Students qualifying for ACE (Academic Champion Enrichment) score in the top 89th percentile or above on the CogAT gifted screening assessment. This screener is given to students in grades 1-5 whom their teacher thinks may potentially be intellectually gifted; additionally all students in 2nd grade are screened mid-year. Currently, the ACE Program at TCDS serves approximately 17% of our student body. Students who qualify for ACE come to the ACE room twice a week during their “independent” study time for between 30-60 minutes per session; older students typically have longer “ACE time” than younger students. 

The primary purpose of our ACE Program is to provide identified gifted and talented students with relevant, personalized learning experiences that help them to develop, understand, and realize aspects of their gifted potential. Our program strives to personalize the process for each Champion student, which means that students may be pursuing different projects according to their interests, abilities, and needs.

The ACE room allows for gifted students to meet together with the G/T teacher in small groups (typically between 2-10 students at a time) in a dynamic classroom environment that has been curated by the ACE teacher to encourage students to investigate and innovate. Our goal is to augment the intellectual, personal, and social growth of our ACE students so that, as they become life-long learners, they better understand and own their giftedness and continue to strive as Champions in society, as well as at TCDS. 

To learn more about our ACE program, contact ACE Teacher, Mrs. Dana Brentt (dbrentt@tcdschampions.com).