The Bernie R-XIII School District is committed to meeting the unique educational needs of academically gifted and accelerated learners through the district’s EXPLORE Gifted Education Program. The program serves students in grades K–12 by providing differentiated learning experiences designed to challenge students beyond the standard classroom curriculum.
The purpose of the EXPLORE Program is to help gifted learners develop advanced thinking, creativity, leadership, reasoning, problem-solving, communication, and independent learning skills. The program also provides opportunities for students to interact with intellectual peers in an academically challenging environment.
According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), gifted students are those who demonstrate exceptional mental ability and learning potential that require educational opportunities beyond the regular curriculum.
The EXPLORE Program is designed differently at the elementary and secondary levels:
Elementary (Grades K–6): Students participate in a pull-out resource program for a minimum of 150 minutes weekly. Instruction emphasizes enrichment, creativity, higher-level thinking, and independent learning experiences.
Secondary (Grades 7–12): Students may participate in scheduled gifted coursework and enrichment opportunities designed to expand learning beyond the standard curriculum. Secondary students may also utilize a gifted resource/advisory model for additional support and enrichment.
The EXPLORE curriculum emphasizes:
Critical thinking and problem solving
Creativity and innovation
Research and inquiry skills
Leadership development
Independent and self-directed learning
Open-ended and project-based learning experiences
Collaboration with intellectual peers
Students are identified for the EXPLORE Program through a comprehensive screening and evaluation process that considers multiple sources of data, including:
Achievement testing
MAP scores
Intelligence testing
Creativity and reasoning assessments
Teacher and parent recommendations
Classroom observations and district-developed criteria
For additional information regarding the Bernie R-XIII School District EXPLORE Gifted Education Program, please contact:
Lindsay Beaird
Special Services Director
Bernie R-XIII School District
Phone: (573) 293-5335 ext. 256
Email: beairdl@bernie.k12.mo.us