What is Weinberg Gifted Academy (WGA)?

WGA is a self-contained K-6 school for students who are eligible to receive gifted services based on district criteria. As with all teachers of gifted students in CUSD, teachers at WGA must have or be working toward, a Gifted PreK-12 endorsement. WGA supports the district's gifted academy approach by offering rigorous, accelerated coursework in a 21st-century framework, focusing on social-emotional development, rigorous research-based curricula, and authentic problem-based learning opportunities.

Does WGA Offer Tours?

Beginning in February each year, WGA offers scheduled tours each Tuesday afternoon from 3:45-4:45 p.m. for parents of prospective students with qualifying scores or newly-enrolled WGA students. Please call our front office at 480-812-6600 to schedule a tour.

How do I enroll my child in WGA?

Enrollment directions can be found here, at the CUSD Gifted page. Applications are reviewed once the Gifted office has received Gifted Test scores AND an open-enrollment form has been submitted, with final approval from the principal.

How is WGA different from other gifted options in CUSD?

At Weinberg Gifted Academy, we empower learners to make an impact through kindness, bravery, and adaptability. Through these core values, we focus on design thinking and a problem-based learning framework that emphasizes depth and interconnected disciplines. The mission of all gifted options in CUSD is to foster excellence and develop talent among our gifted students by providing a comprehensive curriculum and a dedicated staff to meet their academic, social, and emotional needs. The gifted academies provide superior academic opportunities to hundreds of gifted K-6 students. At WGA, three explicitly-designed collaborative spaces called “hubs” provide students and teachers with unique opportunities to engage with mixed media arts, robotics and technology, and science inquiry. 

What is WGA’s curriculum?

Like all gifted students in CUSD, students at WGA will receive instruction accelerated by at least one year in the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics according to state standards. Research-based, vetted curriculum materials at WGA include Engineering is Elementary, integrated Science/Social Science units, Eureka Math and Glencoe Math, Junior Great Books, HMH Into Reading, Savvas myPerspectives.

What technology will WGA students have access to?

WGA is a 1:1 device to student school. All students use G Suite for Education applications including Google Classroom. Additionally, K-6 students at WGA engage with coding and design tools including Ozobots, Sphero, Microbits, sound and video production and editing tools, and 3D printers and CAD software. Technology is integrated into instructional planning with the goal of cultivating knowledge and skills to go beyond consuming and move to creating with technology. We introduce tools to students that support specific instructional strategies and skills and, as they gain confidence and experience, encourage students to consider these tools as possibilities they might use to identify and solve problems.

What opportunities do WGA students have to engage in the arts and athletics?

At WGA, we understand that movement, music, and arts education support learning in myriad ways. Each of these provides opportunities to cultivate critical thinking, creativity, fine motor skills, working memory, attentiveness, self-esteem, goal-setting, teamwork, math and spatial reasoning, as well as perseverence, patience, and passions. The arts and movement are woven into our learning in the classrooms and students also engage in a cycle of enriching special area classes that include Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Physical Education, and Technology. Our special area teachers collaborate to help students make connections between disciplines, apply and practice content and skills in creative applications, and add technical skills and tools that better equip them to identify and solve problems in the world.

What are WGA’s school hours?

8:45-3:15. Students can be on campus starting at 8:20 a.m. and must be picked up by 3:30 p.m.

How many students does Weinberg Gifted Academy serve?

In the 2021-2022 school year we served about 500 students in grades K-6. 
In the 2022-2023 school year we served about 615 students in grades k-6. 
Since the 2023-2024 school year we are serving more than 700 students in grades k-6. 

Is there transportation to WGA?

CUSD offers depot bussing to students who reside in the CUSD boundaries. Visit the Transportation overview to better understand depot bussing to WGA. As a general rule, Gilbert Road is the dividing line that will decide transportation options to WGA students.

Is there before- and after-school child care at WGA?

CUSD’s office of Community Education will offer before- and after-school childcare (Kids Express) at WGA beginning at 6:30 a.m. and ending at 6:00 p.m. Registration is available on the Community Education page.

What social/emotional support does WGA offer?

We recognize that exceptional and twice-exceptional learners deserve a support system that endeavors to understand their unique asynchronous development and social/emotional needs. Our teachers embed developmentally appropriate social/emotional learning in every learning opportunity through Costa's Habits of Mind, de Bono's Thinking Hats, Gould and Kaplan's Icons of Depth and Complexity (as explained by Ian Byrd) as well as instructional strategies that challenge students to practice personal development and metacognitive skills like perseverance, insight, situational awareness, and goal setting. In addition to ongoing professional development related to research-based practices to support the social/emotional needs of gifted learners, WGA will use the district-adopted Caring School Community SECL curriculum.

What extracurricular opportunities does WGA offer?

We believe before- and after-school experiences are a vital part of building a community and tapping into the interests of our students and staff at WGA. Our students have enjoyed teacher-run clubs like Beginning Coding with Dot and Dash, VEX Robotics, Math, Composting, Spanish, Yoga, Running, 3D Printing, Cheer, Ceramics and vendor-provided clubs like Chess, Bricks 4 Kidz, Soccer Shots, Young Rembrandts, and Golf. Please look for information about Clubs in communication from your child's teaching team.

Where do WGA students go for Junior High?

As an open-enrollment elementary school, there are many exciting Junior High options for students who attend the gifted academies. Many of our students stay in gifted programming through 8th grade at Willis, Bogle, San Tan, and Payne Junior Highs. Others attend the Arizona College Preparatory Oakland campus or Basha Accelerated Middle School and still others move into honors programming at any of the 10 Junior High options. WGA strives to prepare students to develop the technical, global, academic, and personal skills needed to succeed in Junior High and beyond.

How can I get involved and stay connected?

Contact us! You can reach Principal Romero at romero.marcie@cusd80.com. Also, be sure to follow us on Social Media for updates, celebrations, and announcements: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. You can also connect with the WGA PTO on Facebook or on their WGA PTO website!