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Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

GATE Announcements:

 
UPCOMING EVENTS:

2023-2024 GATE Teacher Training Series - SAVE the DATES!

 
 
Registration is open for the first two classes in the series:
 
Registration coming soon for:
Class #3: Differentiating Instruction II - Application to Core
Class #4: Nature & Nurture of GATE Learners
Class #5: GATE Program Design & Administration
 
All Classes are Virtual
 
ATTENTION GATE FAMILIES - The GATE Advisory Committee needs you!

Please consider joining our GATE Advisory Committee this year. We are working to review, reinvent, and revitalize our GATE Program and value your feedback. There will be 3-4 meetings during the school year via zoom. The first meeting is Thursday, September 28th at 5 pm. For more information, please contact DeAnn Tenhunfeld at deann.tenhunfeld@wjusd.org.

 
 
RECENT EVENTS:
 
Enrichment Academy - Summer 2023 - STEAMin' Success!
 
Check out our video from EA 2023 - thank you Mr. Cheng!
 

GATE ART SHOW - MAY 5, 2023 - Huge Success!

Art Classes for 2023-2023 information coming soon!
 
More than 400 families and friends joined us on May 5 at the Historic Roth Building, Downtown Woodland, to view art projects from students across the district. Students showed off their creativity and originality through art classes including Color is Cool, Art Adventure, When Food Strikes Back, Origami, T-shirt Quilts, Amazing Poster Size Collage Animal Faces, Linocut  Printmaking, and Wild for Watercolors. Here are a few examples to enjoy!
 
Food Strikes BackSun-MoonAnimal Collage
 
 

Spring 2023 FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHT

2023-2024 Family Science Night Date - coming soon!
Families gathered on Wednesday, April 19th to explore hands-on science exhibits from the Explorit Science Center program, "Healthy Family, Healthy You." GATE liaison, April Guse, shares information on different rock types and Explorit educator, David Mues, describes how trees get their water.  More than 50 families attended!
 
Family Science Night station April 2023
 
 
 
Family Science Night Flyer
Family Science Night tree station
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Family Math Nights 2023

Look for 2023-2024 Math Night Dates coming soon!
Woodland, March 15 & 22, 2023
Family Math Nights were recently held at Douglass Middle School and Lee Middle School for all students in grades 3-8 in the Woodland School District. Students and their families joined in to learn about math strategy games from GEMS “Math Around the World.” High School volunteers assisted with the fun event.  About 50 students, families, and volunteers attended each night.
Glen Lusebrink, one of the district math night organizers said, “It is great to see our students and their families discovering math puzzles and strategy games together. Many of these games brought out a little competitiveness which add to the fun. We would like to do more of these events for our district community. Topics could include patterns, building, and architecture, more mathematical puzzles, or even a chess night.”
 
Family Math Nights Flyer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2023 Geography Bee Competition

Look for 2023-2024 Geography Bee Classes and Competition Dates coming soon!
 
GATE students from across the district took four weeks of GeoBee prep classes to prepare for the competition which took place at Pioneer High School on February 22. Twenty-eight students competed and in the end, it was Cash Foldhazi (1st), Charlotte Banuelos (2nd), and Michael Nichols (3rd) that won the competition. Participants were asked questions about state geography, state birds and flowers, funky state facts, oceans, continents, and countries. Congratulations to all of our participants!
 
Geography Bee winners 2023
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pictured front row: Michael Nichols, Charlotte Banuelos, and Cash Foldhazi. Back row: Judges Hayden Krause, Bob Folker, Dennis Silva and Host Scott Clary.
 
FOR PARENTS:
 
PARENT NIGHTS:
2023-2024 Parent Nights coming soon!
 
*Our third Virtual GATE Parent Night was May 9th with our very own, Jessica Friedman, from Plainfield Elementary. Please take a look at her presentation on building curiousity in kids! GATE NIGHT: Curiosity and Investigation
*Our second Virtual GATE Parent Night was March 1st. To learn a bit more, take a look at the presentation by guest speaker Kari Lofing:
*Our first Virtual GATE Parent Night  was December 7th. Check out these GATE resources shared by our guest speaker here.
 
*Attention GATE Parents: Are you interested in being part of the GATE Advisory Committee? This is your opportunity to learn more about the GATE Program and also share your ideas and concerns. We are looking to make changes and improve the program, but need your voice. Our next meeting is March 23rd. We would love to have you join! Please email deann.tenhunfeld@wjusd.org for more information! 
 
FOR TEACHERS:
*GATE Testing - Universal testing for third grade students takes place each fall. Students in grades 4-6 that are new to the district or were previously absent when tested in third grade will also be tested in the fall. Check with your GATE site liaison for the schedule.
 
*Student GATE Testing Referral Form - Please complete this form to refer a student in grade 4-12 for GATE testing or retesting. This form is for parents, teachers, and administrators to refer students that they believe could qualify for GATE or are new to the district. Students in junior high and high school will be tested by referral and appointment only. Students may be tested more than once but only tested once per year.
 
 
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
 
GATE General Information
The purpose of the GATE program is to provide challenging curriculum and instruction for students who are capable of achieving at a level significantly beyond that of their grade level. Each year a short test called the Raven Progressive Matrices is given to every third grade student in the district to determine whether the student may be eligible for this program. Absent students are able to take a make up test in January. Students that are new to the district, in grades 4-8, are also tested. Parents are notified in writing if their child is determined to be GATE eligible. 

GATE identified students, in grades 4-8, are invited to participate in after school GATE enrichment classes. Annually we host a Geography Bee, Art classes, and the summer Enrichment Academy.  Eligible students will receive an invitation for each enrichment program along with instructions on how to sign up. For more information, contact April Guse at april.guse@wjusd.org

For a list of GATE resources, please visit the California Department of Education's GATE website.
Additional resources:
www.hoagiesgifted.org (Hoagie’s Gifted Education Page)
www.cagifted.org (California Association for the Gifted)
www.nagc.org (National Association for Gifted Children)
www.sengifted.org (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted)
https://www.byrdseed.com  (Ian Byrd's webpage with GATE resources)
 
For information about district GATE programs, please contact:
DeAnn Tenhunfeld, District Expanded Learning and GATE TOSA (530)406-3252 Email
 
For school site services, please contact your school site Principal or GATE liaison.