• Critical Concepts
• Art, Music, PE, Media Classes
• Band & Orchestra
• Challenge Program/Gifted Education
• Title I
• Full-Day Kindergarten
• DARE
• Young Authors
• Science Fair

Elementary Education (Grades Kindergarten through Five)

Attendance Centers: The District serves its elementary population through five primary schools and three intermediate schools. Students are assigned to the primary attendance center closest to their neighborhoods. The primary schools then feed into an intermediate attendance center located within the same boundaries.

Nelson School and Glen Carbon School are both Pre-Kindergarten - Second Grade centers that feed into Woodland School, which houses Grades Three - Five. Leclaire School serves Pre-Kindergarten - Second Grade and feeds into Columbus School. Hamel School and Midway School are both Pre- Kindergarten - 3 centers that feed into Worden School, which serves Grades Four - Five.

Primary Academics: All schools follow the same core curricula, which includes language arts, mathematics, science, social science, physical development and health, and fine arts. All curricula have been designed to meet Illinois Learning Standards. Title I reading assistance is available for identified students.

Gifted & Talented Programs: District 7’s “Challenge Program” does not officially begin until fourth grade, but teachers are trained to recognize and accommodate individual gifted students. Cross-grade enrichment activities are encouraged. Teachers from different grade levels collaborate to meet the needs of all students.

The gifted and talented identification process takes place at the middle of third grade. Three criteria are used to determine placement in the Challenge Program:

• Williams Test of Divergent Thinking results
• Cognitive Abilities Test results
• Teacher recommendation
• Intermediate Academics

To be placed in the elementary level program, students must meet 3 of the 4 following criteria:

1. Score “Exceeds” in Reading and Math on Illinois Standards Achievement Test
2. Receive a minimum of 68 points on the Teacher Recommendation Checklist
3. Score 100 or above on the Williams Test of Divergent Thinking
4. Score 126 or above on the Cognitive Abilities Test

All schools follow the same basic curriculum, which includes language arts, mathematics, science, social science, physical development and health, and fine arts. Band and orchestra are also offered to interested students.

Students are identified for participation in the District’s Challenge Program based on the above criteria in the spring of third grade. The Challenge Program clusters identified students with a teacher who has had special training in teaching gifted and talented students. Students participate in enrichment activities within their regular classrooms. A gifted resource teacher serves students in grades 4 - 5 through a combination of pullout and in-class instruction.

Grade Reporting and Parent Conferences (K-5): Grades are reported on a quarterly basis, and many teachers send progress reports at the middle of each quarter. Formal parent conferences are held after first quarter grades are reported. Conferences can be scheduled during any one of three scheduled days (with special arrangements made for parents who cannot meet at that time). Ongoing parent-teacher communication is encouraged, and parents can expect contact from their child’s teacher at any time concerns or problems arise.

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