QUEST Program
The QUEST program serves as our Schoolwide Enrichment Program. Students who have been identified as gifted will be exposed engaging and meaningful tasks in the areas of STEAM and Humanities. This program allows all students to have access to these tasks but are intended to serve students who have been identified as gifted as part of the identification process. Students in QUEST may also be in Accelerated Math, but may not be ready to handle the rigor, and level of cognitive demand of compacting five grade level mathematical content within the span of three years.
The Accelerated Math Program leads to two-year accelerated pathway for students ending with students taking Calculus in Grade 11 rather than Grade 12. The program is designed for students who can handle learning five (5) grade level mathematical content over the span of three (3) years. This level of learning, while appropriate for some, is not intended for students who may possess forms of giftedness, but for those who have shown an affinity towards their academic success in math and who meet the criteria. Students who possess qualities of giftedness, if identified, can take full advantage of our Type III QUEST programming. For more information about Accelerated Math, please see the website of the Supervisor of Mathematics, Grant Kolmer.
The identification process is conducted annually for students in all grades. Further, the criteria for identification are reviewed and updated annually. The identification process for the upcoming school year is published the winter before the next school year.
QUEST is our schoolwide enrichment program that strives to enrich the learning of all students.
All students will have the opportunity to participate in Tier I learning activities, which are designed to inspire interest in new topics. Tier II learning activities are also open to motivated students who demonstrate the ability to work independently.
In addition to QUEST all students in Bernards Township will have access to the Renzulli Learning System which helps students and teachers learn about and explore their greatest interests. Information will be available later this fall.
Students identified for Type III advanced learning opportunities will be working with the QUEST teacher during different times in the school day. When that time occurs during regular classroom instruction will be able to choose whether or not they wish to attend the QUEST activity or remain in the classroom. Whether or not the students need to make up work missed during the QUEST activity will depend on what they are missing and will be up to the discretion of the classroom teacher. When the assignments missed are related to the same learning standard or when they have already demonstrated mastery on that standard, they will not have to make it up. But, in cases where the instruction, activity or assignment is critical to future learning, the student would be asked to make it up.
The identification is for Type III learning opportunities and is thorough, considering all students as part of the process. The process is designed to identify students who are in the top 5% of the grade level in terms of the three spheres of giftedness; academic ability, task commitment and creativity. Students can be nominated by parents, teachers or through their assessment scores. The process is designed so that we are unlikely to miss a qualified student. Appeals are intended for students who do not qualify due to some type of extenuating circumstance that caused the identification process to miss them. If a student or parent wish to appeal the results of this process, they should submit an email to the building QUEST teacher with an explanation as to why they feel they are in the top 5% of the grade level, despite the student performance on included assessments and input from teachers and parents.