Hillsboro R-3 School District Gifted and Talented Education Program

Welcome to the website of the Hillsboro R-3 School District Gifted and Talented Education Program. This site is meant to serve as a resource for teachers, parents, and students. The GATE program encourages identified gifted students to use their intellectual capacity to deal with the more difficult levels of thinking, to develop problem-solving skills, and to think creatively. The smaller class size together with the variety of resource materials made available through GATE, make it possible to focus on the students' own special interest areas and abilities in ways not always possible in the regular classroom.

GATE is designed to stimulate divergent thinking processes, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving skills. It is also designed to encourage the child to plan a part of his own educational program and to develop particular interests which may not be covered by the regular curriculum. The GATE participant is encouraged to become responsible for completing projects and meeting reasonable, often self determined, time tables. GATE students are also given the opportunity to present projects to appropriate audiences, thus developing communication and leadership abilities.