Skip to main content

AGATE Academy

AGATE Academy

AGATE Academy is a full time gifted program that serves and supports each child intellectually, socially, and emotionally in a challenging environment. Students enrolled in AGATE Academy engage daily in a compacted and differentiated curriculum and experience learning at a faster pace. The AGATE Academy serves students in grades 2-4.
 ​
AGATE Academy embraces the following beliefs:

 

  • Children learn at different rates and have different educational needs.
     
  • Programming must provide for challenging goals and activities based on assessment of individual needs.
     
  • Students must have daily opportunities to have their interests ignited and stay hooked into learning.
     
  • Learning must foster higher-level thinking in a community of capable minds.
     
  • Programming must build on and consider the unique characteristics of gifted students.
     
  • The affective needs of the gifted child must be purposefully and specifically addressed and supported.
     
  • Rigorous academic goals must be established that meet and exceed both those of the Brainerd Public Schools and Minnesota State Standards.

  • Students in grades 1-4 may be assessed for Gifted Education at the request of a teacher or parent. If not previously taken, the initial step is administering the CogAT 7 Cognitive Abilities Test. This assessment comprises three different batteries: Verbal, Quantitative, and Non-verbal. Each of these batteries has three sub-tests, so students are assessed in 9 unique ways of thinking and processing. Depending on the CogAT score, additional information may be needed in the areas of performance, classroom achievement, and behavioral characteristics. This portfolio of information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

    • Report cards

    • Reading level

    • Teacher checklist (Scales for Rating the Behavior Characteristics of Superior Students, or SRBCSS)

    • Parent questionnaire
       

    Portfolio Review

    Names are removed from the portfolio contents; only a student identification number is used during the review process. A team reviews each portfolio to determine identification for gifted and talented education. If identified, the committee also determines the appropriate level of programming for that student. Parents are notified regarding this decision and provided information concerning future action.

     

    Levels of Programming

    • An invitation to attend AGATE Academy (Area Gifted and Talented Education), our School-within-a-School Program (Currently housed at Lowell Elementary).

    • Building level programming in math, reading, or both subjects (Currently in development).

    • Differentiation in the regular-education classroom.
       

    Elementary Appeals Process

    At the request of a parent or guardian, the following appeals process will begin. The costs of assessments administered during the appeals process are the family's responsibility.

    1. A school psychologist will administer the appropriate cognitive ability test.*

    2. Scoring in the 90th percentile on the alternative cognitive ability test will qualify a child for a portfolio review.

    3. Members from the Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee will review the portfolio and make a final decision.

    Requests should be sent to Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher.

    * The cost of the alternative assessment administered by the Paul Bunyan Educational Cooperative is $150.

  • For students moving to, or considering attendance in, Brainerd Public Schools, the identification process is similar to that of our current students. Students in grades 1-4 may be assessed for Gifted Education at the request of a teacher or parent. If not previously taken, the initial step is administering the CogAT 7 Cognitive Abilities Test. This assessment comprises three different batteries: Verbal, Quantitative, and Non-verbal. Each of these batteries has three sub-tests, enabling students to be assessed in 9 unique ways of thinking and processing. Depending on the CogAT score, additional information may be needed in the areas of performance, classroom achievement, and behavioral characteristics. This portfolio of information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

    • Test scores (CogAT7)

    • Report cards

    • Reading level

    • Teacher checklist, such as Scales for Rating the Behavior Characteristics of Superior Students (SRBCSS)

    • Parent questionnaire
       

    Portfolio Review

    Names are removed from the portfolio contents; only a student identification number is used during the review process. A team reviews each portfolio to determine identification for gifted and talented education. If identified, the committee also determines the appropriate level of programming for that student. Parents are notified regarding this decision and provided information concerning future action.

     

    Levels of Programming

    • An invitation to attend AGATE Academy (Area Gifted and Talented Education), our School-within-a-School Program (Currently housed at Lowell Elementary).

    • Building level programming in math, reading, or both subjects (Currently in development).

    • Differentiation in the regular-education classroom.  


    Elementary Appeals Process

    At the request of a parent or guardian, the following appeals process will begin. The costs of assessments administered during the appeals process are the family's responsibility.

    1. A school psychologist will administer the appropriate cognitive ability test.*

    2. Scoring in the 90th percentile on the alternative cognitive ability test will qualify a child for a portfolio review.

    3. Members from the Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee will review the portfolio and make a final decision.

    Requests should be sent to Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher.

    * The cost of the alternative assessment administered by the Paul Bunyan Cooperative is $150.