Gifted/Enrichment
Overview of Excel ProgramThe EXCEL Program is Homewood School District #153’s gifted and talented program. The formal screening process begins in the third quarter of second grade with identification at the start of the third grade year. Parents and teachers may nominate students and selection is a compilation of standardized test scores, such as the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Index Test) and the NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association), along with parent and teacher recommendations.
The EXCEL program is a language arts based pullout program. Students meet with the EXCEL Resource Teachers for two hours weekly. One hour is spent in the Computer Lab working on technology related curriculum projects and the other hour is spent in Room 6 studying Wordmasters’ words or doing research, etc. Our cluster program starts in 3rd Grade and continues through 6th Grade.
Enrichment doesn’t just take place in the EXCEL room. Gifted/talented students are clustered or grouped in every classroom and teachers have received training in methods of differentiation. Our Learning Center also provides enrichment experiences, along with our extra-curricular clubs, Orchestra, Choir, the Writing Talent Search and the Science Fair. There are many opportunities at Churchill School.
Mrs. Joanne Obszanski is the full-time EXCEL teacher and her e-mail is Joanne.Obszanski@Homewoodsd153.org and her phone is 708-647-5664.
Mrs. Beth Palmer is the part-time EXCEL teacher and her e-mail is Beth.Palmer@Homewoodsd153.org and her phone is 708-647-2391.
When the students are in the Computer Lab they work with Ms. Eileen Darin and her e-mail is Eileen.Darin@Homewoodsd153.org and her phone is 708-647-2046. Please don’t hesitate to contact one of us if you have questions or concerns.
Parent Communication is vital to our program. Once a month there will be a parent Newsletter posted on our site. There will also be links to our project timelines, necessary forms, and websites, etc. To access this information, click on Teacher Pages, in the left margin, and select either EXCEL program Grade 3 or EXCEL Program Grade 4.
This is a work in progress, so bear with us as we try to make sharing our information a little easier for the parents.
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