Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School 5-12
School District of Philadelphia
Describe your screening and evaluation process.
Students generally enter Masterman with a gifted identification in place. Masterman accepts students
as early as 5th grade through high school. A majority of our students enter in 5th grade. The students
attend district elementary schools, and apply to Masterman as they would to their choice high schools
after their 8th grade year, only they are able to apply at the end of 4th for admittance into Masterman.
School Psychologists from all regions use the WISC-IV and/or the Raven’s assessments for the gifted
determination with the FSIQ at 130.
It is very rare to have a student test for giftedness once they have already entered Masterman.
Do you identify students as gifted in other areas besides general and specific academic?
No, a majority of the students are either identified as gifted or they are already high academic
performers.
How do you meet the needs of students who are high achievers but do not qualify for a GIEP?
High academic curriculum, and varied course offerings. Acceleration opportunities available, and used
often.
From Website:
Students follow a college preparatory curriculum. Students attain advanced levels of study in enriched
and accelerated courses, including Advanced Placement in U.S. History, Government, French, Spanish,
French, Biology, Environmental Science, Computer Science, English, Calculus, Statistics and Music
Theory. Some students follow an even more accelerated program in Mathematics and study AP Calculus
AB/BC in their junior year and take a math course at a local college in their senior year. All students
have one additional period in the high school day in which one or two period electives are offered
mostly through the gifted support program. The great majority of the students are identified as mentally
gifted. Various seminars are offered such as: poetry, journalism, SAT Preparation, Russian, African
American studies, literary magazine, writers’ workshop, art, music, and photography. Community
service projects are also an integral part of the high school elective program and a senior project is
required.
In addition to English, the major subjects are:
Grade
9th
10th
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Math
Geometry
Algebra II
11th
Physics
12th
AP Environmental Science
AP Biology
Precalculus
AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus AB/BC
Calculus
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
Discrete Math
Social Studies
World History
World Cultures
Computer Science
American History
AP American History
Foreign Language
French/Spanish II
French/Spanish III
Political Science
Government
AP Government
AP French V
AP Spanish V
French/Spanish IV
Other electives: AP Computer Science, AP Music Theory, Drama, Art, American Sign Language,
Psychology, Senior Seminar
What assessments do you use?
Curriculum based, no re-evaluation
What programming options and resources are available at each level, elementary, middle, and high
school?
From Website:
In the 5th and 6th grades, our Enrichment program is offered to all students once a week. In the
beginning of the year, students select from a variety of courses and choose the subject matter that is of
greatest interest to them. Our course selection offerings are designed to enhance the vigorous
curriculum here at Masterman. Students do not receive a grade for this program. 5th grade Enrichment
meets 6th Period on Tuesdays and 6th grade Enrichment meets 3rd Period on Thursdays.
In the 7th and 8th grades, only Gifted Identified students attend Gifted Support classes. The course
selection is based on the class survey interest results gathered during the student's GIEP conference.
Two selections are offered for each class section. In 8th grade, students meet once a week in the fall and
early winter and students participate in their Gifted Support Class in place of their English SSR class.
In 7th grade, students meet in the late winter and spring and they participate in their Gifted Support
Class in place of one of their Art or Music classes.
The Mentally Gifted Program at the Julia R. Masterman School provides students with enrichment
activities and courses. The faculty allows students to take electives during certain class, lunch, or option
periods to pursue their interests.