Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)
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Monday: 2nd & 3rd grade Tuesday: 4th - 6th grade Wednesday -Friday: 7th through 8th grade *Students will enter through the library*
GATE Identification Process: All students must qualify for participation in our GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program, based on requirements outlined in a rubric. The selection process is based on a point system based on multiple measures such as report card grades, NNAT3 results, teacher recommendations, and the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT). Since we know that giftedness comes in many different forms, we utilize a variety of data points to identify students for our GATE program. Students in grades 1 and 5 will be administered the NNAT3 and TTCT assessments in the Spring to determine if they qualify for the program. A student that qualifies for the GATE program in 2nd grade will remain enrolled in the program until grade 5 and then students will need to re-qualify in grade 6 for GATE. Similar to 2nd-grade students, 6th-grade students will remain in the program until graduation from Merchantville School. If a parent of students in grades 3, 4, 5, 7, or 8 would like to request the NNAT3/TTCT be administered to their child(ren) to see if they would qualify for the GATE program, they must make a written request to the Chief School Administrator by mid-September. Students must maintain their grades throughout the school year they are enrolled in GATE. If their report cards show a C the child will be placed on probation. If the following report card contains no C's then they will be removed from probation. Receiving continued C's will warrant removal from the program. If a student receives a D or F on their report card then they will automatically be removed from the program.
7-8 Odyssey of the Mind
We are very excited to announce that this year, Merchantville School will participate in the Odyssey of the Mind program with our 7th through 8th graders. Students will be broken up into teams to solve a long-term problem. Over the school year, students will work on solving the long-term problem, and then they will participate in the Odyssey of the Mind competition..
"Odyssey of the Mind (OM™) teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. Imagine being faced with a problem that requires an original solution. It can be frightening. Now imagine not being afraid to solve that problem – that is what OM members learn. This skill and self-confidence will carry over to all areas of their lives. OM brings the classroom to life as students apply what they learn and combine it with their interests and passions to solve our unique open-ended problems. OM also emphasizes teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking, and so much more. This international program is designed to help students at all learning levels grow as individual learners, grow as team members, and to reach their full potential. "
Our 2nd through 5th graders will be working on real-world meaningful projects. Students will work on a project over an extended period that engages them in solving a real-world problem or answering complex questions. At the end of the projects, students will demonstrate their newly learned knowledge and skills by creating a product or presentation for a real audience.  What is Giftedness? Giftedness, intelligence, and talent are fluid concepts and may look different in different contexts and cultures. Even within schools, you will find a range of beliefs about the word "gifted," which has become a term with multiple meanings and much nuance. Gifted children may develop asynchronously: their minds are often ahead of their physical growth, and specific cognitive and social-emotional functions can develop unevenly. Some gifted children with exceptional aptitude may not demonstrate outstanding levels of achievement due to environmental circumstances such as limited opportunities to learn as a result of poverty, discrimination, or cultural barriers; due to physical or learning disabilities; or due to motivational or emotional problems. This dichotomy between potential for and demonstrated achievement has implications for schools as they design programs and services for gifted students. NAGC does not subscribe to any one theory of the nature of human abilities or their origins. We assert that there are children who demonstrate high performance, or who have the potential to do so, and that we have a responsibility to provide optimal educational experiences to fully develop talents in as many children as possible, for the benefit of the individual and the community.
Definitions of Giftedness 
Definitions provide the framework for gifted education programs and services and guide key decisions such as which students will qualify for services, the areas of giftedness to be addressed in programming (e.g., intellectual giftedness generally, specific abilities in math), when the services will be offered, and even why they will be provided. There is no universally accepted definition of giftedness.
Common Characteristics of Gifted Individuals
Because gifted children are so diverse, not all exhibit all characteristics all of the time. However, there are common characteristics that many gifted individuals share:
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