Council Member Ingrid S. Watson is congratulating two District 4 schools for being recognized for having outstanding gifted and talented education programs: Benjamin Tasker Middle School and Heather Hills Elementary School. The Maryland State Department of Education recognized 14 schools with Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education (EGATE) Awards on Thursday, February 6. Six schools in Prince George’s County received the honor. Benjamin Tasker Middle School was honored for the second time, while Accokeek Academy, Glenarden Woods Elementary, Heather Hills Elementary, Valley View Elementary, and Walker Mill Middle School received their third EGATE Award.
“We are incredibly proud of the teachers, administrators, and staff at Benjamin Tasker Middle School and Heather Hills Elementary School for their hard work and dedication, which has led to receiving this distinguished recognition. We are honored to have them in District 4!” said Council Member Watson. “We also applaud the four other schools in Prince George’s County that earned this same level of exceptional recognition.”
Since 2010, the EGATE program has recognized 133 public schools. To achieve the EGATE designation, school personnel work to document gifted and talented programs over a 15-month period, identifying 21 criteria for excellence under four program objectives: student identification, curriculum and instruction, professional development, and program management and evaluation.
All EGATE schools will be honored Saturday, February 22 during an awards ceremony at Severn Run High School in Severn.
For more information on Gifted and Talented Programs, please visit the MSDE website.