At our Gate meeting on November 21, 2011 we shared with our parents a new program that we are introducing to our GATE students at IDEA time which is called Odyssey of the Mind. Below, you will find the all the information presented to you at that meeting and more.

Our GATE Program

kids readingThe Conejo Valley Unified School District's Mission Statement and Philosophy states that:

The mission of the Conejo Valley Unified School District is to meet the academic, cultural, social, and individual needs of students in order to prepare them to make a meaningful contribution to a democratic society. The Board of Education believes that the district mission can be best achieved through the uniform application of a standard of higher expectations in all areas for students, district employees, and parents of students.

Ladera Elementary School upholds the philosophy of the district's mission statement and philosophy by incorporating the following into their school GATE program:

Cluster Grouping

Students at the elementary level (K-5) are placed into clusters group. The purpose of this is to place children who have similar needs, interests and/or abilities into the same classroom. If the GATE cluster for any particular grade level exceeds an average teaching group size for the primary 21.5:1 ratio or upper grade 30:1 ratio than it is recommended to divide the GATE students into two or three clusters.

(FYI: At the Middle School level students in sixth grade are still clustered for the purpose of their core classes. In seventh and eighth grade GATE students may participate in the honors program. However, if students are identified as GATE that does NOT automatically mean they will be placed in the honors level classes. If a GATE student is not in the honors program then he/she should be clustered within the College Preparatory classes.)

Curriculum

Read the Principal's Message on Ladera's Differentiated Learning Plan

Teachers meet the gifted student's needs by differentiating the curriculum which can be done in a variety of ways:

A Differentiated Curriculum utilizes the depth, complexity, appropriate pacing and novelty within the Core Curriculum. This can be done through questioning strategies, utilizing learning contracts or learning centers that provides for acceleration of concepts, as well as allow students to develop a personal understanding of an area of study in an individualized manner.

When a teacher differentiates lessons/units at least one of the following elements of content, process, or product within the curriculum is modified.

At Ladera, students are provided more complex and advanced differentiated learning experiences in academic and visual and performing arts areas that include the grade level content standards. Teachers will differentiate this year largely through the use of the depth and complexity ICONS by Dr. Sandra Kaplan. The ICONS allow students to participate in the core curriculum but continue to be challenged and their minds stretched by taking the assignment to a different level that requires further critical thinking/problem-solving/creativity and application of the knowledge learned.

Students may also be given opportunities, when appropriate, to participate in project-based learning that will allow them to demonstrate their understanding of concepts by applying them to real-world topics that are integrated across the curriculum. Along with putting together a project, the student will learn, implement and demonstrate organizational and presentation skills.

Social and Emotional

The district offers training for the GATE Facilitator and GATE Cluster teachers in the area of social and emotional needs of the GATE student during the year. Teachers/counselors/administrators will also have access to resources from recommended resources such as 123 Magic, Jim Delisle and Bucket-filling this year as the Principal facilitates the beginning of both a parent and teacher resource library and/or through the Friday Focus /Principal's Message/Ladera Website.

Teachers will also continue to support and develop social skills of the GATE students by providing opportunities within the classroom for leadership, cooperative learning, character development and conflict resolution in a positive and nurturing learning environment. Social skills will be further enhanced through a special GATE group facilitated by the elementary school counselor. Students participating in the groups will be involved in activities and discussions that apply both emotionally and socially.

Working with Parents to Support, Enrich and Enhance the Educational Program

View the GATE parent night presentation.

The GATE-DAC Parent representative will meet with the Principal informally on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to share ideas, provide feedback and discuss information from the GATE-DAC meetings. Together along with the GATE teachers they will explore, investigate and develop ideas to provide parents of GATE students with the necessary information needed to create that home-school partnership needed to allow all students to be successful and achieve to their potential.

This year the goal is to maintain the link on the Ladera website for the GATE information to be included and to continue to build a library of parent/teacher resources for all to access and contribute towards. Also to encourage parents of GATE students to get involved by sharing their areas of expertise/hobbies or just willingness by offering mini courses to ALL interested students at Lunch time. The goal is to give students, esp. GATE students the opportunity to explore as many different enrichment activities or mini courses possible during their educational career at Ladera both inside and outside the classroom. Finally by creating a GATE data base with names, addresses, email addresses so that parents can exchange information, share ideas and be of support to each other through an email networking system.

Professional Development

Each school within the District has Gate Facilitators who attend monthly meetings and act as a liaison between the district and school in regards to Gifted Education.

The GATE Facilitator this school year at Ladera is Mrs. Amy Brown and the Parent Representative is Mrs. Ema Ohran. We also have several teachers that have served as facilitators or LEAD teachers with expertise in GATE instruction and can continue to be resources to their colleagues given the CVUSD's training model of Leader for Leaders.

Ladera has two facilitators from the past years that trained staff as follows:

Goals for Gate at Ladera