English as a Second Language (ESL)
At HCCS, ESL is an additional support to help students with their English skills. ESL stands for English as a Second Language. The ESL program will work specifically with students in small groups. We focus on specific English goals (grammar, spelling, comprehension, reading, writing, etc) depending on their levels and skills.
Before ESL begins, parents are notified that there will be additional work to support the students so they can feel more successful in English. Student progress is tracked by the ESL instructor and will update and keep in touch with their classroom teacher and parents. Beaverton School District will test students whose first language is not English and the information will be passed on to the ESL instructor who can help them with their specific needs.
The goal of our ESL system is to ensure academic success for all of our students here at Hope Chinese Charter School. We want to do whatever is necessary to provide the students with the means they need to succeed.
Talented and Gifted (TAG)
We believe that TAG should be a collaboration between parents, students, and teachers, to enrich the existing curriculum as well as cultivate a student’s gifts through projects that foster deeper understanding.
The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) screening test appraises the students’ learned reasoning abilities that have been developed through in-school and out-of-school experiences.
The CogAT requires students to demonstrate their reasoning abilities in the three systems most closely related to success in school: verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning. A composite score of 97 or higher will qualify the student to take the full CogAt to see if they qualify for TAG.
The CogAT screener is given to all third-grade and fifth-grade students each fall. Students that are already qualified for TAG do not have to be screened. The CogAT screener is the first three sections of the full test. If students qualify to take the full assessment they will be given the remaining seven sections. The full CogAT has nine sections in total, three sections for each of the three main batteries: verbal, quantitative, and non-verbal.
If a student receives a composite score of 97 or higher on the full CogAT as well as two teacher recommendations, then that student can qualify for TAG.
Students younger than third grade can also be recommended by teachers to take the CogAT screener if the teacher thinks they are highly advanced in all subject areas. Parents cannot request their student take the CogAT, but can instead provide information to the teachers and TAG coordinator to determine eligibility to take the CogAT prior to third grade.
- Parents can complete this form to provide information if they would like their student, younger than third-grade, be considered to take the CogAT.
- The parent form must be submitted by November 1st of each school year, to be considered for testing that school year.
If a student passes the screener, parents/guardians will be notified prior to the full CogAT being given. When the scores for the full CogAT are released the TAG coordinator will send scores to parents/guardians.
The TAG coordinator will work with teachers to differentiate and enhance the curriculum – not to add more work, but to add higher DOK (Depth of Knowledge)-level questions that allow your students to access the same work.
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support)
Here at Hope, MTSS allows us to help ensure the success of all our students, understanding that we will need to use targeted instruction to meet our students’ diverse learning needs. As students progress along the continuum of academic skills, individual students reach different milestones at different times.
Our program is focused on our students who need additional support with English reading, English writing, as well as Chinese reading. Classroom teachers refer students for additional support if they have any concerns about a student’s progress or skills in a certain area.
Our intervention coordinator monitors data to ensure students are on the right track to meet grade level benchmarks in each subject area. Teachers regularly collaborate to determine what can be done within classrooms to support students, and what differentiated instruction, interventions, or accommodations are necessary to help students to achieve.
Before any out of class interventions, the parents are notified that we will be doing additional work to support your student so that they can feel more successful. MTSS is based on providing targeted high-quality instruction based on students’ levels of needs. Decisions are made and student progress is tracked by our Student Intervention Team.
Most importantly, our goal is to ensure academic success for all of our students here at Hope Chinese Charter School, whether that means one round of intervention and support or several, whether that is for a few months or a few years, we want to do whatever is necessary to provide your student with the means they need to succeed.