On March 25, 2011  families received correspondence from Principal Helm and Robert Vaughan (Manager of SPS Advanced Learning department) descibing the Spectrum program at Lawton.  Also attached was a copy of the CAS Team Proposal regarding Spectrum, which was discussed and voted on by staff. 

These documents can be found here for your reference:

• 3/25/2011 Letter from Principal Helm and Robert Vaughan
• 3/25/2011 Proposal regarding Spectrum (Approved)

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BACKGROUND: 

The Challenge All Students Team (CAS Team) will collaborate and make recommendations to the BLT regarding student class placements and instruction that will challenge all Lawton students. The group will engage in a book study regarding cluster grouping  and become informed as to how this school-wide model can best be implemented at Lawton. 

The book that we will be reading is called, The Cluster Grouping Handbook, How to Challenge Gifted Students and Improve Achievement for All by Susan Winebrenner, M.S. and Dina Brulles, Ph.D.   Anyone interested in this topic is also encouraged to also read this book and to feel free to discuss it with our CAS Team members so your viewpoints are reflected in our discussions.  Meeting notes will be recorded, and then reviewed and voted on at the following Thursday meeting.  They will be posted on the Lawton website.  We intend to have a follow up Community meeting in March to discuss the progress of this team. 

Please reach out to any of the team members below with questions, comments or feedback. 

Additional information on CAS Team can be found here: 

• Community Meeting Report (12/15/10)
• Announcement and Description of CAS Team (1/5/2011)
• CAS Team Update from Principal Helm (1/13/2011) 
• CAS Team Update from Principal Helm (2/8/2011)

Additional Resources: 

• Article on cluster grouping in a Maryland school
• National Association of Gifted Children: Cluster Grouping of Gifted Students: How to Provide Full-time Services on a Part-time Budget; EC Digest #E607; Authors: Susan Winebrenner and Barbara Devlin; March 2001 [Update 2001; Supersedes ERIC EC DIGEST #E538) ]
• Cluster Grouping of Gifted Students: How to Provide Full-time Services on a Part-time Budget;  The ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education (ERIC Digest #E538);  Authors: Susan Winebrenner and Barbara Devlin; August 1996
• Maximizing Gifted Students’ Potential in the 21st Century (Dina Brulles, Ph.D. and Susan Winebrenner, M.S.; January, 2001)
• Susan Winebrenner’s website
• NAGC website
• NAGC Position Paper on Grouping
  

CAS Team Members

• Christine Helm – Principal
• Peter Hubbard – 5^th Grade Spectrum Teacher
• Susan Dowd – 2^nd Grade Teacher
• Shirley Rybock – 3^rd Grade Spectrum Teacher
• Lyon Terry – 2^nd Grade Teacher and Spectrum Math
• Mark Strasburger – Parent of a 4th grader
• Kaycee Pomeroy – Parent of kindergarten students
• Bryan Hester – Parent of a 4th grader and a Kindergarten student
• Kimball Mullins – Parent of a 5th grader and a 2nd grader

• Jan. 13, 2011  CAS Team meeting Agenda;  Minutes
• Jan. 20, 2011  CAS Team meeting Agenda;  Minutes
• Jan. 27, 2011  CAS Team meeting Agenda;  Minutes
• Feb. 3, 2011  CAS Team meeting Agenda;  Minutes
• Feb. 10, 2011 CAS Team meeting Agenda;  Minutes
• Feb. 15, 2011 CAS Team meeting Agenda;  Minutes
        (note: date change to Tues 2/15/11 because of the Thurs. 2/17/11 World Cultures conflict)
• Feb. 24, 2011 small CAS Team Meeting (because of Winter Break); no meeting, no minutes
• March 3, 2011 CAS Team meeting  Agenda;  Minutes
  

Other follow up and important dates: 

• Mar. 7, 2011   BLT Meeting (CAS Team Report and Recommendations)
• Mar. 18, 2011  Community Meeting (evening; Lawton library) UPDATEDDATE
• Mar. 15 –  April 15, 2011 SPS Open Enrollment period