Gifted (IDEA) Program

IDEA Newsletter

Students are selected for this program based on middle school academic performance, teacher recommendation, and test results. This program will provide students with a rigorous preparation for the world of higher education. In addition, independent research in topics of student interest will be encouraged.

For more information about our gifted program visit our district website.

Grades 9 and 10

The grade 9 and 10 program is available to approximately 50 ninth and 50 tenth grade students who have achieved at an advanced level and who meet the criteria of the program. The students will travel as a team for two years for their core Honors academic subjects:

Grade 9:
English I - Code 081
The Development of Civilization - Code 509
Freshman Biology - Code 407
Geometry - Code 169

Grade 10:
English II - Code 083
Civics Honors - Code 511
Foundation of American History Honors - Code 512
Sophomore Chemistry - Code 415
Algebra II - Code 170

A major objective of this unique program is to prepare able students for Honors and Advanced Placement courses during their junior and senior years. This program will maximize the students’ learning experiences and their opportunities for admission to competitive colleges and universities. These students will be closely monitored by the team teachers who will include the members of the East Hartford High School IDEA Program.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria will be considered for participation in the Grade 9 and 10 Program:

1. Successful participation and achievement in the Grade 8 IDEA program at East Hartford Middle School.
2. Scores above the 80th percentile for the district on any seventh or eighth grade nationally normed standardized test.
3. Written recommendation from grade eight academic team, particularly the 8th grade science teacher, and/or the foreign language teacher.
4. Grade 8 CMT scores at or above the state goal on the writing sample and the reading test (DRP).
5. Membership in the National Junior Honor Society and/or a grade point average at or above 3.5 in grade eight.
6. An exemplary academic portfolio including samples of work from each of the academic disciplines.

Grade 11
The focus is on a junior project in an area of the student’s choosing. This involves working with a mentor. Students completing a junior project will be granted a letter grade. Students involved in this project will meet on a regular basis as a group in a classroom setting to work on these projects. The IDEA teachers supervising this program will be responsible for assigning a letter grade for each of the completed projects. The committee will also be responsible for determining credit value for each of these projects. This credit will not be factored into class rank, but will appear on the student's transcript.

Grade 12
Introduction to Philosophy-Honors Semester/Full Year 1/2 credit /sem.
Code: Sem A 541, Sem B 542
“Introduction to Philosophy” (Honors) can be offered for a full year. This course examines the history of ideas by considering such questions as: What is the nature of reality? What is the nature of man? What is truth? What is the nature of ‘the good?’ The works of selected Western and Eastern philosophers will be used.