Welcome to Weinberg Gifted Academy (WGA), a school of choice and CUSD’s latest gifted program option, offering students who are eligible to receive gifted services a self-contained learning environment in the southeast valley. At WGA, gifted learners are our “why”. We are teachers and staff that have chosen to teach and serve in gifted education. This is our greatest benefit to each other, our students, your families, and this community. WGA will continue CUSD’s academy approach to gifted education by offering rigorous research-based curricula and coursework in a 21st-century framework, under the umbrella of authentic problem-based learning opportunities. As is true of all gifted options in the district, WGA students are instructed at least one year beyond their grade level in Mathematics and ELA. 

Problem-Based Learning for Gifted Students

• Uses problems as overarching essential questions 
• Plans learning opportunities around specific skills, concepts, and principles
• Includes a combination of direct instruction, small-group instruction, and independent work
• Delivers a rigorous, accelerated curriculum 
• Holds students to high standards 
• Encompasses developmentally-appropriate and relevant time management and executive functioning skills 

We believe our diverse population of gifted students come to us with a range of life experiences and are kind, accepting, and inclusive. Gifted students are intense, creative, and unique. This makes our work meaningful and delightful. We also believe that gifted learners are happier, achieve more, and develop a lifelong love of learning with teachers who understand their individual academic and social/emotional needs. All Weinberg Gifted Academy teachers are in possession of or pursuit of a preK-12 Gifted Endorsement and have a grand understanding of the instructional methods and tools that help their students grow. 

Learning Spaces

• Flexible spaces, flexible seating allow for quiet, independent learning, collaborative work, and whole-group instruction.
• Individual classroom spaces provide an average teacher:student ratio of 1:23.
• Larger collaborative learning hubs accommodate 2:46 and even larger groups. 
  • Technology Hub: students interact with hardware and software including 3-D printers, codable robots (Ozobots and Spheros), microprocessors (Micro:bits), and a recording studio to identify and solve problems and share their process.
  • Graphic Arts Hub: students are offered mixed media and graphic arts technology to create, connect, and communicate their understandings.
  • Science Hub: students and teachers engage with science demonstration technology and data collection tools and equipment to conduct inquiry-based science investigations.
• School grounds offer outdoor learning opportunities with ample vegetation, shade, and room to move.

Connecting Our Learning

Weinberg Gifted Academy teachers collaborate to plan incredible opportunities for students to apply learned skills and concepts into their work. We strive to connect to our local, national, and global communities to provide students with opportunities to engage with experts and to have a genuine audience and purpose for their work. Throughout the year, signature events will showcase what our students can do. If you are interested in connecting with the WGA community as a mentor or master for our students, would like to follow us as we grow, or are interested in seeing all of these words in action, please connect with us on social media.