Elementary Continuum of Services
Primary Enrichment Program |K-2
The Primary Enrichment Program (PEP) is offered at each elementary school. PEP services may include, pull-out or push in model, and/or differentiated instruction within the classroom. SAGE/PEP teachers provide support for these services. Students work on special enrichment projects that incorporate a high level of cognitive demand. One time a week for 30 minutes in Kindergarten. One hour a week in 1st and 2nd grade.
SAGE PROGRAM | Grades 3-5| Content AREA Specific Services | reading and/or math
SAGE (Special Approach to Gifted Education) is offered at each elementary school. SAGE students experience challenging activities designed to develop and enhance their problem solving, creative thinking, and process thinking skills. Students also develop their social/emotional skills in the areas of collaboration, confidence as a learner, responsibility, and quality of work.
SAGE Math students work with the SAGE teacher for approximately two hours per week on a variety of enriching, challenging, and creative math problem solving activities. SAGE math lessons often enhance general education class lessons. Many SAGE math activities are designed to be hands-on cooperative learning strategies.
SAGE Reading students work with the SAGE teacher for approximately one hour per week and are provided differentiated instruction by their classroom teacher who works cooperatively with the SAGE teacher to meet their reading needs. Guided reading groups provide students the opportunity to read materials and receive instruction on comprehension strategies based on their individual instructional reading level.
Students who test into a SAGE class in one area during their 2nd grade testing cycle are not eligible to re-test for more services during a September Referral cycle.
MERLIN Program | Grades 3-5 | All-day full-time classroom
MERLIN (Mind Education Right Left Integration) is a self-contained, full day educational program. MERLIN offers an enriched academic program that follows the same curriculum as the general education classes but goes deeper into the content, has a greater emphasis on higher level thinking skills and behaviors, moves at a quicker pace, requires more student work and independence, and provides acceleration in some subject areas. Expectations are high and the classroom environment is challenging and motivating to highly capable students. MERLIN placement occurs during the students 3rd grade year, after their 2nd grade testing cycle. Students who do not place into MERLIN at that time are not eligible to re-test for placement into this program.
MERLIN is located at Apollo Elementary and Endeavour Elementary schools. Each of the schools offers three MERLIN classes: one in third, fourth, and fifth grade. Attendance areas for MERLIN are subject to change based on patterns of enrollment. By accepting placement, your student will be enrolled in the attendance area designated for grades third, fourth and fifth. These attendance locations are not subject to change based on changes in residence. Parents are responsible for transporting MERLIN students to Apollo or Endeavour.
