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WELCOME TO THE GATE PAGE!
This page will be the one-stop shopping site for the various in-school programs and activities that Mr. Nutt coordinates, including the GATE classes at both schools.
This page will also offer information on trips and after-school competitions, such as Battle of the Books and Battle of the Minds.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Nutt at bnutt@gmrsd.com.
Any official complaints about the district's GATE program must be submitted via the Gifted and Talented Education Formal Complaint Form.
Mission Statement
The GATE (gifted and talented enrichment) program is committed to providing enrichment opportunities to all students. The GATE class is typically a pull-out class reserved only for those students in Grades 3 through 8 who have been identified as truly gifted (placed among the top 2% of all students in their age cohort) and as academically high-achieving (in the top 15% of the class). However, the GATE instructor will also be available to provide push-in enrichment activities at all grade levels and for all subjects.
GATE Selection Process
In keeping with national and state standards, the Great Meadows Regional School District employs multiple measures to determine a student's qualifications for the GATE program.
These measures include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Teacher recommendations and observations
- Classroom behavior and performance
- CogAT (Cognitive Ability Test) results
- OLSATs, NJSLAs, or similar tests
- Any other assessments of ability, achievement, and/or creativity
The CogATs may be administered any time throughout the year, but generally they are given in late May or June (for students recommended for inclusion in the next year's program) and in the fall for students new to the distric.
Generally, the GATE class is limited to a maximum of about 15% of the population of the grade in the district.
K-2 Enrichment
Throughout the year, Mr. Nutt provides enrichment to students at these grade levels. Sometimes, he will work with the entire class on lessons and projects that supplement the regular classroom lessons.
Occasionally, Mr. Nutt will pull out students recommended by the classroom teacher for specific lessons, such as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) projects or accelerated reading assignments. However, K-2 students selected for these lessons are not in the GATE program, which does not officially begin until 3rd grade. These lessons are in addition to the differentiation by the classroom teacher.
Students targeted for one-on-one instruction are recommended by teachers or requested by parents. Students demonstrate qualification based on teacher observation and performance on appropriate assessments (for example, tests for next grade level math or ELA).
3rd Grade GATE
The students will learn about animals and will be introduced to the basics of research and presentation of findings.
4th Grade GATE
In addition to learning about specific inventions, the students are charged to actually invent a product that can actually be used in home or in school. In addition, the students will be encouraged to do a Shark Tank-like presentation for the service or a product that they will develop.
5th Grade GATE
The students will research a real-life hero and explore what qualities make up a hero.
6th Grade GATE
Students are beginning the year with a STEM unit related to chemistry and the periodic table. Students will also be participating the NJ State Bar Foundation Law Fair mock trial competition, which is due at the end of January 2025.
7th Grade GATE
Students begin by researching musicians of the present and the past and the time periods when musicians were popular. This activity combines music and social history.
8th Grade GATE
Students will be taking part in the Finance Park financial literacy program by Junior Achievement of New Jersey. Students are also encouraged to work throughout the year on an independent "passion project" to explore a subject important to them or to research careers that might interest them. The independent project will be ongoing throughout the year.
ACTIVITIES
Through the Warren County Consortium for Student Enrichment, students in Great Meadows schools are part of invited to participate in competitions and group activities throughout the year.
Battle of the Minds
A team competition in which students cooperatively answer questions on a variety of subjects, including language arts, math, science, social studies, the fine arts, and popular culture. Details are forthcoming.
Battle of the Books
A team competition in which students read and answer questions about eight to 10 books from a prepared list. Details are forthcoming
CALENDAR
To be determined
(This page last updated: September 19, 2022)