District to move GATE program to Bayport Elementary; plans to expand cluster services in all elementaries

The Stillwater Area Public Schools board heard a review of the district’s gifted programming and next steps, including a decision to move the district GATE program into an elementary school.

District staff said the GATE program, currently housed at Stillwater Middle School, will relocate to one of the district’s new elementary buildings — Bayport Elementary — citing a more developmentally appropriate environment and additional collaborative learning spaces. “The GATE program will be moving to 1 of our new elementary schools. It’s gonna go to Bayport Elementary,” the district presenter said.

The move is part of a broader set of changes staff described for elementary cluster programming. The district plans to expand cluster programming across all seven elementary schools, strengthen curriculum and instructional supports, and offer professional development for cluster teachers. Staff also said they will review the district’s identification process for gifted programming and seek consistency in service models to improve equity and access.

Staff outlined work at the middle-school level to shift away from a single cluster placement model to a system of enrichment and acceleration available at both Stillwater and Oakland middle schools. That change is intended to allow students to return to their neighborhood middle schools while still accessing accelerated coursework. Staff said they will meet with both middle-school principals to “scope out” what middle schools must have in place to support the change.

An internal working group will be established to finalize the program model. Staff said the group will include cluster teachers, GATE teachers, elementary principals and district leadership; they reported surveys of cluster teachers and meetings with GATE staff are underway. Staff also said consultation with other districts and a review of existing curricular options (including Benchmark Advance and in-district acceleration options) are part of the planning.

Board members asked about options for students who are identified but choose not to attend the separate GATE classroom; staff said cluster enrichment and extension opportunities will remain available at home schools. Staff emphasized that accelerated options would be expanded in middle school so that more students could access advanced coursework without relocating.

Staff said communication plans about the Bayport placement will follow and noted the boundary committee — scheduled to begin meeting soon — should plan for an additional approximate 60 students at Bayport in its boundary work. Staff also flagged that transportation for the move will use a hub model similar to other district programs and that details will be provided to families in later updates.

District staff said these changes are in an early phase of planning and will come back to the board with more detail as models are finalized and professional development plans are developed.

The presentation concluded with a call for continued feedback and with next steps that include the internal working group meetings and follow-up with middle-school leadership.