Skip navigation [2].
Home >> Departments >>Learning, Curriculum and Assessment modified:11/22/2011


Parent Title Departments

Learning, Curriculum and Assessment

A montage of photographs of K through 12 students and graduates

The Learning, Curriculum and Assessment Office (LCA) of Provo City School District provides support to teachers, administrators, and parents in enabling students to gain the academic knowledge and skills necessary for success in their careers and in college. The LCA supports the learning community with training, curriculum materials, and instructional support for the classroom to individuals and teacher teams. The LCA also provides assessment for instruction and the reporting of student performance by teachers, schools, and the district.

Programs For Academically Gifted Students

We recognize the unique characteristics and needs of our elementary school for gifted students. In our efforts to expand and enhance Provo School District’s Continuum of Services for Gifted Education we have developed services through two avenues: fulltime gifted classrooms and pullout classes in specific curricular areas.

2012-13 Summer Gifted Testing

If you are new to Provo School District with a child in grades 3 – 6 , or you have been in the district but somehow missed the Gifted testing opportunities for your 3rd or 6th grader, then this information is for you.

Over the summer months, Ginny Smith, District Gifted & Talented Coordinator, will be administering Gifted testing on the following dates:

Date Time Place
Tuesday, June 12th 9:30am – Noon Board Room 1, District Office
Tuesday, July 17th 9:30am – Noon Board Room 1, District Office
Tuesday, Aug 7th 9:30am – Noon Room 38, District Office

In order to participate in the testing, please email Kathy Kaiser or Ginny Smith to guarantee your testing spot. Include in your email student name, grade, and current school. Testing begins promptly at the beginning time listed; it is not an ‘open house’ where you can arrive at anytime!

NOTE: We cannot guarantee testing on these dates if you do NOT contact us prior to the date you’d like to attend.

Contact Information:

Philosophy

Provo City School District is committed to assessing the educational needs of academically talented students and providing them with a differentiated education designed to help them continually progress academically and to achieve their high academic potential while addressing their unique needs.

All students, including the academically talented, have the right to be engaged and challenged every day. Differentiation of curriculum for academically talented students creates a spillover effect that improves education and the quality of life in the community. The community, including the school system, has a responsibility to help develop the potential of academically talented students.

Programs

Middle School Gifted and Accelerated/Honors Courses - Grades 7 & 8

Elementary Standards Reports

Provo City School District recognizes the importance of communicating student progress to parents. For this reason, the district has developed an Elementary Progress Report that is based on current state curriculum standards. Parents will receive a progress report for their elementary students at the end of each term. The progress reports are designed to provide important accountability information in a clear and concise format. As the Common Core State Standards are implemented in the district, the Elementary Standards Report will be updated.

Students receive marks based on a 4 point rubric. Students who are making adequate progress may have some 2s on early progress reports because the end of year standard has not yet been met. Students who have 3s on all standards at the end of the year are making adequate progress and should be commended.

Common Core

The leaders and staff at the Utah State Office of Education worked with their counterparts across the nation to create the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts and Mathematics. School and state leaders from over forty states across the nation have signed onto the implementation of these standards to better assure a quality curriculum that enables students to be college and career ready. CCSS come from the work of people at the state level and are not federally mandated curricula. CCSS for English Language Arts are being implemented in all grades (K-12) but sixth beginning in the 2011-12 school year. CCSS for Mathematics are being implemented in grades six and nine this year. In subsequent years all grades will be adopting these standards. The consortium of states that developed CCSS is currently working on standards for Science.

Below are documents explaining the changes in curriculum and how they will affect your student:

Dual Immersion

Children in selected elementary schools in Provo City have the opportunity beginning in first grade to participate in classes where they are taught in English and a foreign language Chinese, French, or Spanish). Children spend half of their school day being instructed in English and the other half in the target language. Students progress through the grades until they leave sixth grade fully fluent and academically proficient in two languages.

Currently, Chinese Immersion is offered at Wasatch Elementary; French Immersion is offered at Edgemont Elementary; and Spanish Immersion is offered at Canyon Crest and Timpanogos Elementary Schools. Contact these schools for more specific information on how to enroll your first grader into these programs.

Assessment

Information Coming Soon

Contacts

  • Ray Morgan - Assistant Superintendent, Director
  • Administration Building
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4807
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: raym@provo.edu
  • Gaye Gibbs - Director of Instructional Improvement, Title I
  • Administration Building Rm 19
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4651
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: gayeg@provo.edu
  • Diana Dean - Administrative Assistant
  • Administration Building Rm 7
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4868
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: dianad@provo.edu

More Contacts

  • Todd Billings - Professional Development
  • Administration Building Rm 11
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4823
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: toddb@provo.edu
  • Anne Marie Paulsen - Literacy
  • Administration Building Rm 18
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4850
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: annemariep@provo.edu
  • Ron Twitchell - Math
  • Administration Building Rm 15
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4924
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: ront@provo.edu
  • Jared Ferguson - Science
  • Administration Building
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4821
  • Fax: (801) 374-4606
  • Email: jaredf@provo.edu
  • Julene Kendall - ESOL
  • Administration Building Rm 11
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4852
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: julenek@provo.edu
    Kathy Kaiser - Assessment
  • Administration Building Rm 9
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo Utah 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4869
  • Fax: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: kathyk@provo.edu
  • Sharlyn Abbott – Curriculum Secretary
  • Administration Building Rm 8
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo UT 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4918
  • FAX: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: sharlyna@provo.edu
  • Ginny Smith – District Gifted and Talented Coordinator
  • Administration Building Rm 32
  • Email: ginnys@provo.edu
  • Becky Lewis – District Library Coordinator
  • Administration Building Rm 32
  • 280 West 940 North
  • Provo UT 84604
  • Phone: (801) 374-4861
  • FAX: (801) 374-4806
  • Email: beckyl@provo.edu

Instructional Coaches

  • Becky Witt
  • Administration Building
  • Room Downstairs North hallway
  • Email: rebekahw@provo.edu
  • Phone: TBA
  • Kathy Hansen
  • Administration Building
  • Room Downstairs North hallway
  • Email: kathyha@provo.edu
  • Phone: TBA
  • Sarah Mastin
  • Administration Building
  • Room Downstairs North hallway
  • Email: sarahm@provo.edu
  • Phone: TBA
  • Sue Pope
  • Administration Building
  • Room Downstairs North hallway
  • Email: suep@provo.edu
  • Phone: TBA
  • Debra Drummond
  • Administration Building
  • Room Downstairs North hallway
  • Email: debrad@provo.edu
  • Phone: TBA
  • Carrie Rawlins
  • Administration Building
  • Room Downstairs North hallway
  • Email: carrier@provo.edu
  • Phone: TBA

Current Related Links

Current Frequently Asked Questions About Gifted & Talented

  1. Who are “gifted and talented” students?
  2. Why are gifted and talented programs needed?
  3. How are students identified for gifted services?
  4. What services are available for gifted students in Provo School District?
  5. If my child is pulled out of their regular classroom for a Provo Accelerated Services (PALS) activity, will they have to make up their classroom assignments?
  6. What are the essential components in providing appropriate services for gifted students?
  7. Isn’t gifted education elitist, considering that these students are smart enough to “make it” on their own?
  8. If the gifted magnet programs take gifted students out of the regular classroom, what effect does their absence have on their home school? Doesn’t this practice remove good role models that are important for the success of other students?
  9. What resources are available for parents of gifted students?
This page complies with the following web development standards: 508 UsableNet Approval Icon
  • XHTML 1.0 Strict
  • Section 508
  • W3C - WAI
Priority 1 Level A