School - Academics
Challenge Program
The Sarah Smith Challenge Program for the Gifted offers qualifying students an opportunity to develop the following skills:
Gifted students will develop advanced research skills and methods. Curriculum for gifted students should allow for the in-depth learning of self-selected topics within the area of study.
Gifted students will develop and practice creative thinking and creative problem solving skills with a variety of complex topics within the area of study.
Gifted students will develop and practice critical thinking and logical problem solving skills in the pertinent academic area.
Gifted students will develop advanced communication skills. Curriculum for gifted students should encourage the use of new techniques, materials, and formats in the development of products that will be shared with real audiences.
Gifted students will develop an understanding of self and how their unique characteristics may influence their interactions with others.
Students participate in programs such as Future Problem Solving, Junior Great Books, Odyssey of the Mind, independent research, and various content related extension units to develop the above skills.
Testing for Challenge takes place twice per year: fall and spring. Students in the fourth grade with qualifying ITBS scores from third grade are eligible for testing in the fall (deadline for submission of students to be tested is 9/13). All other students, including all of first grade, are tested in the spring based on parent and/or teacher written recommendations (deadline for submission of names is 11/13). A signed consent for testing from the parent is required before any child is tested for Challenge.
The APS Multiple Criteria Identification Process assesses students in four areas and requires that students meet minimum score levels in any three of the four areas in order to gain admittance to the gifted program. The minimum scores requirements in the four assessment areas are:
- Mental Ability - a score greater than or equal to the 96th percentile on a standardized test of mental ability. An APS mental ability assessment must be given. Outside psychological evaluations may also be considered as supporting data. Students must complete the entire APS identification process before any eligibility decisions are finalized.
- Achievement - a score greater than or equal to the 90th percentile in reading or math on a standardized achievement test or a score of at least 90 on a student generated product or performance as judged by an approved juried panel of experts.
- Creativity - a score greater than or equal to the 90th percentile on a standardized creativity instrument or a superior rating on a student generated product or performance as judged by an approved juried panel of experts.
- Motivation - a GPA greater than or equal to 3.5 (for students in grades 3-12), or a score of at least 90 on a scale of 1-100 on an approved jury rated product or performance.
Student Mental Ability and Achievement scores are valid for two years from test date therefore careful consideration should be taken before testing. Some students would benefit from another year of in-class instruction to strengthen skills to ensure a better outcome on these tests to increase their chances for admittance in Challenge. Mental Ability booster packets are available upon request.