If the name Laureate School for the Gifted and Talented sounds familiar, it is likely because you also know of its parent school, Laurel Springs School. I recently had the opportunity to interview Dennis Rice, the director of Laureate School for the Gifted and Talented. Read on to learn more about a school that will become the standard for online gifted/talented education at the high school level.

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Can you explain how the Laureate School for the Gifted and Talented came about?

Over the past 17 years, many gifted and talented students have self-selected Laurel Springs, as they have looked for alternatives to their more traditional public schools. The feedback from our annual student and graduate surveys called us to create a program that built on many of the existing core competencies of Laurel Springs, but was aimed at better serving this unique segment of our student population.

What is the relationship between Laurel Springs School and this new school?

Laurel Springs School is a fully accredited distance learning school. The Laureate School is a program of Laurel Springs, aimed specifically at serving our gifted and talented students. While the academic program of Laureate school is distinct, the school shares the same administrative oversight and organization.

How are students evaluated for admission?

There is a seven-step admissions process which we use to determine the match. Admission is based upon no one piece of evidence. We attempt to create the right match between student and school, using test scores, recommendations, and evidence of academic achievement and promise. The entire packet is then reviewed by an admissions team.

Do you foresee some students transferring from Laurel Springs to Laureate School for the Gifted and Talented?

Yes, the Laureate School will certainly serve some of our present Laurel Springs students.

Who do you think are your target students?

The Laureate School is designed for the exceptional student who desires a heightened level of challenge and an increased level of support in pursuit of their academic and personal goals. We seek to serve college bound students who desire a personalized learning path to provide challenging educational opportunities that develop the intellect, encourage achievement, and nurture personal development.

What do you see as the future of the school?

We are excited about the promise of Laureate School. We observe the following educational trends:

•  Families are discovering that the 'No Child Left Behind' policy is leaving their gifted student behind.
• Due to families realizing that they have a very unique child and due to realizing that their child's need cannot be easily met, parents are desperately looking for options.
• There are some virtual high schools offering programs meeting the academic needs of gifted students.  We believe there are quite a number of physical schools providing some level of service to the G/T student population.
• Technological advancement now allows a virtual high-school such as the Laureate School/Program to provide the gifted and talented learner with all the tools they need to succeed and be supported in their educational, personal and life goals.
• G/T students and their parents want to engage with similarly minded peers and are challenged finding such peers.

We feel that our experience serving the needs of this unique learning population will help us become the premier distance learning school for gifted and talented students

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For more information about Laureate School for the Gifted and Talented, go to this page.

For more information about Laurel Springs School, go to this page.