In this week’s blog, we will be discussing the GATE Program in the Brea Olinda Unified School District. Like many school districts, all 3rd-grade students will be assessed, and no testing request will be needed. For those students in 4th - 6th grade, a teacher and parent request will be required. 

Below is a timeline that the BOUSD follows for their GATE Identification process: 

January 3rd - 27th: 4th - 6th-grade students submit their request for Gate testing

January 31st - February 11th: Gate testing will be administered

February 18th - February 28th: Teacher and parent tabulation

March 21st - April 1st: Student grade review

April: Parents receive notification of Gate identification 

The BOUSD utilizes the CogAT assessment. This abilities test measures a student’s reasoning skills in terms of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal questions. 

After your student is identified as gifted, they will be placed in a Gate cluster with other gate students. Gate certified teachers teach the classes and provide an academically advanced curriculum to challenge and foster creativity. 

Additionally, similar to other school districts, your student will keep their Gate identification throughout their academic career in the Brea Olinda School District. 

Furthermore, the BOUSD provides afterschool Zoom sessions to support their gifted students’ learning at home. These afterschool zoom sessions occur on Tuesday or Thursday, depending on which elementary school your student attends. The focus for each year may vary, and the focus for the 2021 school year is Developing GATE Skills. 

Additionally, every year your gate student will be asked to identify their four Gate goals. In October, their teacher will meet with you, and the first three Gate goals will be decided upon by you, the teacher, and your student. Below is a list of the Gate goals:

Academic

Leadership

Collaboration

Communication

Social-Emotional Development

Empathy

Service Learning

Compassion

Metacognition

Strategic

Individual Interests

Depth and Complexity 

Identifying goals will support your gifted students learning and allow them to pursue their academic path. 

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Optimus Learning School is a tutoring center in Brea serving Fullerton, Placentia, and Yorba Linda. Since 2008, we have been helping students from kindergarten through high school achieve their academic goals through our various programs such as our home school, after school program, homework help, and private tutoring. We also offer seasonal programs such as our popular summer camp. There are many enrichment classes year-round, such as coding, STEM, piano, and art which will help shape creative and well-rounded students. Are you ready to kickstart your child’s education? Send an inquiry form or contact us today!