WSD Enrichment Mission Statement:

To find and nurture talent in students by providing and supporting opportunities for them to pursue their interests at an appropriate pace and level of complexity and regular opportunities to spend time with students of similar abilities.

Program Goals:

Goal I: Enhance Student Learning
In order to foster an atmosphere of talent development, the Schoolwide Enrichment Program will provide and support opportunities for students to:

• be introduced to new experiences and ideas through speakers, assemblies, mentors and exploratory activities (Type I)
• work regularly with other students of similar abilities and talents (Type II)
• learn the skills necessary to reach their goals as they pursue their interests and talents (Type II)
• conduct in-depth investigations that simulate the work of practicing professionals (Type III)
• participate in self-directed learning that culminates in a product or performance for an authentic audience (Type III).

Goal II: Evaluate and Resolve Facility Needs
The Schoolwide Enrichment Program will advocate for adequate space, storage and equipment for enrichment classes in every building.

Goal III: Ensure Safety and Security of Staff and Students
The Schoolwide Enrichment Program will provide opportunities for students to interact regularly with their intellectual peers in a safe and supportive environment that recognizes and affirms the unique characteristics of highly capable students.

Goal IV: Involve Parent and Community
The Schoolwide Enrichment Program will provide opportunities for parents to :

• be involved in enrichment activities
• provide input for student services
• attend workshops on topics that enhance student learning
• participate in the Community Resource Data Bank along with other community members.

Goal V: Affirm the Organizational Environment
The Enrichment Specialists will provide support to teachers, parents and administrators by:

• providing a fair and equitable system to identify students for enrichment services in accordance with the Washington Administrative Code.
• providing staff development on meeting the needs of highly capable students in regular classrooms
• sharing resources, books and materials pertinent to the needs of highly capable students
• communicating research and best practices through newsletters, published articles, presentations, correspondence and inservice opportunities
• collaborating with other departments to promote common goals and to help prepare students to participate in advanced classes
• evaluating the enrichment program on a regular basis using data from the district assessment system and input from teachers, administrators, parents and students.

Elementary Enrichment Programs:

Type I

Schoolwide Enrichment: Events that involve the entire school such as Young Authors, Art Festival, Math Fair, etc. Noon Enrichment provides guest speakers to small groups of interested students on various topics.

Push-ins: The enrichment specialist comes into classrooms by teacher invitation for a whole class enrichment activity.

Type II

Talent Groups: Talent groups are composed of students who are referred to the enrichment specialist based on a demonstrated talent in a particular area such as math or reading, science or art.

Type III

Newsroom: An environment that facilitates self-directed learning projects for identified students and teacher-referred students.
Studio: An inquiry-based environment that facilitates research through experiments for identified students and teacher-referred students.

How Does the Enrichment Program Work?

Each school has an Enrichment Teaching Specialist.

A Schoolwide Enrichment Team evaluates the existing enrichment opportunities at the school, looking at seven areas of talent. This Team plans further enrichment with an emphasis on talent development in all students.

Three types of enrichment activities are planned: general exploratory, training in skills, and in-depth research and investigations of real problems.

A variety of services are offered for students with demonstrated need: 

• Cluster Grouping
• Talent Pool
• Talent Groups - math and language arts, etc.
• Resource Teacher
• Interest Groups
• Curriculum Compacting

For more information regarding Wenatchee School District's Enrichment program, click here.