Welcome to the Ocean View School District - Gifted and Talented Program - Web site. We are proud of our GATE Program and strive to provide the best possible program for our Gifted and Talented students. This Web site will provide information about our District's GATE Entrance Criteria, our calendar for the year, and links to our magnet program sites. OCEAN VIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION Since the mid-1960's Ocean View School District has offered a program for identified gifted and talented students. Today OVSD designates Circle View Elementary School, for grades 4 and 5, and Mesa View Middle School, for grades 6 – 8, as the magnet schools where GATE students are homogeneously grouped together for all of their academic instruction. This research-based magnet setting provides a five-year curriculum continuum in which learning experiences: Are enriched and accelerated Promote the development of higher level and divergent thinking skills Encourage creative expression Develop leadership skills Foster healthy self-esteem Initiate career exploration IDENTIFICATION Students in Ocean View School District are tested for GATE in the fall of third grade. Any students who are new to the district in grades 3 through 7 are also tested in the fall and again in the spring. Students are given the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT/8) which measures the cognitive abilities that relate to a student’s ability to learn. Students designated as Limited English Proficient are assessed with the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. Students must have a National Percentile Rank (NPR) of at least 89% to be considered for GATE placement. Students with this ranking are then referred to a School Placement Committee for further review and assessment, which includes the student’s achievement scores (STAR Results)and a Teacher Survey of Gifted Characteristics which is filled out by their teacher. Parents are notified in the spring if their child qualifies for GATE Placement in the fall. Students who perform well on the OLSAT and the Classroom Characteristic Index, but not high enough on the achievement test are often placed in a pending category until the most current test scores can be reviewed. Students who transfer as GATE from another school district are placed in GATE on a trial basis until the above assessments can be made. GATE Parent Orientation meetings are held in the spring at the Magnet Schools in order to assist students and parents in making an informed decision about GATE Program placement. GATE MAGNET PROGRAM The GATE Magnet Program provides an all-day setting, which offers flexibility in scheduling and a wider range of educational opportunities. It provides students with a longer period of time for enriched and accelerated learning experiences that stress the use of higher level thinking skills, divergent thinking, and the students’ preferred style of learning. Students receive instruction based on their academic strengths. The middle school curriculum for all GATE Magnet students includes reading/literature, language arts, history/social science, mathematics, science, physical education, and exploratory classes. Students in GATE at Mesa View participate in an accelerated mathematics program,limited exclusively to Mesa View. GATE students are grouped together for differentiated instruction with designated program teachers for the four academic classes. The students in GATE are grouped with the entire student body for physical education and exploratory classes. CLUSTER PROGRAM AT THE HOME SCHOOL This is an all day enrichment program offered at your child’s school. Students are grouped within a regular classroom setting and receive appropriately differentiated activities from an experienced teacher. For more information about the GATE Magnet Program, please contact: Kathleen Jaquin, Principal Leona Olson, Principal Circle View Elementary School Mesa View Middle School 6261 Hooker Drive 17601 Avila Lane Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Huntington Beach, CA 92647 714-893-5035 714-842-6608 For information about the GATE Cluster Program, please contact the principal at your child’s home school.