The CATS (Children with Academic Talents in School) program serves identified gifted students in grades K-5th grade. Students are engaged in enrichment groups twice a week pursuing areas of interest and topics in greater depth and complexity. Students engage in solving complex questions or real-world problems demonstrating knowledge and skills through the development of a product or presentation for a real authentic audience. Units of study have included such environmental issues such as The Plastic Problem where students focused on the negative impacts of plastic to develop a positive solution/product to the problem. In addition, students have selected topics to investigate and research to design products such as recycling nudges, working clocks, upcylced waterbottle projects, websites, public awareness campaigns as well as authoring chapter books, poems and other informational texts.

My name is Kathleen Dean, CCPS Gifted Specialist and I am so excited to partner with your student on this new adventure. I have been in gifted education for eight years at Winchester Public Schools serving as the EXCEL Gifted Resource Teacher and then later as the ACE (Accelerated Curriculum through Enrichment) Teacher for third and fourth grade gifted students. I obtained my gifted endorsement coursework through University of Virginia. This has been my first year with Clarke County Public Schools. For me, some key components of a gifted program include building relationships with students and families through open communication, providing challenging and engaging projects based on student passion and empowering students to take charge of their learning by advocating and reflecting on what is needed to see a project through. It is my greatest joy to partner with students as a mentor and sounding board through 1:1 conferencing where personalized discussion and reflection take place in order for students to realize their full potential. I am so looking forward to meeting all of you personally at the August Open Houses. See you then!

August 15th @ 6:00pm for D.G. Cooley Parents

Gifted Education Meeting to learn about what will be happening this school year! Followed by the D.G. Cooley Open House at 6:30 pm. Come meet the teacher, see the classroom and explore the program.

August Boyce Open House TBD

September 10th Field Trip

American Shakespeare Center Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton, Virginia. Bus leaving Boyce Elementary at 7:15 am and picking up students at D.G. Cooley at 7:35 am. Buses will return to Boyce at 4:15 pm and Cooley at 4:45pm.