Mission Alignment

The mission of Philip’s Academy Charter School Newark is to inspire diverse learners in a rigorous and innovative environment that cultivates resilient leadership, intellectual curiosity, and thoughtful stewardship.

PACS recognizes that fulfilling this mission requires providing students who demonstrate advanced abilities or potential with learning experiences appropriately matched to their instructional needs.

Commitment to Gifted and Talented Education

Philip’s Academy implements its Gifted and Talented (G&T) identification process and continuum of services in accordance with the Strengthening Gifted and Talented Education Act, N.J.S.A. 18A:35-34 through 18A:35-39, applicable New Jersey Administrative Code, and Board Policy 6171.2, Gifted and Talented.

PACS maintains an ongoing kindergarten through grade eight identification process that:

• Considers all students for gifted and talented services;

• Uses multiple quantitative and qualitative measures;

• Identifies strengths in intellectual ability, creativity, reasoning/problem solving, demonstrated performance, and/or specific academic areas;

• Recognizes both demonstrated achievement and academic potential;

• Provides multiple pathways to identification;

• Ensures that no single assessment, score, nomination, or criterion serves as the sole basis for identification or exclusion;

• Considers students in comparison with their chronological peers within the local school context;

• Provides equitable consideration for multilingual learners, students with IEPs or Section 504 Plans, twice-exceptional students, and students from populations historically underrepresented in gifted education; and

• Connects identification to appropriate instructional adaptations and educational services.