Programs

Staff Menu

Programs

GATE Information

GATE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

The planned curriculum for the Hope School District GATE Program is available here for your information.

(Please click here to view the 4th Grade GATE Curriculum)

(Please click here to view the 5th Grade GATE Curriculum)

(Please click here to view the 6th Grade GATE Curriculum)

For more information, please contact Mrs. Carrie Garner, District GATE Coordinator, at 967-1239 or cgarner@hopeschooldistrict.org

GATE INFORMATION

In 1961, the California Legislature established the mentally gifted minor (MGM) program for students scoring in the 98th percentile or above on standardized intellectual ability tests. By 1980, 454 school districts and 160,000 students were participating in this program. AB 1040, enacted in 1980, established the GATE program allowing districts to set their own criteria.
The GATE program offered by the Hope School District provides a comprehensive continuum of services and program options that is responsive to the needs, interests, and abilities of gifted and talented students in grades four, five and six at all three elementary schools in our district. Services for GATE students are integrated throughout the regular school day by means of differentiated lessons and activities, based on the core curriculum. The core curriculum is differentiated through acceleration, depth, complexity and novelty and is consistent with current research provided through the California Association for the Gifted.
GATE identified students are clustered in self-contained regular classrooms in grades 4-6 as well as part-time groupings with the district GATE resource teacher in science and social studies. The GATE program offers more complex instruction and a focus on higher level thinking skills that exceed state and district standards. Clustered students are provided differentiated learning opportunities that ensure appropriate challenges and choices in core curricular areas.
For more information please contact Mrs. Carrie Garner, District GATE Coordinator, at 967-1239 or by email: cgarner@hopeschooldistrict.org.

January 2012 GATE Newsletter

(Please click here to read the GATE Newsletter)

Hope School District GATE Program

6^th Grade News and Pompeii Journal Updates

January 18, 2011

Dear Parents,

    Students set out in late November to research the Roman baths, daily life, and religion in ancient Pompeii during the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. They could choose to research additional topics about Pompeii to include in their personal journal and they are currently hard at work on this project. They have one more month before the mid-February deadline approaches. Please ask your student to share their Pompeii identity, what their occupation is and a few interesting research facts with you.

   After having taught at Piedmont Middle School and Castro Valley and San Leandro High Schools, I wanted to use my secondary education experience to help prepare 6^th graders for junior high.   Two goals I've set for the 6^th graders this year involves planning and organization and we work on both together in GATE using the Pompeii Journal project.

    Students received a Green Handout on the first day of the Pompeii project which lists the requirements in detail. It's designed as a check-off list to help students familiarize themselves with what they need to include in their journal. We refer to this green sheet each day in class and discuss ways to “Look before you Leap.” Students joke that they have almost memorized it in their sleep.

   Students recently received a Blue Handout. Although we sit down together to review their work individually, this sheet asks students to take an honest assessment of where they are to-date in their research. We discussed how to make this blue sheet more personal. Several students marked future dates to set goals for completing certain items and by doing so helps them to be aware of and focus on critical time limits (the blue sheet is attached). The Pompeii journal assignment is self-directed and students have many choices as to what they want to work on and accomplish in class; researching, note taking, using a variety of class reference books, drawing, editing, and transcribing entries.

    We have several remaining GATE classes left to complete this project. The 6^th grade classroom teachers have also allowed students time to work on their journals during the new Intervention/Enrichment portion of the day that the District established this year.

It's rewarding to see students' efforts in research and organization take shape. Students and parents may contact me with questions about the ancient Pompeii journal project at:
                       cgarner@hopeschooldistrict.org   or   call # 967-1239 at Vieja

Remember: La Colina Jr. High Open House for 6^th grade parents is Jan. 20 at 6:00 PM

Thank you too, for your help and support!

GATE Newsletter

January 2012 Newsletter

February 2009 Newsletter

November 2010 Newsletter

GATE Photos

4th Grade FAQs

Question: How do 4th grade students qualify for GATE in the Hope District?

Answer: All 4th grade students have the opportunity to take the GATE test and their scores are used to determine GATE eligibility. Students must score in the top 2-5% of their age group to qualify for the GATE program. Parents will be notified by mail of the testing date and signed permission letters must be returned by the September 14 deadline. Parents who feel that their student should not be tested can decline.

Question: What is the GATE test?

Answer: The GATE test is called the Cognitive Abilities Test which is an aptitude test that measures higher level thinking and reasoning skills. The test, lasting about three hours, measures specific abilities within the following cognitive areas: 1. verbal or ability to solve word problems 2. quantitative or the ability to solve number problems 3. non-verbal or the ability to solve spatial problems.

Question: When is the test and when will parents be notified of the results?

Answer: The 4th grade GATE test will be given by the 4th grade teachers during the week of September 13-17, 2010, and results will be available sometime in mid October. Parents/guardians are notified via letter home regarding eligibility for the gifted program. At this time, parents are also invited to attend an informational meeting regarding the GATE program and participation options.

Question: When is the GATE informational meeting and when will the program start at my child’s school?

Answer: The Hope District Parent GATE Information Night is scheduled for late October and parents/guardians of newly qualified 4th grade GATE students will be invited to hear an overview about the district’s GATE program and meet the GATE resource teacher, Carrie Garner. Each school, along with the GATE resource teacher, decides on the start date of the GATE program and the subject topics. The program usually starts in early November or January, after testing is completed.

Question: What is the 4th Grade GATE Program and how often do students meet?

Answer: The 4th Grade GATE program is a specially designed curriculum, based on state standards in content areas with a strong focus on science. Its goal is to challenge students to extend academic achievement, become creative problem solvers, develop positive leadership skills, respect the needs of society and their community, and use a variety of technologies as tools to access and communicate information for higher intellectual thinking. The 4th grade GATE students meet once a week for 90 minutes with the GATE resource teacher. Past in-depth science topics have included animal adaptation, energy and electricity, and plant biology. Students will keep a folder of their science lab work, do self-evaluations of their work and receive teacher evaluations. GATE does not assign number grades on student report cards.

Question: If my child is in the Hope School District GATE Program, will he/she need to be re-tested for junior high?

Answer: Currently, once a child is identified the placement remains valid through secondary school in the Santa Barbara Secondary School District. The Santa Barbara Secondary School GATE Program has academic requirements for students to remain in junior high and high school GATE classes. Districts outside Santa Barbara have varying criteria for GATE.

Question: If my child was identified in another school district, may he/she be identified as GATE in the Hope District?

Answer: Gate is not a mandated program in California. Each district develops its own criteria for identification. Eligible students must meet the GATE identification criteria established by the Hope School District.

Question: If my child does not qualify for GATE in 4th grade, can he/she be re-assessed for the 5th grade GATE program the following year?

Answer: Students who do not qualify in 4th grade may be re-evaluated in 5th grade, based on a score of advanced in Language Arts or Math on the California Standards Test, administered in the Spring of 4th grade. Parents/guardians will be notified about the 5th grade GATE test.

Question: If my child is not eligible for the Hope District GATE program in grades 4-6, can he/she be re-assessed for the junior high GATE program?

Answer: Yes, current 6th grade students who did not qualify for the Hope District Elementary GATE program will have the opportunity to take the junior high GATE test given by the Santa Barbara Secondary School District in the spring to determine their eligibility for 7th grade GATE placement.

5th Grade FAQs

Question: If my child does not qualify for GATE in 4th grade, can he/she be re-assessed for the 5th grade GATE program the following year?

Question: What is the GATE test?

Question: When is the test and when will parents be notified of the results?

Answer: The 5th grade GATE test will be given during the week of September 20-23, 2010, and results will be available sometime in early October. Parents/guardians are notified via letter home regarding eligibility for the gifted program. At this time, parents are also invited to attend an informational meeting regarding the GATE program and participation options.

Question: When is the GATE informational meeting and when will the program start at my child’s school?

Answer: The Hope District Parent GATE Information Night is scheduled for late October and parents/guardians of newly qualified 5th grade GATE students will be invited to hear an overview about the district’s GATE program and meet the GATE resource teacher, Carrie Garner. Each school, along with the GATE resource teacher, decides on the start date of the GATE program and the subject topics. The program usually starts in early to mid October, after testing is completed.

Question: What is the 5th Grade GATE Program and how often do students meet?

Answer: The 5th Grade GATE program is a specially designed curriculum, based on state standards in content areas with a strong focus on science. Its goal is to challenge students to extend academic achievement, become creative problem solvers, develop positive leadership skills, respect the needs of society and their community, and use a variety of technologies as tools to access and communicate information for higher intellectual thinking. The 5th grade GATE students meet once a week for 90 minutes with the GATE resource teacher. Past in-depth science topics have included cell and plant biology, planaria regeneration labs, live crayfish/animal behavior studies, and chemistry. Students will keep a folder of their science lab work, do self-evaluations of their work and receive teacher evaluations. GATE does not assign number grades on student report cards.

Question: If my child is in the Hope School District GATE Program, will he/she need to be re-tested for junior high?

Question: If my child was identified in another school district, may he/she be identified as GATE in the Hope District?

Question: If my child is not eligible for the Hope District GATE program in grades 4-6, can he/she be re-assessed for the junior high GATE program?

Current Events

Reminder for Parents

The first day of school for the 2013-14 school year will be August 26, 2013. Meet the teacher will be the afternoon of August 23. Have a safe and happy summer!

Board Meeting

The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, July 8, at 7:00 p.m. in the Hope District Board Room, 3970 La Colina Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93110.

Kindergarten Registration

Fall 2013 Kindergarten registration for students who live within the Hope District attendance area and will be 5 years old on or before October 1, 2013 will take place in February 2013. Please visit your neighborhood school during the week of February 11-14 to pick up registration materials.

Please Click Here for Kindergarten registration information in English and Spanish.

Transitional Kindergarten

The Hope School District offers a Transitional Kindergarten program for students who will have their fifth birthday between October 2 and December 2, 2013.

Please Click Here For Information about the program.

District Residency

The Hope School District serves students who live within district attendance boundaries. The district residency policy BP 5111.1 outlines criteria for residency requirements. Please click here for the district residency policy.

Open Enrollment Policy

The recent passage of the Open Enrollment Act requires districts to adopt a policy for interdistrict attendance under the Open Enrollment Act.

Please click here to view Administrative Regulation 5117.1 Interdistrict Attendance: Open Enrollment Act ("OEA Transfers").

Economic Impact Aid

SB 754 requires school districts to post Economic Impact Aid (EIA) expenditures and related fiscal information on their website as a condition of receipt for future EIA funding. This posting must be in compliance with certification rules in the Consolidated Application related to this requirement. The posting includes financial data for fiscal years 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Please Click Here to View the Fiscal Report and Public Posting.

Comments for Trustees

The Board of Trustees welcomes comments from our district parents and community members. A feedback form for your comments is available here (click). Please return the completed form to the district office. Thank you.

General Obligation Bond Oversight Committee

The Bylaws for the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee were adopted by the Board of Trustees at their meeting on November 8, 2010.

Bond Oversight Committee Bylaws (click here)

Proposition 39 Audit June 30, 2011 (click here)

Fund 21 Financial Report Bond Oversight Committee, December 2011 (click here)

The Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee met on June 6, 2012.

Bond Oversight Committee Annual Report, June 2012 (click here)