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Washoe County School District Raises the Bar
For Gifted and Talented Students
Reno, NV (Oct. 27, 2011) - Enhancements to the Washoe County School District's Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program are increasing learning opportunities for more than 2,800 students through the District. The restructuring of GATE, which went into effect at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, includes improvements to the programming available at the elementary and middle school levels while at the same time using existing funding and saving on transportation costs. These changes will help WCSD ensure that it is providing learning environments where students can explore their gifts and talents through academic risk-taking, which develops creativity, ingenuity, problem-solving and critical thought.
During a celebration event on Thursday at Pine Middle School, the District highlighted one of the four new magnet schools that focus on gifted programming at the middle school level. The GATE middle school magnets provide gifted programming in all core subjects (math language arts, social studies and science) and are available for all existing GATE middle school students and any students in sixth, seventh or eighth grade that are interested in attending one of the schools.
Pine Principal Brad Boudreau says the changes are welcome. "Pine Middle School is extremely proud to be chosen as a site for the district GATE program. Our commitment to providing students a safe and orderly learning environment is unsurpassed, and we look forward to working with the outstanding teachers and students who have made the commitment to make this program a place for advanced learning and a shining star for our community."
Superintendent Heath Morrison says the changes are part of the District's strategic plan, Envision WCSD 2015 - Investing in Our Future. "I'm really proud of the fact that despite having huge budget cuts, we have changed strategies and have worked to meet the needs of our most highly abled children. In our school district our vision is 'every child, by name and face, to graduation' and when we say 'every child' that includes 'every child.' Our strategic plan is designed to help students who are struggling, the students who are right where they need to be and also to make sure the students who are accelerated continue on that path of acceleration. This is a great opportunity to deliver on that promise."
At the elementary level, the GATE program is available at every elementary school in the District so that students can be served at the school in which they are zoned. Through this on-site model, students participate in gifted and talented programming once a week at their home school with other GATE students. Some schools will have multi-aged class groupings that include students from 2nd through 6th grades and others will be have multi-age groups of grades depending on the number of gifted students at each elementary school or whether the school has 6th grade students. Additionally, this change to an on-site/pull-out model eliminates the transportation costs of previous years with a savings of $474,000.
This model, known as School within a School or SWAS, provides the opportunity for students to work and socialize with highly gifted peers at the elementary level. Within the self-contained setting, instruction is paced to accommodate for differences in students' ability to master key concepts.
Hunsberger Elementary has expanded its SWAS program and Principal Sally Scott says the new model for servicing the GATE students is working well. "We've added an additional class resulting in two SWAS programs for our third and fourth grade students as well as the upper grade levels." Scott continued, "Students now get to stay at Hunsberger and the teachers come on campus to provide additional enrichment. We are always seeking out strategies to assist us in enriching our curriculum for all students and are working closely with the teachers to be part of our school community."
At the high school level, the GATE program offers internships that allow students to work in such diverse areas as medicine, engineering, research, journalism and law. GATE internships provide students with a big advantage when it comes to college applications, scholarship awards and career entry.
The coordinator of the GATE program, Lisa Riggs, says the development and implementation of the changes this year was a massive undertaking by the GATE administrators, the Gifted and Talented Advisory Council, the Board of Trustees and Superintendent Morrison. "We are excited to provide gifted and talented students with rigorous and relevant curriculum delivered in a creative, flexible, and supportive instructional environment. Providing support and services for gifted students at their zoned schools, and, by adding an option at the middle school to attend a magnet class or program at designated sites for those students who need a full-time placement allows the options necessary for optimal services."
Riggs says her department, along with its advisory board, will be updating the GATE plan this year. "The Plan Committee believes it will guide the education of gifted and talented students in WCSD for this and future generations. We are fortunate to work closely with parents and the gifted community ensuring WCSD services offer a spectrum of options."
About Washoe County School District: The Washoe County School District includes the Reno/Sparks metropolitan area, Incline Village, Gerlach, Empire and Wadsworth, Nevada. The District provides each of its 63,000 students with a superior education in a safe and challenging environment and is committed to graduate every child career and college ready.
For more information visit www.washoecountyschools.org. Follow us on Twitter at WCSDTweet.
Washoe County School District
425 East Ninth Street
Reno, NV 89520
