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Philosophy:
The purpose of the accelerated Program of Marquette Academy is to develop each individual student’s unique abilities. The program is designed to provide opportunities that allow for maximum student development socially, emotionally, academically, and personally. The program is designed to promote and encourage critical and creative thinking skills of students while helping them to become self guided and
sufficient learners.

The overall goals of the program are to develop advanced critical and creative thinking skills, as well as problem
solving abilities. The Accelerated Program will also evaluate each student’s personal strengths and students will
be challenged by learning experiences that are not ordinarily a part of the regular classroom experience.

Curriculum and Instructional Strategies

  • All materials and activities will be selected based on each student’s particular abilities and will be appropriate for the accelerated learner, while surpassing those of the regular education classroom.
  • Content will be advanced and involve more complex themes and concepts than a regular education classroom.
  • All curriculum and lessons will move at a faster pace than a regular education classroom. Curriculum will be differentiated based on student’s particular needs and abilities.
  • Students will be removed daily from their traditional classroom and report to the Accelerated Program classroom to receive Accelerated Program services in the specific content areas in which they qualify for.

Identification of students for Accelerated Program

  • All students’ in grades 6-8 are eligible to be recommended for the accelerated program.
  • To be considered for the program a student must meet all four of the following criteria.
    • Student must test in an appropriate percentile on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.
    • Student must have maintained A/B average on all content academic areas.
    • Student must have appropriate paperwork of recommendation forms from either specific content area or grade level teacher.
    • Student must have approval from parent/guardian.
  • All students will be required to reapply each school year to continue or reenter the Accelerated Program. Acceptance into the program is only for the specific school year in which the student is applying.


Once a student has provided all necessary documentation and paperwork the student’s information will be reviewed by the selection committee. If the student is selected for the Accelerated Program for that school year, additional permission forms must be filed by the parent/guardian of the student before he/she may begin the program. If the student is not selected by the committee the parent/guardian or teacher may appeal using the
appeal process that is described below.

Appeal Process by Parent or Teacher
If a student has gone through the recommendation process and has not been approved for the Accelerated Program, the parent/guardian or teacher of the student may wish to begin the Appeal Process.

 

  • The parent/guardian or teacher may begin the Appeal Process by filing the appropriate paperwork and returning it to the Selection Committee. The parent/guardian or teacher has 60 days from the date of notification to begin the appeal process.
  • The test scores and Appeal paperwork will then go back before the committee to be reconsidered for placement in the program.
  • A parent/guardian or teacher may only appeal placement once a school year. If the student is not recommended after the appeal process the parent/guardian or teacher must wait until the following school year to apply again for placement in the Accelerated Program.

Withdrawal or Removal from Accelerated Program

Students may withdraw from the Accelerated Program for the following reasons:

  • • Parent/Guardian request for removal
  • • Teacher request for removal
  • • Lack of student interest or other special circumstances that are documented by Accelerated Teacher or Program Director
  • • Failure of student to maintain at least a B average in Accelerated Program course work and academic areas.
    • If a student is dismissed from the program or withdraws he/she may attempt to return to the program in the following academic school year. At the time of removal or dismissal the student will return to a regular academic classroom and course work. Removal from the program does not ban a student from attempting to regain placement in the program the following year.

Selection/ Advisory Committee

  • The selection committee will be made up of 5-6 members.
  • The selection committee will include the school Principal, Dean of Students, the Accelerated Teacher, The Director of Student Services and one to two classroom teachers.
  • Members of the selection committee will meet bi-quarterly to review the program and its components.
  • Members of the selection committee will notify parents/guardians of the results of admission or appeal process through appropriate school channels.

Accelerated Program Calendar:
July: Selection committee will meet to review all recommended students to determine placement within the program.

August: parents/guardians will be notified in early August of the student’s current standings in the program, all permission forms will be sent at this time. If a student is not accepted at this time parents/guardians may begin the appeal process.

September through December: The Selection/ Advisory Committee will meet bi-monthly to review current program and its components. The Director of Student Services will begin to compile test scores of all students to help determine which students score at or above the 85th percentile on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.

January: Teacher or Parent Recommendations will be accepted for students to take part in the Accelerated Program for the following year. This would include all students currently in the program, those who may wish to reenter the program, or those who are currently not in the program, but wish to gain access.


February: The deadline for ALL Teacher and Parent Recommendations for acceptance into the Accelerated Program for the following school year are due to the Selection Committee by February.

March: The Selection Committee will meet to review all recommendations. A list will be complied for further testing and Parent Permission Letters will be mailed.

April: The deadline for Parent Permission Letters to be returned to the Selection Committee is April.

May- June: All testing will be completed on all eligible students.