Background Information:

This school year, Kelsey Murzak, Special Education Teacher, and Meghan Slekis, School Social Worker, have created and implemented “Little Leap” - a student enrichment program at Black Rock School. Modeled after the “Leap” program at Thomaston Center School, this program seeks to challenge the highest achieving students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade.  Criteria for acceptance into the first-year pilot program includes a score in the 93 percentile or higher on the Fall iReady scores, in either math or reading. Students have been added to the program based on January scores if they meet the same criteria. Additionally, teachers are being asked to complete Renzulli scales for the students in the program, in order to provide useful information about student strengths in areas such as leadership, creativity, and motivation. "Little Leapers" work in teams on story-creation, mathematical art projects, puzzles and games that challenge and strengthen executive functioning skills, and more. For the second half of the year, students in Kindergarten and 1st grade work together, while 2nd and 3rd graders work together. The students in the program are enthusiastic about learning and growing, and each week they share new ideas and tons of laughs!