Center for Enriched Studies to Open at Four New Schools in the Fall
A Center for Enriched Studies, formerly known as the Center Program for the Highly Gifted, will open at Rachel Carson Elementary School and three others schools for the 2017-2018 school year.
In a letter to parents on Tuesday, Maria Navarro, chief academic officer for Montgomery County Public Schools, described the program’s expansion as “exciting news.”
“The Center Program at Rachel Carson Elementary School will be the fourth local Center Program opening in 2017-2018, joining Spark M. Matsunaga, Piney Branch and Stonegate Elementary schools,” she wrote.
RCES principal Larry Chep said the center “will provide greater opportunities for students to access enriched and accelerated instruction.”
Paula Ross, the PTA president at RCES, said parents are excited about the center.
“I’ve talked with many of our parents today about MCPS’s decision to open a Center program at RCES, and parents are excited for the possibilities this brings for our fourth and fifth graders,” Ross said. “We’re looking forward to learning more about how the program will take shape at our school for the coming year.”
According to background information, the new name labels curriculum and not students.
In addition to the four local centers, there are regional centers at Lucy V. Barnsley, Clearspring, Cold Spring, Dr. Charles R. Drew, Fox Chapel, Oak View, and Pine Crest elementary schools.
For accuracy, there is a Center for the Highly Able at Chevy Chase Elementary School as well. It was one of the first centers created.