Odyssey A School-Within-A-School for Highly Gifted Students

Odyssey is a school-within-a school that provides  full-time instruction delivered in self-contained  classrooms for Level Four gifted students in grades three, four and five.  Odyssey began in the fall of the 2014-2015 school year with one classroom at grade three and one classroom at grade four at Rice Lake Elementary. Class sizes are aligned with the  District grade ranges. Students are members of the Rice Lake School community, and parents are encouraged to participate in the Rice Lake parent organization.

Research has shown that grouping gifted children in a full-time, gifted placement program with  appropriately differentiated curriculum and learning experiences when compared to equally gifted students in mixed ability classes showed an academic effect that was both substantial and positive. (Kulik & Kulik, 1997, Rogers, 2002)

The goal of Odyssey is to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of children who are highly gifted. Because of their academic and cognitive abilities, these children demonstrate a need for in-depth, complex curriculum that is beyond the grade level core curriculum. Level 4 full-time programming for these children provides differentiated learning experiences and intellectual challenges that will stimulate academic growth.

What is the focus?

• Mastery of skills and concepts at a pace and  depth appropriate to the capacity of students with gifts and talents.

• Inquiry-based learning.

• Critical, creative and divergent thinking and
  reasoning.

• Metacognitive skills that foster independent and self-directed learning.

• Development of risk-taking behaviors in intellectual endeavors.

• Development of a healthy sense of self through self-knowledge and self-acceptance.

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Programming Criteria

2024-2025 Programming Information