Gifted Education Services

PVschools offers a full range of gifted education services to students residing both inside and outside the district boundaries. The following programs are provide at every PV school:

Elementary schools
Schoolwide Cluster Grouping
Honors classes for Grades 4 - 6 Content replacement and content enrichment in mathematics and / or language arts daily with a gifted specialist

Middle schools
Honors classes, grades 7 & 8
All four content areas: mathematics, English, science, and social studies

High schools
Honors and Advanced Placement courses
For grades 9 - 12, plus honors online coursework

Gifted student philosophy
Program fliers

Special Programs:

The Digital Learning Center

Middle School program : Located at Sunrise Middle School, the Digital Learning Center is now accepting applications for students who will be in 7th- or 8th-grade in the 2011-12 school year.

New for 2012-13: High School program
The DLC High School is open to gifted and talented students entering 9th grade in the 2012-13 school year. This program is a rigorous, yet flexible, three or four-year plan that integrates technology and Advanced Placement coursework.

The Digital Learning Experience

The Digital Learning Experience (DLE) is a supplemental school program for gifted and talented digital natives in grades 4 - 6 in the Phoenix area. Located at Sunrise Middle School, the DLE is open to students currently enrolled in area charter schools, private schools, other school districts, and PVUSD. We are now accepting applications for the spring semester, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 10. Students meet face-to-face after school, some Saturday mornings, and mornings in June.
Read more Download DLE flier (PDF)

Honors Academy of Pre-Engineering
Honors Academy of World Languages

Serving middle school gifted students, the two Honors Academies at Desert Shadows Middle School provide honors core classes (English, math, science, social studies) with an emphasis in world languages and pre-engineering.

International Baccalaureate

IB Primary Years Program at Quail Run Elementary School (grades K - 6) Read more
IB Middle Years Program at Vista Verde Middle School (grades 7 - 8, continuing in grades 9-10 at North Canyon )
Read more
IB at North Canyon High School
(grades 11 and 12) Read more

Non-verbal Honors Core

This program, located at Greenway Middle School, is tailored to meet the needs of gifted students from many diverse cultural backgrounds.

Self-contained Gifted program

Serving highly and profoundly gifted students in grades 1 – 6. Now offered at two locations: Desert Cove Elementary School, north of Shea Blvd., near State Route 51 and I-17; and Sonoran Sky Elementary School.

Qualified applicants are accepted on a first come, first served basis. For the 2011-12 school year, some grade levels at Sonoran Sky are full. Applications are being accepted for the waiting list in those grades at the Sonoran Sky location. Limited space is still available at the Desert Cove location.
Read more

Uniquely Gifted program

Serving twice-exceptional gifted students

• Grades K-6, located at North Ranch
Elementary School
• Grade 7-8, located at Vista Verde
Middle School
Read more

Preschool for Gifted 4-year olds

This unique, tuition-based program is open to gifted preschool students throughout the Valley. Two locations: full day program at Desert Cove Elementary; half-day program at the new Fireside Elementary School, opening fall 2012.

Paradise Valley's after-school program aims to help gifted students AZCentral article

Autumn Lotus Dharma Towne, a student in Karen Mensing's self-contained Gifted class at Sonoran Sky, placed among the top five in the national Mrs' P's Be-a-Famous-Writer contest.

Watch the Channel 5 Interview of Karen Mensing, Google Certified Teacher, self-contained gifted teacher, talking about using YouTube in the classroom.
Congratulations to Megan Bird, Gifted Specialist at Sonoran Sky Elementary School, who was recently named Educator of the Year by the Arizona PTA. The district is fortunate to have such a skilled professional representing the many dedicated and respected staff members at PVschools.

Classroom visits and observations:

Please do not call schools regarding classroom visits and observations. Requests should be directed to the Gifted Education Services Department. Contact Gifted Services