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Our Mission:
To meet the learning needs of gifted students and promote their social-emotional development in a congregated setting.
Our Vision:
Westmount Charter School will be recognized as a centre for excellence in gifted education.
Our Purpose:
The mandate of the Westmount Charter School is to provide qualitatively differentiated educational programming for students who are gifted.
Our Charter School Goal:
Each gifted learner is provided with opportunities to optimize his or her own unique potential.
About Giftedness:
At Westmount Charter School, we define Giftedness in this way: "Students are gifted when they perform, or show potential for performing, remarkably high levels of accomplishment in learning rate, depth of knowledge, and reasoning and problem-solving abilities when compared to others of their age, experience, and environment." For more information about Westmount's innovative approach toward gifted education, click here.
Another Definition of Giftedness
"Giftedness is 'asynchronous development' in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally."
- the Columbus Group (1991, in Morelock, 1992).
Our beliefs:
-We provide opportunities to optimize potential
-We differentiate learning
-We foster respect within a safe environment
-We recognize the broad needs of the gifted learner, and organize our programming around "four pillars": gifted affective learning, gifted health & wellness, gifted social responsibility, and gifted academics
-Staff is committed to continuous, meaningful learning
-We build community while celebrating individuality.
Our History of Innovation
Charter Schools have the responsibility of providing and sharing innovative educational practices. Click here for a brief history of our program, and some of the innovations along the way!
For an overview of our application/admission procedures, click here. For those of you who have previously investigated applying to Westmount, please note that in 2012 there were substantial changes to our Kindergarten and grade one admissions procedures!
Would you like to visit Westmount or correspond with us? click here!
18 December 2012