PACT

 

Mission Statement

The Palmyra PACT is committed to enhancing the academic strengths and growth of gifted and talented students by integrating critical thinking, collaboration, complexity, and creativity into all aspects of the curriculum.  Our goal is for all students to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

Meet the Campbells

Yes, there are two of us.  No, we're not related.  It's a whole lot of fun though!

Mrs. Campbell  – Amanda Campbell teaches 4th grade GATE this year.  It is her 5th year teaching and her 3rd  year at Palmyra.  Previously, she has taught 5th grade for 2 years and last year taught 3rd/4th grade GATE.  She absolutely loves being at Palmyra and a part of the GATE program.  She enjoys teaching math, incorporating the use of Chromebooks and iPads in her teaching, and loves studying novels with her class… especially Harry Potter (Hufflepuff Pride)!   She stays very busy at home with her 2 year old son, Holden, and her husband. Her favorite things to do (while away from her classroom) are going to the beach, Angels games, and finding fun adventures to take Holden on.

Ms. Campbell - Lea Campbell is teaching the 5th and 6th grade GATE class this year.  It is her 13th year in the Palmyra GATE program and her 22nd  year of teaching.  She has taught at West Orange Elementary (5th grade) and McPherson Magnet (5th and 7th grade).  She loves reading and math and is known for her slight obsession with pi.  She has two sons, Jack (11th grade) and Luke (8th grade).  She and her husband love to kayak and garden together and the whole family loves to go to the beach.

What is PACT?

PACT is not more work or working ahead.  PACT is about exploring topics and concepts in greater depth, making connections across content areas, and collaborating to explore the complexity of ideas.  We do this through the use of the GATE Depth and Complexity icons. Students are encouraged to demonstrate their learning through a variety of ways, including designing their own product to best express their creativity.

Depth and Complexity Icons

Characteristics of PACT Students

Gifted students generally demonstrate extraordinary talent or ability in the areas of academics, visual and performing arts, intellectual capacity, or leadership. The characteristics of an individual gifted student may include the following:

  • Observant - notice changes around them
  • Curious - they investigate discrepancies or happenings
  • Questioning - they want to know “Why”?
  • Logical - they see cause and effect relationships and connections
  • Expressive - they use advanced vocabulary and are quite articulate
  • Inventive - they reason in clever, unique ways to find original solutions to problems
  • Versatile - they may participate in lots of activities and adapt readily to new situations
  • Persistent - they stay with a task and become intensely focused
  • Sensitive - they are very empathetic to others
  • Perceptive - they see the essence of a situation

District Contact Information

For further information regarding the GATE Program, please contact:

Cathleen Corella
ccorella@orangeusd.org
Administrative Director, K-12 Curriculum & Instruction


 Laura Kresl   
     lkresl@orangeusd.org
     Coordinator, 21st Century Innovation & Instructional Design


GATE Office
250 S. Yorba Street, Orange, CA 92869
GATE Office: (714) 628-5451


Doreen Kearns
doreenk@orangeusd.org
Senior Secretary, GATE & CTE

GATE Newsletters

Breakout Box - Alien Invasion 

Breakout Box - Alien Invasion

 

Fun Friday - Hungry Caterpillars Race 

 

Math Centers 

 

 

Apple Mummification Results

 

Art Masters!

 

 

5th and 6th Grade VAPA Showcase

 

 

Mummifying apples while studying

Ancient Egypt

 

Reading Counts award winners for October

 

 

STEAM Challenge for October:  building a spider transport device