The first time I walked through the doors of Stargate School, I was struck by the bright, warm and friendly feeling here. Children radiate happiness and energy as they go about their days. In the classrooms, the bustle and enthusiasm of the learning process is complemented by the sense of clear expectations. All in all, it seems much like any great school anywhere.
But Stargate is different. The students here have qualified for admission by virtue of an independently administered IQ test (see our admissions standards), which designates them as gifted. In addition, Stargate is a Charter School within the Adams 12 Five Star District. So while we have the benefits of our association with this superior district, we still retain some levels of autonomy with regard to establishing admissions standards, contracting with our own faculty, and determining a curriculum that is appropriate for our students.
Students and their families coming from other public or private mainstream schools comment upon the level of academic work, of course. But they also cite the relationships with teachers, the friendships, and the safety they find here. In addition, Stargate offers an increasing variety of ways that students can contribute to life here—community service, student government, newspaper and yearbook, interscholastic athletics, after-school clubs, and a full range of enrichment programs offered during the school day including art, instrumental and general music, technology, physical education, and Spanish at all levels.
Our Junior High program includes five core academics during the school day—Language Arts, World History, Math, Laboratory Science, and Spanish—plus enrichment classes, many of which are designed just for the students in grades 7 and 8. Consequently, our graduates go off to competitive high school programs in both public and private schools and may be able to accelerate in individual subject areas or even skip a grade.
Stargate faculty and staff are life-long learners. In addition to independent coursework and degree programs, Stargate provides ongoing professional development throughout the school year. And last summer alone, more than half of the Stargate faculty participated in training programs in both math and writing. Stargate parents also benefit from educational workshops provided by the School throughout the year. We know that every gifted child is unique, and so it is a priority for the School to meet the academic and social/emotional needs of each of our children.
Finally, and very importantly, this school could not exist without the parents. Stargate parents founded the School, and their volunteerism keeps us going in so many ways. Our new Parent Staff Council, which meets monthly, is currently developing a growing list of new and exciting ways for parents to be meaningfully involved.
For more details or additional information, keep in touch with us at this website (developed by our wonderful parents!). And by all means give us a call if we can help in any way.