THIRD NINE WEEKS
2025 - 2026
QUEST stands for Question, Unite, Explore, Strive, and Think. These active verbs describe what you will see happening in our pull-out classes with gifted and highly capable students. This newsletter is distributed quarterly to QUEST families to provide a bit of information regarding what is going on in HEB ISD QUEST!
Please note: Check out the Family Resources tab on this page! Past issues of this newsletter are located on the Archives tab.
What a great second nine weeks we had in QUEST classes in HEB ISD!
This is our third issue of QUEST Family News for 2025 - 26. This quarterly newsletter for families of QUEST students is one important way that we keep you informed about what's going on in QUEST. We also let you know about QUEST Family Engagement opportunities in this newsletter, so you will want to check out each issue!
Our partnership with you in the education of your children is of the utmost importance. Please reach out to your campus Advanced Academics Specialist with any questions or concerns. You can find his/her name and contact information by clicking the QUEST Staff tab in this newsletter. There you will also find contact information for our Advanced Academics Coordinator, Cheryl Harris, and Advanced Academics District Facilitator - Elementary, Emily Biggers.
Scroll down to learn more about QUEST and see what will be happening during the third nine weeks!
QUEST Family Engagement
In October, our QUEST Family Museum Night was a huge success! We had over 1,300 QUEST staff, students, and family members at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History for an amazing experience! Thank you to all who came, and we hope to see many of you at our February 12th event, QUESTconnect26!
QUESTconnect26! is our February family engagement event. Parents may choose two sessions to attend. QUEST students will bring games and enjoy connecting with one another in a separate space. Preview sessions HERE.
See the 2-page digital flyer below for all the details! We ask that you RSVP via the form linked on the flyer by Jan. 21st if possible for this Feb. 12 event.
Families of 5th grade QUEST students, please mark your calendars for our annual Purposeful Passion Project Showcase
at Pat May Center on Tuesday evening, March 24th! Fifth grade QUEST students will present their purposeful passion projects!
Our 4th grade QUEST students and their families are invited to attend the showcase as well so that they will know what next year holds!
See the FLYER below for all the details!
Check out QUEST on social media!
Be sure to follow QUEST on Facebook and Instagram. We regularly post photos and share what's going on in QUEST at our elementary campuses! Click on the symbols to the right to follow us!
Independence
Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking
Communication
Research
Collaboration
Leadership
QUEST curriculum is centered around year-long universal themes and generalizations. It is made up of student learning experiences that integrate STEAMSS (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Math, and Social Studies) and Reading. Creative and critical thinking skills are woven throughout with focused attention on developing both independent and collaborative learning skills. The elements of Depth and Complexity as well as Content Imperatives help students reach those highest levels of thinking as they tackle QUEST challenges.
2025 - 2026 QUEST universal themes:
Grades 1, 2, and 3: SYSTEMS
Grade 4: POWER
Grade 5: CHANGE
Assessment in QUEST classes is aligned with our program standards. At the end of each nine weeks, you will receive your child's QUEST progress report so that you may track his/her growth. Below you will see a list of dates you can expect a QUEST progress report to be sent home with your student.
QUEST Progress Report Schedule
2025 - 2026
Week of October 15 - 17
Week of January 5 - 9
Week of March 23 - 27
Week of May 18 - 21
Scroll down to learn more about QUEST!
Third Nine Weeks in QUEST
Kindergarten
Kindergartners will take part in lessons that spark their creative thinking as well as their verbal skills! The Advanced Academics Specialist will visit each kindergarten class two more times this school year for whole class lessons.
Beginning in March, kindergarten students who demonstrate a need for gifted services will begin QUEST pull-out sessions with the campus AAS.
Grades 1, 2, and 3
Systems of the human body is our unit of study for QUEST students in first through third grades this nine weeks! They will learn about the skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems. These learners are sure to enjoy reading Judy Moody: The Doctor is In which will be paired with a nonfiction graphic novel on Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor. They will complete a mini research project on a system of the human body as well as learning fun songs and taking part in many STEAMSS activities as they learn about systems from the nervous system to the skeletal and muscular systems. They are sure to be talking about how their food is digested once they investigate the digestive system!
Grades 4 & 5
Fourth and fifth grade QUEST students are reading a novel this nine weeks. Fourth grade is reading Zane and the Hurricane, Chasing Vermeer, Esperanza Rising, OR Number the Stars. Fifth grade is reading A Night Divided, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, OR Bud, Not Buddy. QUEST teachers and students are connecting their reading to the universal theme (4th: Power, 5th: Change) and thinking critically to analyze texts using the elements of Depth and Complexity.
These QUEST students are hard at work on Purposeful Passion Projects which pertain to an area of personal interest. The process comprises what we call "the six P's":
Passion
Plan
Pitch
Project
Product
Presentation
Our QUEST program goal mirrors that of the Texas State Plan for the Education of the Gifted and Talented as stated below. Students will present their projects at the campus (4th grade) or district (5th grade) level. Information will be coming to you before long about our 5th grade Purposeful Passion Project Showcase, but please save the date: Tuesday evening, March 24, 2026 at Pat May Center!
Grade 6
While gifted students are served through AdvAc classes in sixth grade, our QUEST service model includes designated time with the campus Advanced Academics Specialist for this group.
Sixth grade QUEST students will continue with their year-long focus on leadership and service.
Sixth grade QUEST students are beginning to make plans for school service projects in January and will continue work on these throughout the semester.
They are also identifying their individual strengths, weaknesses, "quirks," and learning about healthy self-acceptance.
STATE GOAL FOR SERVICES FOR GIFTED/TALENTED STUDENTS
Students who participate in services designed for gifted/talented students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment. High school graduates who have participated in services for gifted/talented students will have produced products and performances of professional quality as part of their program services.
HEB ISD Objective:
Each fourth and fifth grade QUEST student in HEB ISD will complete at least one Purposeful Passion Project this school year. With guidance from the AAS, the student will self-select a topic related to an individual passion, and work through the six P's of the process. This work will culminate in the creation and presentation of a product and presentation.
QUEST Classes with the Campus Advanced Academics Specialist:
Grades 1 - 3 4x per week 45 minutes per session
Grades 4 - 5 4x per week 60 minutes per session
Grade 6 2x per month 60 minutes per session
This schedule may need to be modified during certain weeks due to circumstances such as school holidays and STAAR testing.
The Advanced Academics Specialist visits kindergarten classes on a periodic basis in the fall to teach whole-class lessons and will begin serving QUEST kindergarten students in the spring when the kindergarten GT identification process is complete.
If you would like more information regarding the QUEST schedule on your campus, please check with the Advanced Academics Specialist.
Below find highlights, news, and events of state and national organizations related to giftedness.
Check out the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented here: https://www.txgifted.org/
Check out the National Association for Gifted Children here: https://www.nagc.org/
