Challenge School Admission Process

• CHALLENGE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS
  
  
  PLAN YOUR VISIT
  Challenge School will be offering one Parent Information Session/Tour on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at 6:00pm. Please RSVP via this link: Sign Up Genius. Please call Challenge School’s main office at (720) 747-2100 for more information.
  
  STUDENT HANDBOOK
  While doing your research about Challenge School, you might find it helpful to visit their website. There you can find information about the school day and academic expectations for Challenge School students. Please follow the link to be directed to Challenge School’s website https://www.cherrycreekschools.org/Page/25
  
  ADMISSIONS PROCESS & INFORMATION
  The admissions process for the 2022-2023 school year will be facilitated by The Office of Gifted & Talented Services for Cherry Creek Schools.
  Challenge School is not a charter school; it is a highly-gifted magnet school within the Cherry Creek School District, and it is charged with the mission of meeting the needs of highly gifted students. While any student residing in the district may apply for admittance into Challenge School, the purpose of the admissions process is to select highly-gifted students who demonstrate a need for specialized programming due to their exceedingly high levels of cognition and/or academic achievement.
  The Challenge School admissions process is an equitable process based on a whole-child, robust Body of Evidence approach hinged on demonstrated student need for specialized programming. It is the intent of this process to draw broadly from all qualified candidates across the school district and to be inclusive rather than exclusive while also mirroring the racial demographics of the district.
  
  APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
  Only students entering grades Kindergarten – 8th Grade and living within the Cherry Creek Schools boundaries may apply for admittance to the Challenge School. Proof of residence will be required and must be submitted as part of a completed application packet.
  Application packets can be downloaded below:
  Download Application Packet Here
  Application packets and all supporting documentation must be submitted to the Office of Gifted & Talented Services in one of the following ways:

  • In person – see address below

  • Via mail – see mail address below

• In-person deliveries will be accepted between 8:00am-3:00pm on any regular business day. The deadline for application packet submission is on or before 3:30pm, Friday, December 3, 2021. If mailing your packet, it must arrive to our office (not postmarked) by Friday, December 3, 2021.
  It is HIGHLY recommended that you do not delay in the submission of your application.
  
  Office of Gifted & Talented Services
  Student Achievement Resource Center
  14188 E. Briarwood Avenue
  Centennial, CO 80112
  Email: GT@cherrycreekschools.org
  Phone: (720) 886-7050
  *Again, please note that only complete application packets will be accepted and reviewed.
  
  
  APPLICATION PACKET CONTENTS ~ for students who are currently attending a Cherry Creek Elementary or Middle School or those applying for Kindergarten
  

  • Family Contact Information Sheet

  • Parent Questionnaire

  • Parent Observation Form

  • All available assessment data/reports for the student(s) applying for admissions i.e., 504 Plans, Individual Education Plans (IEP). This includes any and all outside assessments.

  • Verification of Parent Residency (Please see the list of acceptable verification documents below.)

  • Check or Money Order made payable to Cherry Creek School District in the amount of $60.00. (Fee will be waived with documentation of qualification for free and reduced lunch.)

  • Completion of a normed-referenced observation scale which will be given to parent(s)/guardian(s) at the time of application submission (this will be mailed to the address provided in the application packet if application is received via mail at our office).

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  APPLICATION PACKET CONTENTS ~ for students living within Cherry Creek Schools boundaries but attending a school outside the Cherry Creek School District

  • Family Contact Information Sheet

  • Signed & Dated Request for Student Records

  • Parent Questionnaire

  • Parent Observation Form

  • All available assessment data/reports for the student(s) applying for admissions i.e., 504 Plans, Individual Education Plans (IEP). This includes any and all outside assessments.

  • Verification of Parent Residency (Please see the list of acceptable verification documents below.)

  • Check or Money Order made payable to Cherry Creek School District in the amount of $60.00. (Fee will be waived with documentation of qualification for free and reduced lunch.)

  • Completion of a normed-referenced observation scale which will be given to parent(s)/guardian(s) at the time of application submission (this will be mailed to the address provided in the application packet if application is received via mail at our office).

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  VERIFICATION OF PARENT RESIDENCY
  *Actual residence at the address supplied is required.
  If you OWN your home, any of the following documents will be accepted.

  • Current gas or electric bill

  • Warranty Deed if purchased within the last 60 days

  • Three pieces of current USPS business mail received ~ at least 1 of the 3 items being a utility bill for the address

  • Future Purchase Contract ~ Complete, signed contract with Possession Date and Closing Date within the current semester/trimester

• If you RENT your home, any of the following documents will be accepted.

  • Current gas or electric bill

  • Three pieces of current USPS business mail received ~ at least 1 of the 3 items being a utility bill for the address

  • Future Lease/Signed Lease Agreement and receipt of the first month’s rent payment

• If you live with another family, please bring the following:

  • Completed and notarized Co-Resident Form which can be obtained through any district Admissions Office

  • Verification of residency for the family with whom you are living with, such as their current gas/electric bill AND current proof of your residence at the address (i.e., bank statement, insurance statement, Colorado drivers’ license receipt, mail received, etc., with your name, the address, and the date clearly listed)
    

EVALUATION PROCESS
Upon receipt of completed application packet, the contents will be reviewed and individual student assessment plans will be determined based on the contents of the student’s existing historical cognitive and academic data. If additional assessment is necessary to complete the student’s Body of Evidence, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified by the Office of Gifted & Talented Services, and dates and times for the additional assessment(s) will be coordinated.
Necessary student data for admissions will consist of various types of cognitive screeners, 1:1 cognitive assessments, academic achievement data, normed-referenced observation scale, and characteristics of gifted students in the form of the following:

• • Completed application packet questionnaires, if requested

  • Historical cognitive screeners and/or 1:1 cognitive assessments

  • Standardized academic achievement data and/or historical academic achievement data

  • Normed and/or criterion-referenced cognitive and/or academic measures

    • Exact assessment selection is dependent on numerous individual student factors and will be discussed with parent(s)/guardian(s) on a 1-1 basis.

  • Normed-referenced observation scale

  • Any outside assessments completed

  • Any internal specialized assessments completed

• Please note that for children younger than age 4 years 11 months prior to assessment, 1:1 cognitive assessments and potentially 1:1 academic achievement assessments will be administered as those are the only assessments normed for student of such a young age. The first assessment administered will be a gold-standard IQ test. The exact test administered will be chosen to fit the needs of each individual student as it is our desire that all students perform to their greatest ability possible as well as to ensure that all students have fair and equitable access to meeting admission criteria. Due to the length and intensity of these assessments, coupled with the young age of the children being assessed, 1:1 academic achievement assessments will only be scheduled if the results of the cognitive assessments fall into the 90th percentile or higher.
  
  DETERMINATION PROCESS
  Once all completed applications and any additional assessments have been conducted, determinations for admittance into Challenge School will be approached in the following manner.
  Students must meet minimum criteria in the following three categories to be considered for admittance:

  • Superior levels of cognitive abilities

  • Far Above Average to Superior levels of academic achievement

  • Any qualitative information obtained throughout the process that speaks to the whole-child and his/her superior abilities and/or talents

• Please remember that Challenge School is a magnet school designed to support the programming needs of highly-gifted students whom have demonstrated a need for highly specialized programming to meet his/her cognitive and academic needs.
  Provided below is a grid which details an approximate number of applicants for each grade level and an approximate number of openings available at each grade level in any given school year. A highly gifted student normally scores at or above the 97^th percentile in 1 or more cognitive domains as well as in the areas of reading and mathematical academic achievement.