GATE
Gifted and Talented Education Program
The Panama-Buena Vista Union School District's elementary Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program is designed to extend and enrich identified fourth, fifth, and sixth-grade students' educational experiences through units of study. The units are created to meet the unique learning styles of gifted children. Mr. Ron Petrelli (4th) rpetrelli@pbvusd.k12.ca.us, Mr. Dustin Schonauer (5th) dschonauer@pbvusd.k12.ca.us, and Mr. Michael Cushine (6th) mcushine@pbvusd.k12.ca.us expose students to challenging curriculum designed to extend the core curriculum while exposing students to new and different topics of study. The program also offers a wide range of experiences to foster creative talents and develop critical thinking skills.
Identified students from all of the District’s 20 elementary sites are bussed to the Stockdale GATE Center for one full day of enrichment instruction each week. Program hours are 9:00 am - 1:30 p.m.
Identification Process
Qualification to test for the elementary gifted education program is based on students' CAASPP and STAR Math/Reading results from the previous school year. Qualifying students are invited to take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) which is administered at each school site in August. Students are ranked on CogAT test scores. The highest-scoring students are placed in the available openings in the GATE classes. GATE instruction begins in September. GATE Parent Orientation Night is October 2, 2024 at the Stockdale Elementary Multi-purpose room.
GATE Program
The GATE staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of the District's advanced learners. Teachers stay current on state standards, differentiated curriculum, and GATE instructional strategies. Professional development is ongoing through university coursework and California Association for the Gifted (CAG) conferences and institutes.
The GATE instructors participate in the DonorsChoose program and have been quite successful in getting numerous projects funded. We have acquired a variety of math, art, and science materials used for many of our S.T.E.M. challenges and activities. Several of the GATE teachers’ projects have been fully or partially funded by Chevron through its partnership program with non-profit organizations.
Fourth graders begin the year with a study of the History of the World, an interdisciplinary unit encompassing geography, geology, archaeology, paleontology, and anthropology. The 5th graders participate in the study of Space Science, a unit specifically designed to extend and enrich the earth science core curriculum. This unit integrates the study of our universe, the history of space flight and exploration, and exposes our students to career options in the fields of science, engineering, and advanced mathematics. Sixth graders experience a hands-on approach to learning about Economics and Finance. In Stock Market game competitions, students discover real-world applications while competing with school teams across the state. Our 6th-grade students consistently place in the top tier of the U.S. West Region - placing 1st in 2009, 2018, and 2020 - including a top 1% finish in the nation in 2012! Our 6th-grade students also placed first place in the 2020 Essay Contest!
Student learning is enhanced by participation in educational field study programs related to the GATE curriculum. Each grade level participates in out-of-town field trips each year. Fourth graders visit the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles to extend their study of Paleontology and Archaeology. To enhance their study of Space Science, fifth graders travel to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Sixth graders will do a virtual tour of the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, which is designed to engage visitors' hearts and minds while challenging them to assume personal responsibility for positive change. Spring field trips will have all grade levels visiting southern California to extend their study of Art Appreciation and expand their knowledge of Art History and the Visual Arts. Fourth Grade will attend the Getty Museum, 5th Grade the Norton Simon Museum, and 6th Grade the Getty Villa. Funding for all field trip experiences is provided by GATE parents.
GATE FIELD TRIPS 2024-25
4th Grade - La Brea Tarpits November 12 and 13, 2024
The Getty Museum April 8 and 9, 2025
5th Grade - NASA-JPL January 8, 2025
Norton Simon Museum March 17 and 20, 2025
6th Grade - Museum of Tolerance Virtual Field Trip October 7-11, 2024
Bird Dog Arts (Tejon Outlets) November 4-8, 2024
CSUB Fab Lab Devember 2-6, 2024
Barnes Wealth (Bakersfield) January 13-14 and 23-24, 2025
Bakersfield Museum of Art February 24-28, 2025
Getty Villa March 26, 2025
An essential part of the GATE curriculum is the study of Art History and Appreciation. GATE students are exposed to the arts of different cultures and various art historical periods. Students examine the lives and work of the world’s famous artists and not only learn to appreciate the arts, but actively participate in the creative process. Students in all grade levels produce an extensive assortment of projects using a wide variety of mediums.
To promote cultural literacy and expand language arts skills, teachers provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences. Students study the etymology of words with Greek and Latin roots. Latin-based languages provide the foundation of our foreign language curriculum. Italian, Spanish, and French are introduced through a variety of listening, speaking, reading, and writing activities.
The GATE curriculum includes mathematics enrichment, where all strands of the discipline are explored. Students study famous mathematicians throughout history and investigate mathematical ideas and principles. Teacher-made units of study incorporate advanced hands-on learning activities based on the California Mathematics Content Standards. Instructors work as a team to develop innovative ways to enhance and extend students' mathematical reasoning and understanding.
Our GATE instructors continually strive to improve the curriculum to appropriately meet the needs of these special-needs learners. Instructors are committed to creating a supportive learning environment where students with exceptionally high intellectual abilities are challenged, yet feel safe to take risks in their academic explorations. The GATE team is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of the District’s gifted children.
Junior High Above Grade Level/Accelerated Program
The junior high school above grade level/accelerated program is offered at each individual school site. Students follow a regular junior high school schedule taking above grade level/accelerated Math and/or English/Language Arts daily. Students are placed in junior high above grade level/accelerated classes based on STAR Achievement Test results, CAASPP, GPA, and teacher recommendation.
