QUEST Gifted Education Program
Questioning. Understanding. Exploring. Solving. Thinking.
At Atlas Public Schools, we believe every child deserves learning experiences that challenge, inspire, and help them reach their full potential. QUEST is our gifted education program, designed to meet the unique academic, creative, and social-emotional needs of advanced learners.
Through inquiry-based learning, authentic problem-solving, and meaningful intellectual challenges, QUEST students explore big ideas, investigate complex questions, and develop innovative solutions. The program encourages students to think deeply, take intellectual risks, and extend their learning beyond the traditional classroom curriculum.
What Students Experience
QUEST provides opportunities for students to engage in:
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Inquiry-based investigations and research projects
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Creative problem-solving and design challenges
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Critical and analytical thinking
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Collaboration with intellectual peers
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Exploration of personal interests and passions
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Reflection, goal setting, and self-directed learning
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Learning experiences are often interdisciplinary, helping students make meaningful connections across subjects while developing perseverance, flexibility, and innovative thinking.
Supporting the Whole Child
Gifted learners often have unique strengths, interests, and social-emotional needs. In addition to providing academic challenge, QUEST helps students develop:
- Confidence and self-awareness
- Resilience and adaptability when faced with challenge
- Self-advocacy skills
- Communication and collaboration skills
- Emotional understanding and healthy risk-taking
Our goal is to help students grow not only as exceptional learners, but also as thoughtful, reflective, and compassionate individuals.
We Believe
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Curiosity is the foundation of meaningful learning.
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Gifted learners thrive when challenged to think deeply and engage with complex ideas.
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Creativity, communication, and collaboration are essential for growth.
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Social-emotional development is as important as academic development.
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Every gifted learner deserves opportunities to develop their unique strengths, interests, and talents.
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Learning should inspire students to become confident thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators
Program Structure
Students identified for gifted services participate in at least 150 minutes of instruction each week with a gifted education specialist.
Depending on grade level, students receive services through one of two models:
Resource Room Model
Students are scheduled for dedicated gifted instruction outside of the general education classroom, where they work alongside other identified gifted learners.
Special Class Model
Gifted education is provided as one of the student's regularly scheduled classes during the school day.
Both models are designed to complement and extend classroom learning while providing the depth, complexity, and challenge gifted learners need to thrive.
How Students are Identified
Atlas uses a comprehensive identification process that considers multiple measures of student performance and potential. Rather than relying solely on teacher or parent referrals, all students participate in universal screening.
The identification process considers multiple areas, including:
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Academic achievement
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Problem-solving and reasoning ability
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Creativity
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General intellectual ability
Using multiple measures helps ensure that students with a wide range of strengths and talents have access to gifted services.
Contact Information
Families interested in learning more about the identification process, eligibility criteria, or appeals process may review the detailed information linked below or contact the Gifted Program Coordinator.
For questions about the QUEST Gifted Education Program, identification process, or gifted services, please contact:
Mary Blackwell
Gifted Education Specialist
mary.blackwell@atlaspublic.org