School Promotional Policy Committee in all areas of development. The Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee will grant early school admission to those children who demonstrate outstanding or exceptional educational capabilities and sufficient physical and emotional-social characteristics to warrant early school entrance. • II. The coordination of procedures for early admission at each school will be the responsibility of the Promotional Policy Committee. The procedure for accepting a child is as follows: A. Parents, legal guardians, teachers or administrators will submit nominations in writing to the Promotional Policy Committee of the zone school, preferably in the spring of the school year; however, applications will be accepted iuntll November 1st of the subsequent school year. All letters of nomination must be signed by the parent or legal guardian. I B. To be eligible for early admission, a child must show outstanding academic/cognitive achievement. A child must • perform at least two (2) years above level or at or above the 95th percentile on standardized tests. The following instruments In conjunction with observations, may be utilized in making this determination: 1. The Primary Mental Abilities Test 2. The Metropolitan Test (Preprimer or Primer) 3. The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Form L-M) In addition to academic/cognitive achievement, proper evaluation should cover the following areas: 1. Language and communication skills • 2. Social and emotional development 3. Physical development C. The zone school Promotional Policy Committee will submit its recommendation to the zone school principal D. The zone school principal will make a recommendation to the appropriate Executive Director of the School Management Division for approval. E. Once eligibility has been determined, approval for placement in the zone school will be made by the appropriate Executive • Director of the Elementary schools. A student may be assigned to the zone school only. R.C.P.S 5.2 Page 3 of 3 • F. The Executive Director will notify the Office of Student Placement and the Supervisor of Pre-K-2 of the placer,nent. G. The Promotional Policy Committee of the school will review and usess the student's progress within a six week period and make recommendations regarding the continuance of the assignment. • H. Following the review, If a request for a change In the student's placement is needed, the request will be sent to the appropriate Executive Director for approval. • • • BCPS 5.3 Gifted and Talented Education • Baltimore City recognizes the intrinsic right of all students to an educational program that will afford them the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential. Fortunately, the importance of nurturing the development of the gifted and talented individuals has received increased recognition and support within our educational system. Recognizing the wide range of aptitude and behaviors which are characteristic of the gifted and talented, Baltimore City offers a fairly comprehensive program for these students. The principal focus of GATE is the advancement and nurturing of verbal and/or mathematical reasoning abilities among children • and will nurture as well those ancillary qualities such as creativity, problem solving, risk taking and thinking associated with these targeted abilities. In response to task force recommendations presented to the Superintendent in May 1987, the following are initiatives being pursued: .Establish an advisory committee .Develop a differentiated academic curriculum for grades kindergarten through fifth .Organize an early childhood enhancement program for potentially gifted students • .Expand the elementary school-based programs from 35 to 50 sites .Provide counseling services' for GATE students as they progress to secondary programs . .Provide opportunities for College Board Advanced Placement. The following programs are provided for students in both the area of high ability and high performance. • • BCPS 5.3 Programs for Gifted and Talented and Advanced Academic Students • Elementary Middle School Senior High School Acceleration as Acceleration as appropriate Acceleration as appropriate appropriate for for identified academically for identified academically identified academically achieving students achieving students achieving students 87-89' GATE Classes in Advanced academic College Preparatory 37 elementary schools programs in Curriculum designated schools • Proposed 9/90' advanced Honors Courses academic centers in Proposed' College 50 elementary schools Board Advanced Placement Courses Early admission for kindergarten and first grade Proposed differentiated Proposed differentiated Proposed differentiated counseling services counseling services counseling services Saturday classes Saturday classes for art, music, dance, drama, • ...-'for art, music, dance, drama, computers, computers, writing writing tlTo Work in Gaining Skills" School for the (TWIGS), School for the Arts Arts MSDE Gifted/Talented MSDE Gifted/Talented MSDE Gifted and Summer Centers Summer Centers