Advanced Learners Grow With Daily Discoveries in Gifted K-Prep at Ashland Ranch

Some students begin school with extraordinary curiosity and a natural drive to learn. They are the children who ask endless questions, figure out puzzles in a flash, and want to know exactly how the world works.

Ashland Ranch Elementary’s Advanced Learning/Gifted Kindergarten Prep preschool program, available for 4 and 5-year-olds, is designed to keep up with fast-moving minds through hands-on learning.

A Look Inside the Classroom 
What does a typical afternoon look like in an Advanced Learning/Gifted K-Prep classroom? At Ashland Ranch, each day is full of activities that challenge students to solve problems and think deeply.

On any given day, students will work on projects that include:

• Building and Coding: Before using computers, students learn the basics of coding using hands-on games and blocks. They build structures, test their ideas, and redesign them when they don't work.
• Getting Ready for Kindergarten: Instead of repeating basic shapes and letters they already know, students get to learn real Kindergarten reading and math skills.
• Exploring Science: Students learn math and science through real-world activities. Students sort complex objects, count patterns they find outside in nature, and learn by doing.
• Working Together: Teachers use specialized activities to teach students how to share, work in teams, and build strong social skills alongside classmates.

Advanced Learning/Gifted K-Prep classrooms are taught by teachers who are Gifted-endorsed and Early Childhood Certified. Classes are available Monday through Thursday from 12:15 to 3:15 PM.

Once enrolled, Ashland Ranch provides families with a free advanced learning screen to determine eligibility for the Advanced Learning/Gifted K-Prep cluster. An optional Gifted Test is available by appointment for a separate fee. 

To learn more about the Advanced Learning/Gifted K-Prep program, schedule a tour at AshlandRanch.GilbertSchools.net/Tour.