Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) provides qualitatively differentiated learning experiences for students with unique abilities, interests, and talents with the expectation that students will be successful learners capable of performing at high levels of ability. Research has shown that specialized instructional strategies, along with opportunities for gifted students to interact with each other on a regular basis, yield higher academic performance, as well as improved social and emotional well-being.

If you have a newly identified GATE student and wonder what this new world is all about, mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 25th from 6 to 7 PM, and join our new GATE parents' meeting in the University Center MPR (located at 2801 Atlas Avenue in Thousand Oaks). This informational and interactive presentation can offer insights into what GATE is/means and how we work to identify and meet the needs of our gifted students in the Conejo Valley Unified School District. If you have any questions, please email Stefanie Caswell.

Upcoming Events

District GATE Activities

We are excited to continue our district-wide GATE enrichment events and activities..."After Class Enrichment Series" (ACES) with a blend of in-person and virtual opportunities for students. Information will be emailed to GATE students/families one week prior to the activity to complete the lottery/interest form for possible participation.

Celebrating National Engineers Week! (February 16 – 22, 2025)

Middle School GATE students have an opportunity to participate in an afternoon of creative thinking and team problem-solving through group SPONTaneous Challenges on Wednesday, February 19th.

Elementary GATE students are invited to an exploratory afternoon of STEM Rotations on Friday, February 21st.

March ACES Activities:

Secondary GATE students have an opportunity to decompress/de-stress and have a little "friendly"/competitive FUN with peers in an afternoon of old school gaming without technology on Wednesday, March 5th.

Elementary GATE students are invited to join us to hear from a former CVUSD student and New York Times Bestselling Author, Brandon Mull, on Friday, March 7th. Mr. Mull is visiting our area as part of his book tour, following the March 4th release of The Tales of Newel and Doren: The Gorgon’s Fury. (Interested students/families can also find him at Barnes & Noble that evening at 6:00 PM.)

Elementary GATE students have an opportunity to join us as we team up with the Thousand Oaks Library for an afternoon of 3D printing on Wednesday, March 19th.

GATE Sponsored Events

Invention Convention (3rd - 5th grade students)

Product proposal/registration: Wednesday, January 29th through Thursday, February 13th

Approval notifications: Tuesday, February 18th

Student showcase: Thursday, March 20th from 6:00 to 7:00 PM

Tri-County GATE Council GATEway to Leadership Conference (7th grade students)

Saturday, March 8th from 8:30 to 3:00

Tri-County GATE Council Colloquium (faculty/staff/parents/families/community)

Saturday, April 5th from 9:00 to 3:00

Teen Tech Convention (6th grade students)

Thursday, May 29th from 12:00 to 3:00

Interested in Getting Involved?

Would you like to connect with other GATE families and get involved in GATE activities and events in CVUSD?

Check out our GATE-DAC 2024-2025 Calendar to see when the next district GATE District Advisory Council (GATE-DAC) parent meeting will take place. For detailed meeting information, visit Board Docs to access the agenda 72 hours prior to our Friday morning meeting.

Contact Information

Christina Harrison
Director, Student Support Services
(805) 497-9511 x3321
Email

Stefanie Caswell
GATE Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA)
(805) 497-9511 x3322
Email

Gloria Alamir
Secretary, Student Support Services
(805) 497-9511 x3320
Email

GATE Links

Articles and Resources

Enrichment/Extension Resources

GATE District Advisory Council (GATE-DAC)

Mental Health

Mental Health Resources and Support

CVUSD Wellness Room

Learn More About GATE:

Program Information
Program Options - Elementary

Once identified, students are clustered in at least one class at each grade level on every school site. Focus is placed on the development of critical thinking skills and problem-solving activities, and sustained academic success. Curriculum is modified to meet student needs. Accelerated or extended learning opportunities are provided as appropriate. Students are encouraged to participate in optional activities provided by the school (during lunch or after school), district "ACES" (After Class Enrichment Series), and local colleges and/or community events.

"Odyssey of the Mind" sponsored by the district promoting creative problem-solving and collaborative teamwork.

"Solve It Day" sponsored by the District at different school locations.

"Invention Convention" is a STEAM focused district program open to ALL students in 3rd - 5th grade.

Program Options - Secondary

Students have an opportunity to meet together for at least one period a day in an appropriate honors or advanced placement class. Participation in optional activities provided by the school [Lunch Lab and/or ACES (After Class Enrichment Series)], district ("Fun Fridays"), local colleges and/or community events is encouraged.

"Odyssey of the Mind" sponsored by the district promoting creative problem solving and collaborative teamwork.

"Teen Tech Convention" is a STEAM focused district program offered to 6th grade students at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center.

Program Content

Content of the GATE Program includes, but is not limited to:
- Qualitatively differentiated learning experiences in academic areas.
- Accelerated learning options.
- Development of critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities.
- Development of ethical standards, realistic healthy self concepts, sensitivity, and responsibility.
- Alternative interventions for underachieving, economically disadvantaged or culturally and linguistically diverse GATE students.
Parent Involvement

Our CVUSD family and community is full of experts that do amazing things...EVERY day! Do you have a special skill-set/gift or talent that you could share with our students? We would love to hear from you!!! Contact Stefanie Caswell for volunteer opportunities surrounding your child's home campus.

The best way to understand what is happening in your child's education is to get involved with the people who make it happen.

Each school has a GATE Teacher Facilitator who organizes and leads enrichment activities and a parent representative who attends monthly meetings with the GATE District Advisory Council (GATE-DAC). The purpose of the monthly GATE-DAC meetings is to provide information about gifted students and the District's GATE program, review general student progress, plan special events during the year, and make recommendations to enhance the program. These meetings are also open to the public. Attending GATE-DAC meetings and sponsored activities provides you with additional understanding of the District's program and services available to your child. It also gives you the opportunity to meet other parents who have similar interests.

The GATE-DAC 2024-2025 Calendar can show you when our next GATE District Advisory Council parent meeting will take place. To access the agenda, visit Board Docs for more detailed meeting information.

You can also check with the principal at your child's school to see how you can assist your student's home campus GATE activities. We look forward to your involvement.
Is your GATE identified student new to CVUSD?

If your child was identified as GATE in another District, we need the following information to determine GATE eligibility in CVUSD.

Qualification letter or notice of previous district GATE placement.

Results/Test type for all previous identification assessments.

Please send this information with a letter describing your student to:

Student Support Services
CVUSD
1400 East Janss Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
Email: Stefanie Caswell
Interested in having your student screened for GATE?
The referral submission window for the 2024-2025 school year has closed. If you would like to refer your CVUSD 4th - 12th grade student for GATE, please complete the following GATE referral and return it to Mrs. Caswell by November 1, 2025, for your student to be included in our next GATE referral session during the 2025-2026 school year.
Universal Screening for Rising Third Graders
Rising third-grade students will have the opportunity to be screened for the GATE program in the spring of their second-grade year, unless parents/guardians choose to opt their student out of screening. Opt-out information will come from school site staff prior to the GATE screening activity administration, which is scheduled to take place on each of our elementary campuses between late March and April 2025.
Make-up opportunities (for absent students that miss their regularly scheduled screening date) and follow-up measures (for students on the "cusp" of eligibility after the initial creative thinking activity) will be administered across the district between May and June 2025.
Forms
- 4th - 12th Grade Parent Referral - English
- 4th - 12th Grado Referencia De Los Padres - Español
- 4th - 12th Grade Teacher Referral (Parent Consent to accompany Teacher Referral: English/Español)
- 3rd - 5th Grade Individual Differentiated Learning Plan (IDLP) - English
- 3rd - 5th Grado Plan de Aprendizaje Diferenciado Individual (IDLP) - Español

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

Upcoming Events

GATE Sponsored Events

Invention Convention (3rd - 5th grade students)

Tri-County GATE Council GATEway to Leadership Conference (7th grade students)

Tri-County GATE Council Colloquium (faculty/staff/parents/families/community)

Teen Tech Convention (6th grade students)

Interested in Getting Involved?

Contact Information

GATE Links

Mental Health

Learn More About GATE:

Program Information

Parent Involvement

Is your GATE identified student new to CVUSD?

Interested in having your student screened for GATE?

Universal Screening for Rising Third Graders

Forms