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Welcome & Introductions

Jana Saenz, Administrator, Elementary Curriculum & Instruction jsaenz@orangeusd.org

Please add your child’s name and school in the chat.

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Congratulations!

GATE Qualification is a good thing!

Parenting gifted children is is is an exciting journey!

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Each child’s path to develop their gifts is unique.

Highly gifted children may be very internally driven.
Interests may not always align with

the classroom.

This can create ability/performance discrepancies.

Giftedness is not fixed.
Twice exceptionals can forge a different path.
Persistence in a field of interest is more important than early success.

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OUSD GATE

Mission: Challenging and developing the academic, social emotional, and creative abilities of gifted learners.

Vision: To provide student learning experiences with depth, complexity, novelty and acceleration to meet the needs of gifted and talented students.

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Agenda

Qualification & Trial Placement
What GATE is and is not
Instructional Options: Magnet/Cluster
Magnet Placement & Waitlist
Expectations & Struggles in GATE Magnets
Orientations
Sibling transfers
Magnet Enrollment
How to support your GATE child
Questions

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How did my child qualify for GATE ?

(3rd-6th grade), (2nd grade)

Age composite score on standardized abilities test (top 10-20 percentile per grade band).

OLSAT- nationally normed and recognized tests
Demonstrates student aptitude in solving novel verbal, quantitative, and non-verbal problems.
Correlated with school success.

Considerations of current achievement data (multiple measures per pathway):

Current standards based assessment data (ex. i-Ready or SBA)
Most recent report card grades for work habits
Teacher reporting of GATE Traits Attributes and Behaviors shown in the classroom setting

High Achiever Trial Placements- Student within one stanine of age percentile GATE benchmark, strong on the multiple measures above. Offered for magnets where space is available (Typically La Veta, Palmyra).

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What GATE is …

GATE is a student designation that will remain with students in OUSD through grade 12.
GATE designation is specific to each school district. Common assessment measures are used.
The GATE designation is an indication that: The student has shown academic abilities in the top 10-20% of age group peers in verbal, quantitative, and non verbal reasoning at the time of qualification. The student has demonstrated additional measures of successful academic performance.
GATE is a designation that can help our staff to better understand and meet the needs of the student.
GATE designation is a good indicator that students may benefit from work with more depth and complexity, and could benefit from a faster instructional pace. However, student maturity and motivation are major impact factors.

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What GATE is not…

GATE is not one specific program or instructional approach. GATE students do not use a separate curriculum than general education classes. Teachers frequently supplement the curriculum.
GATE status is not guaranteed to transfer, as each district sets their own criteria.
The designation is not an indication that students will: have already mastered grade level standards have universally high academic achievement always maintain this level of performance relative to peers Sustain motivation to engage in deeper academic assignments
GATE is not the only way teachers will determine student needs, or the only way students receive enriched instruction.
GATE is not a prerequisite for secondary honors placement in OUSD, and has minimal impact on those placements.

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Elementary GATE Instructional Models

GATE Magnets for each feeder area: Crescent -CHS West grades 3rd-6th Running Springs IB/GATE Academy CHS East -4-th-6th grade in 25-26 Nohl Canyon-VPHS gr 4th-6th Palmyra-OHS gr 3rd-6th La Veta-ELMHS gr 3rd-6th * 3rd grade GATE students at La Veta and Palmyra are served either in a strong cluster or a combination class.	Students are grouped with other GATE students to form class cohorts that will move though their remaining elementary years together. Experienced teacher teams adapt grade level instruction to meet the academic and social emotional needs of GATE students. Sometimes this includes departmentalization. In general, the pace of instruction will be faster, although core content and curriculum materials will be at grade level. Teachers use a variety of strategies including the Depth and Complexity Icons, and class, group, and individual enrichment projects. Some students find “like minded” peers with similar interests. Students also engage with non-GATE grade level peers. Placements are offered to GATE qualified students within each feeder area on a multiple measures priority system. Participation is voluntary. Families may request other magnets as space is available.

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Elementary GATE Instructional Models

GATE Clustering in the General Education Class: All elementary schools *Note GATE students who opt not to attend magnets, or who remain on the waitlist will be encouraged to be placed in the GATE cluster at their current school unless a parent specifically requests otherwise.	Students remain with their peer group at their current school and are placed in a classroom with a group of GATE/high achievers. Students continue in other specialized magnet programs such as Dual Immersion, or STEM. Targeted enrichment in areas of interest and need, with some opportunities for acceleration. OUSD provides ongoing training and collaboration opportunities for cluster teachers. OUSD recommended differentiated strategies for GATE students in general education include: -Use of the Depth and Complexity Icons -Tiered Assignments -Curriculum Compacting -Independent interest explorations (Genius Hour, Passion Projects) -Learning Menus and Choice Boards

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Specialized Cluster GATE Instructional Models

Fletcher Mandarin Immersion GATE Academy Villa Park Elementary McPherson Magnet	Fletcher’s unique GATE Pull-Out Program provides students the opportunity to continue with their traditional or Dual Immersion educational program at Fletcher while receiving opportunities for enrichment with their GATE academic peers to receive specific differentiation through and “Student-Centered Learning”. GATE Certified Teachers, enrichment classes/clubs 3-6 Many GATE certified teachers, strong cluster with monthly enrichment opportunities
Note- this list is not exhaustive please speak to your school principal about GATE approaches at your school of attendance.

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Magnet Placement & Waitlist

Students are assigned to a GATE magnet based on their geographic feeder pattern.
Qualified 2nd graders from the Nohl feeder will not be evaluated for placement until spring of the following year. These students may test again in the 3rd grade Universal screening.
All other qualified students from each area are prioritized for magnet enrollment based on multiple measures considered in the qualification process.
All students within the feeder pattern are considered equally regardless of their current school.
Families who have been accepted for a magnet spot must decide by 9:00 AM, May 1st. We will send out an email asking for final commitments after each orientation.
Additional spots and waitlist rank will be provided after commitments have been confirmed. We can provide you a general idea of waitlist range (upper third, mid range, lower third) before then.
Parents can request placement at a different magnet and will be placed when space is available.
Students can be placed on multiple waitlists, and may remain on the lists year to year.

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If your child is waitlisted…

Let us know via the initial preference form that you are interested in a magnet placement. You can note interest in multiple sites.
Keep an open mind, and attend orientations for less impacted magnets ( La Veta, Palmyra)
Carefully consider waitlisted student attendance at the orientation sessions.
Please ensure your child understands that they are a GATE student regardless of placement, and can excel in either a magnet or cluster instructional model.
Speak with your current school principal to express your interest in a strong GATE clustering program. Principals want to keep their GATE students, and we can support them.
Once your student is in a cluster classroom, dialogue with the teacher about your student and ask about strategies they are implementing to support the GATE students.

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Expectations & Struggles in the Magnet Program

Students are expected to engage in rigorous academic content requiring focus and persistence through independent and group activities.
The overall pace of instruction is typically faster than in the general education class.
Students are not expected to excel in all areas, or achieve straight A’s.
Experiencing challenging work and strong peers is a new experience for some students.
Most students experience an adjustment period to the new setting.
Homework is likely to be different; some students need to increase time to complete.
It is important to communicate with the teachers about concerns.
Teachers will provide support for students in areas of need through strategies such as small group work, and modifications.
Regular attendance and is important to student success.

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Expectations & Struggles in the Magnet Program

When students consistently struggle, we have a collaborative process between staff and parents to create an improvement plan.
If students continue to struggle to spite interventions, we may collaboratively consider whether the magnet placement is in the student’s best interests.

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GATE Magnet Orientations

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What about siblings?

Siblings are eligible for Open Enrollment at the Magnet School Site.
Availability varies from year to year, and grade to grade for each school .
Let the school know you have GATE siblings applying. They may be able to give you some indication of availability.

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Magnet Enrollment Directions

OUSD Students who are currently accepted to their desired magnet- (If the magnet is not your home school) Inform your current school you will be moving your child to the magnet for 26-27. Provide the following to the magnet school. You can find the school phone/email HERE. Please do not complete yet if you are waitlisted.

Pupil Enrollment Form
Parent Portal Verification form (needs to be completed any time a student transfers to another OUSD school)

For new students to the district (and never been enrolled in the district before) they will need to follow this link and enroll their child.

Enrollment new to OUSD

Any family that wants to open enroll a sibling will need to complete Open Enrollment on the district website.

https://www.orangeusd.org/enrollment

If you would like specific contact information for your magnet school site or you can phone the school office or email us at gate@orangeusd.org for more information.

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Supporting Your GATE Student

It is very important that your GATE student understand that his or her abilities and learning are not fixed. Like any student they will need to work hard and will likely struggle with some areas of learning. This does not change their giftedness.
Praising students for specific efforts is more likely to have a positive long term impact than praising for innate abilities. Ex: “You really were thorough and persistent in completing that experiment!” vs. “You are so good at science!”
Provide a wide range of experiences and resources, and let your student take the lead in developing interests and talents.

Resources:

Byrdseed Parents , National Association for Gifted Children,

California Association for the Gifted

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OUSD GATE Community Advisory Committee (working to re-imagine these meetings)

Meets each trimester
Parent education and feedback
You will receive an email invitation next year, and links are available on our website
Virtual Meetings
Alternate lunch time/evening meetings
Let me know if there are topics of interest you would like addressed

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