Greetings Community and School Leaders:
The Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth (WCATY), a Madison-based, private nonprofit organization is currently looking for schools, community organizations, and businesses interested in forming a partnership to support the scholars program initiative it is currently developing. The Samuel S. Pierce Scholars Program will provide up to 75 academically talented students of color and first generation college students in grades 4 - 9 attending public, private, and home schools in the greater Madison area with high level exposure to educational programs and training that identify, develop, and nurture their academic talent and interests in math, language arts, other core disciplines. The Pierce Scholars program will also prepare students for participation in Midwest Talent Search, the rigor and challenge of high school curriculum, higher education, scholarships and prestigious awards, and enhance their understanding of and exposure to rewarding professional careers.
WCATY has already begun identifying local and national partners, and is currently working with them to establish a relationship that will enable each program to collaboratively identify eligible students; provide rigorous and challenging learning opportunities to academically talented students; provide opportunities for mentor-guided study and academic support; and identify and share expertise where appropriate. To support it scholars, WCATY has taken several steps to ensure that its scholars have access to resources that will support their academic achievement throughout the school year and summer.
(1) Through its partnerships with the Institute for Academic Excellence, Inc. (a subsidiary of Advantage Learning Systems, Inc.) and the support of its donors, WCATY will provide COMMUNITY CENTERS/YOUTH CENTERS with free installation of Accelerated Reader and STAR Reading, the #1 and #2 education software programs in schools in the United States. These software are in over 45,000 schools nationwide, have a sound research base, and have been specifically cited for their ability to identify and raise the academic achievement of students in high poverty schools and support the reading growth and development of academically talented students. Accelerated Reader and STAR Reading use the power of technology to motivate, monitor, and guide critical reading practice so every student achieves maximum reading growth. IAE and WCATY will also provide free training and support to program/volunteer staff--staff will participate in Reading and Math Rennaisance Training, the #1 educational training program for K - 12 educators in the United States; over 200,000 teachers nationwide have been trained.
(2) A gracious Madison area donor also has agreed to help develop a library of good reading and math materials at each center that partners with WCATY to support students involved in the Scholars Program. Beyond Pierce Scholars, each site will receive a "Site License" through WCATY so that any student residing in the neighborhood that the center serves (or participating in a community-based afterschool program) will have access to the reading and math programs.
(3) WCATY is also looking for at least two Madison area public or private schools to serve as assessment centers for its new testing program, which is aimed at identifying talented students in grades 2 - 8. STAR Reading and Math, both norm referenced computer-based diagnostic test, will serve as the identification tool. Advantage Learning Systems, Inc. has agreed to provide each school that serves as a WCATY testing location and desires to purchase STAR for its own use, with a 50% discount on the cost of a "site license" for the software. Assessment centers will be located throughout Wisconsin and testing will take place 2 - 3 times per school semester.
If you are interested in learning how you can partner with WCATY to support its Scholars Program or serve as a testing site, please contact Kaleem Caire, WCATY Special Projects Director, at (608) 271-1617 ext. 22 or via e-mail at [log in to unmask] Three Madison centers have already agreed to support the testing and scholars program, the UW-Madison School of Education-Center for Instructional Materials and Computing (CIMC) and Northport and Packers Community Learning Centers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kaleem M. S. Caire
Special Projects Director
Wisconsin Center for Academically
Talented Youth (WCATY)
2909 Landmark Place
Madison, WI 53713
phone: 608/271-1617 ext. 22
Toll Free Phone: 888/353-8183
fax: 608/271-8080
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
web-site: www.wcaty.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, visit:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/aam.html
AAM Website: http://www.danenet.wicip.org/aam
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
