About Us

Sidener Academy for High Ability Students is a school designed to meet the unique needs of students who are academically advanced by offering a program that is qualitatively different from the basic curriculum provided in a traditional setting. High Ability students need an appropriately differentiated curriculum designed to address their individual characteristics, needs, abilities, and interests. Teachers work with our district high ability coordinator and coaches to create learning experiences that will allow these students to develop to their full potential. Our counselor and social worker help to support the unique social and emotional needs of gifted learners in a variety of ways to help them grow as individuals and as students.

Students are selected to attend Sidener Academy based on an identification process that includes a thinking skills test, teacher recommendations, and reading and math achievement test data.

Distinctive Learning Experience

Sidener Academy offers High Ability students a distinctive learning environment and experiences including:

• More complex, abstract, and in-depth curriculum design
• Instructional strategies geared specifically to high ability students
• Accelerated pace
• Frequent assessment of student knowledge
• A variety of student choices within the classroom
• Opportunities for independent expression
• Talent growth opportunities