Advanced Academics

INTERDISCIPLINARY (K-5)

• Service: Extra-Curricular Opportunities 
• Target Population: Any student
• Goal: Expand & broaden horizons; inspire & spark new interests; develop unique talent
• Structure: Interest-based; offered outside of the school day.
  • Elementary: Vex Robotics, Seasonal Community Ed Courses 
  • MIddle School: Vex Robotics, Speech Team, Spring Musical, Seasonal Community Ed Courses
  • High School: Vex Robotics, Math League, Speech Team, Mock Trial , Music Ensembles, Drama, FFA, Seasonal Community Ed Courses

math (K-4)

• Service: Topic-Based Extension Folders
• Target Population: K-4th grade students who need less practice with grade-level math skills
• Goal: Provide an extension of grade-level math topics with a focus on complex problem solving
• Structure: Classroom-based; coordinated with classroom math units; used in small group with classroom teacher
• Identification: Teacher observation; performance on classroom math activities/assessments

MATH (5)

• Service: Transition to Pre-Algebra Units
• Target Population: 5th grade students who are ready and interested in our MS/HS accelerated math pathway
• Goal: Prepare students for Pre Algebra 6 using curriculum compacting and pre-assessment
• Structure: Classroom-based; organized by 6th grade topic; used independently by students and self-paced
• Identification: Teacher observation; standardized assessments (STAR/MCA)

English language arts (K-5)

• Service: Topic-Based Extension
• Target Population: K-5 students who need less practice with grade-level reading and writing skills
• Goal: Provide an extension on grade-level reading & writing topics with a focus on literary analysis
• Structure: Classroom-based; used in small group with classroom teacher
• Identification: Teacher observation; performance on classroom reading and writing activities/assessments

Math (2-5)

• Service: Beast Academy Groups
• Target Population: 2nd-5th grade students with exceptional math ability who have already mastered all grade-level math standards and can interact with concepts at a level well beyond that of peers
• Goal: Provide a consistent opportunity to develop talent; Build robust mathematical literacy; Guide students to a deeper understanding of grade-level math concepts using materials that emphasize critical thinking, inferencing, and logic.
• Structure: Send-out service; 5 days/week; 2nd-4th grade groups are in addition to homeroom math; 5th grade class is a replacement for homeroom math.
• Identification: Standardized assessment data (aMath/STAR/MCA); out-of-level curriculum diagnostic; Scales for Rating the Skills of Superior Students

English language arts (K-5)

• Service: Strategic Classroom Placement
• Target Population: 1st-5th grade students with exceptional reading/writing ability who have already mastered all grade-level literacy standards and can interact with concepts at a level well beyond that of peers
• Goal: Create a small learning community of intellectual peers who challenge and support each other during classroom activities
• Structure: Classroom-based; small group with classroom teacher
• Identification: Standardized assessments (aReading/STAR/MCA); ability testing (CogAT); Scales for Rating the Skills of Superior Students

EARLY ENTRANCE (K-1)

• Service: Early Entrance
• Target Population: Students who are advanced in multiple areas when compared to peers their own age, show social and emotional maturity, and a high degree of motivation.
• Goal: Provide a structured pathway to allow, when ready, a child to enter kindergarten or first grade a year ahead of his/her age-level peers.
• Structure: Application submitted by March 15 each year; Early Admission Team completes process and determines readiness by June 15
• Identification: Guided by district policy and procedure; contact our Advanced Academics coordinator for more details.

GRADE ACCELERATION (K-3)

• Service: Full Grade Acceleration
• Target Population: Students who have exceptional early development (language, cognitive, gross motor) and are consistently 2-3 standard deviations above their peer group
• Goal: Provide a structured pathway to allow a child to skip a full grade level
• Structure: Screening completed in early spring; Grade Acceleration Team completes process to determine readiness.
• Identification: Guided by district policy and procedure which utilizes the Iowa Acceleration Scale; contact our Advanced Academics coordinator for more details