ALP IN THE WCSD

The Washington County School District’s elementary Advanced Learning Program (ALP) provides gifted educational services for identified gifted and high ability first grade through fifth grade students. As part of the eligibility identification process, parents of K-4th grade students may choose to have their child evaluated. This evaluation consists of both both cognitive and academic assessments.

Students qualifying for an ALP placement have shown that they need an academic program that allows them to move more quickly, work with more complex concepts, and delve more deeply into academic content. ALP services are available at all district elementary schools, with full-day magnet classes at Diamond Valley (alongside Spanish Dual Immersion) and Riverside Elementary schools. Testing is for the program, not a specific school. However, due to geographical location, generally students on the east side of the county attend the ALP program at Riverside Elementary and students on the west side of the school district attend Diamond Valley Elementary.

For more information about ALP, including the referral process and other advanced learning options, please visit the Washington County School District’s High Ability website.  You can also contact a member of the DVES office staff or Shauna Williams, WCSD High Ability Coordinator, at shauna.williams@washk12.org or 435-673-3553, ext. 5148.

ALP AT DVES with Spanish Dual Language Immersion

Diamond Valley Elementary is home to one of two elementary sites in the school district for high ability strands grades 2-5 called the Advanced Learning Program, or ALP.  We also have a High Ability Reader (HAR) program for our 1st graders so they can begin the Spanish DLI program in 1st grade. There are currently ten highly qualified teachers teaching in this program at Diamond Valley: Miss Munt and Maestra Barranco (1st English/Spanish), Mrs. Staheli and Maestro Dominguez (2nd English/Spanish), Mrs. Stauffer and Maestro Gastelum (3rd English/Spanish), Mrs. Drummond and Maestro Torres (4th English/Spanish), and Mrs. Freebairn/Maestra Orts (5th English/Spanish).  They have state endorsements in Gifted and Talented Education and have taught in ALP for several years each.  These teachers understand the unique needs of high ability learners and know how to meet their needs, as well as extend their learning to help them feel both success and real academic, emotional, and social growth.

Whereas all 1st grade students in the school district take the High Ability screener test to be identified for the ALP program, students that choose not to attend Diamond Valley Elementary in 1st grade for the DLI program can still begin the ALP (and Spanish DLI) program at the start of 2nd grade, if there is still space available in the class. These seats will be given each year on a first-come, first-served basis. However, students who qualify for ALP and want to join after the start of 2nd grade will be unable to do so because of the language acquisition gap.  These students who desire to be a part of ALP would need to enroll at Riverside Elementary’s ALP magnet site, pending space available.