Advancing GATE November 19, 2025

We’re excited to share this weekly newsletter designed to keep you informed, supported, and connected. Each edition will highlight key updates from the GATE Support Hub, upcoming events, engagement opportunities, and effective practices to elevate gifted and talented instruction across our district.

We encourage you to take a few minutes each week to read through the newsletter so you’re always up to date on the information and guidance that will help you best support your students. Thank you for your continued commitment to advancing high-quality GATE services for all learners!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the initial GATE Survey during our November 3rd and 5th staff meetings. Your thoughtful input provides invaluable insight into what’s working well and where we can continue to grow as a program. Linked here is a summary of teacher feedback, highlighting the many strengths you identified (spoiler alert: creative instruction, engaged students, and a strong sense of community) as well as opportunities to further strengthen consistency, communication, and collaboration. There is so much to celebrate in the work you lead each day, and we look forward to partnering with you to make the GATE program even stronger.

Last fall, we received feedback from schools that they wanted the GATE testing window to avoid conflict with TCAP preparation. We’re pleased to share that we’ve been able to adjust the schedule this year. The new testing window also allows families to receive GATE testing results before the end of the current school year. Below is an overview of the GATE Testing Calendar. Please read and internalize the Spring Testing Guidelines for details on additional dates, scheduling, and procedures for testing. We will review this information further in our Professional Development on December 15.

GATE Testing Calendar Summary

• Dec 1–Jan 16 GATE Teachers will provide training to school staff on the process of recommending students for GATE testing.
• Jan 5–16 Teachers recommend students for GATE testing who were not already qualified through FastBridge scores.
• Jan 16 Teachers provide draft testing schedules to principals for approval.
• Feb 2–Mar 5 GATE Teachers test K–G7 students. Grades 3 and 4 will be prioritized earlier in the window. See Spring Testing Guidelines for details.
• Mar 16–27 Early Learning Center (ELC) CogAT Testing for PreK.
• ~May 18 PK–7 decision letters will be sent to families.
  
  

This information will be communicated to Principals through the Principal Connection on December 3.

Please work with your principals to schedule UCT training with teachers between December 5 and January 16. You can open this link and copy to your files to customize for your school(s).

Some of you may have heard that this year MNPS has received funding by the Tennessee Titans to pay for enrollment in the Scripps Spelling Bee. As such, all MNPS schools are required to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee this year. This wonderful news for students district-wide creates a shift in how we approach things within GATE.

• If you have already worked with your principal for permission and started the first rounds of the Bee, you should continue the process! And cheer on your students!
• If you have not yet started testing for Robertson Academy, please speak with your building principals before starting. Some principals may want students to have the opportunity to participate in their school-based competitions and compete alongside their peers, rather than in a gifted-only setting.
• If you started the Bee, but did not speak to your principal in advance, please meet with your principal to discuss.

Thank you to those who have already completed the Talent Development Scheduling and Roster survey. We’re currently at 74% completion! Your responses play an essential role in helping us understand how Talent Development time is being used across schools and how we can best allocate resources to meet the needs of our GATE students.

This is a friendly reminder that the survey is due today, Wednesday, November 19. Please be sure to submit one form per school you serve. If any questions come up as you complete it, don’t hesitate to reach out to the GATE Office.

As we head into the Thanksgiving break, we want to extend our sincere appreciation for the dedication, creativity, and heart you bring to our students each day. Your work makes a meaningful difference, often in ways that aren’t immediately visible, but deeply felt. I hope this holiday offers you time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the people and moments that matter most.

The next issue of Advancing Gate will be published on Tuesday, December 2.

Here is a link to the updated teacher absence form: GATE Teacher Absence Notification 2025-2026 – Fill out form

You can also find it in the pink folder on Teams. Go to Teams / Robertson Academy / General / Files to see the new pink folder.
Please be sure to enter any absences, including partial days, when you are out of the building.

December 5 - January 16: GATE Teachers train school staff on UCT

December 15: Professional Development @ Martin

January 16: Teachers submit testing schedules to principals and GATE office.

January 16: Last day for teachers to submit UCTs.

January 21-22: Professional Development @ Robertson

February 2 - March 5: K-7 CogAT Testing
February 10-11: Professional Development CANCELLED

March 16: Professional Development @ Martin

March 16-27: PreK CogAT Testing

May 11: Professional Development @ Martin