The Prism Program

Elementary School Prism Program

The Elementary School Prism Program is located at Cherry Crest Elementary School and Spiritridge Elementary School and accelerates and enriches Bellevue School District’s basic curriculum.  Identified students are served in self-contained classrooms with teachers trained and experienced in working with gifted students.  Students are gouped by grade level for all subject areas except math.  Students take a math placement test at the beginning of the year and are grouped accordingly regardless of grade level.  District transportation is provided to all qualifying students living outside the approved walking area of the assigned school.  Students living north of NE 8th receive services at Cherry Crest Elementary; students living south of NE 8th receive services at Spiritridge Elementary School.

Middle School Prism Program

The Middle School Prism Program is located at Odle Middle School and accelerates and enriches Bellevue School District’s basic curriculum using an interdisciplinary curricular format for students in 6th through 8th grades working with a team of Prism teachers in all core subject areas. Students attend elective classes with the general Odle Middle School student population. Transportation is provided for all Bellevue School District resident students who qualify for the program.
 

A Bellevue School District Gifted Programs Selection Committee will make program placement recommendations for students indicating a need for gifted services through standardized assessments of cognitive ability and specific academic achievement, district assessment performance, and information from teachers, parents and others.

• Recommended Standard Age Score of 144 (99.7th percentile) on the Cognitive Abilities Test and at least 90th percentile on Reading and Quantitative with one of those scores at the 97th percentile or above.

 Learn more about testing and eligibility >

Incoming 5th grade students for school years 2013-2014 living north of NE 8th Street will receive services at Cherry Crest Elementary School, 12400 NE 32nd Street, Bellevue.  Incoming 5th grade students livign south of NE 8th Street will receive services at Spiritridge Elementary School, 16401 SE 24th Street, Bellevue.

Grades 6 through 8 are located at Odle Middle School, 14401 NE 8th Street, Bellevue.  View Odle Prism Program description as a word document >  
Odle's General Open House for potential new students and parents will be held in January 2013. 
   

The Prism Program provides a challenging and supportive educational environment for intellectually gifted students with high academic potential who demonstrate the need, ability (academic and behavioral), interest and dedication required for academic acceleration.
 
The Prism Program is consistent with the Bellevue Public School Mission Statement, which encourages meeting the individual learning needs of students in order for them to identify and realize their potential, to develop the skills and attitudes compatible with life-long learning, and to be knowledgeable and productive citizens.

Prism meets the needs of the highly gifted student by fostering academic excellence through the challenges of an accelerated, compacted, integrated and enriched curriculum, as well as through the stimulation of working with highly capable peers. Students are encouraged to work both independently and in cooperative groups.  The Prism program is designed to recognize that, despite high intellectual ability, students differ in levels of organizational ability, personal maturity, academic competence, values and family background.
 
Prism teachers work as a team sharing expertise and knowledge to coordinate and continually develop the curriculum.

 

• To provide enriched and accelerated academic opportunities for students with high intellectual and academic abilities.
• To offer a rigorous academic curriculum that will prepare students for advanced high school and college courses.
• To offer an environment where highly capable students are encouraged to reach their full potential.
• To address the social and emotional needs of highly capable students through teacher support, peer interaction and by fostering a sense of community.
• To prepare students for future contributions to society and to encourage life-long learning.

Page Updated Friday, February 15, 2013 9:47 AM