What
is the Saturday Enrichment Program (SEP)?
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The Saturday Enrichment Program (SEP) for academically talented
students offers enriching and challenging courses for preschool,
elementary, and junior high school students. SEP supplements regular
school curricula by allowing youngsters to explore the areas of
science, mathematics, humanities and the fine arts at a pace and
in a setting compatible with their abilities. SEP is based on the
philosophy that enrichment experiences for academically advanced
students should promote interdisciplinary study, focus learning
around key concepts, and foster the development of independent learning
strategies. SEP sessions take place in the fall, winter, and spring.
New and repeat courses are offered each session. A separate brochure
is published for each session.
SEP is one of the educational programs of the Center for Talent
Development in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern
University. The Gifted LearningLinks courses, the Spectrum and Equinox
Program courses, and some SEP courses carry high school credit.
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Where
and when are SEP courses held?
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Courses meet for eight Saturdays in the fall and winter at Northwestern
University in Evanston, at North Central College in Naperville, and at Woodland School District 50's Intermediate School West in Gurnee. Courses meet for six Saturdays
in the spring. Before the session begins, parents receive a mailing
with the classroom location. Morning courses run from 9:00 to 11:30am;
afternoon courses run from 12:00 to 2:30pm (afternoon courses are
offered at Evanston only). Students may enroll in both morning and
afternoon courses in Evanston, as long as a parent supervises their
child(ren) for the half-hour between sessions.
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Why
should a gifted student enroll in SEP?
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Intellectual Peers. Students enjoy spending Saturdays
with other students who love to learn.
Powerful Instruction. Master teachers from the Chicagoland
area are chosen for their content expertise, enthusiasm, creativity,
and experience with gifted learners.
Challenging Courses. Courses
are designed to stimulate and stretch the academic skills of gifted
learners.
Exposure to New Academic Territory. Students are often exposed
to courses and disciplines not traditionally covered in school.
Acceleration and Enrichment. Students move at a pace more
appropriate to their abilities and delve deeper into content traditionally
covered in school.
Courses for High School
Credit. SEP offers several courses for high school credit
to provide an opportunity for children to accelerate their learning.
For more information about our participation research, click here.
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Who
is successful in an SEP course? |
The successful SEP student is highly motivated, enthusiastic, interested
in the subject matter and willing to take their interest to a higher
level.
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What
are the admissions criteria for SEP?
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A qualified student must have scored at the 95th percentile or
above on a nationally normed, standardized test in the area that
matches the class for which the student is applying (e.g. math scores
for math classes, verbal or language scores for language arts classes,
etc.).
See Eligibility for more information.
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How
do I schedule testing for my PreK-3rd grader who has no achievement
test results?
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Testing appointments can be scheduled by contacting testing
at (847) 491-3782 or ctd-testing@northwestern.edu.
Go to PreK-3rd Grade Testing Program
for more details.
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How
are SEP applications reviewed?
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Our staff carefully reviews each SEP
Application to see that the student's academic abilities match
up with the curriculum. We may ask students to supply additional academic
information supporting their advanced achievement, such as a teacher
recommendation (click to download SEP
Teacher Recommendation Form) or report card.
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Can
you receive credit for SEP courses?
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While most courses are for enrichment only, there are a few courses
from the seventh to ninth grade levels that offer high school credit
upon successful completion of the coursework.
The course material regularly covered in a one or two semester high
school honors level course is delivered in three SEP sessions. During
the2007-2008 academic year, four
courses are being offered for high school credit: Integrated
Science Honors, ,
Persuasion & Debate Honors, Latin
I Honors, and Creative Writing Honors.
Students are welcome to enroll in the fall session of any of the courses
for enrichment only. Students successfully completing all three consecutive
sessions of a given course are eligible for full credit equivalent
to one or two semesters of a high school honors course. Philosophy
I Honors and Creative Writing Honors may be started in any session,
but credit will only be granted to students who enroll in three consecutive
sessions. Students who begin Integrated Science Honors, Persuasion
& Debate Honors, Latin I Honors or Latin II Honors in the fall session must continue
in the winter and spring sessions to earn credit; otherwise, students
may take these classes for enrichment only.
The Center for Talent Development is accredited by the North
Central Association of Colleges and Schools as a "Special
Function School." High school credit will be granted to those
successfully completing the three-course cycle. The
acceptance of those credits at the student's school depends on that
school's own institutional policy about the recognition of credit
from outside schools. We recommend that you discuss this issue with
your school counselor or administrator before beginning the course.
Go to Benefits and Accreditation
for more information.
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What
is the cost of an SEP course? What is your refund policy?
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Click here for a listing
of fees per session, as well as an explanation of our refund
policy.
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Who
teaches SEP courses?
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Most SEP faculty are certified teachers with expertise and experience
in gifted education. They teach the same subject or age group at a
local elementary, junior high, or high school. Other teachers are
college professors who teach the content area to students in colleges
throughout Chicagoland.
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What
is the teacher-to-student ratio?
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Classes have no more than 18 students. All preprimary and primary
classes have a teaching assistant. In addition, any class with twelve
or more students also has a teaching assistant.
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What
kind of evaluation do we receive once the course is concluded?
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SEP students receive a narrative evaluation from their instructor
at the end of each course. Students enrolled in high school credit
courses also receive a letter grade that reflects their coursework.
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How
do I apply or qualify for financial aid?
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Financial aid is awarded on the basis of need to students who can
benefit from an SEP course but are unable to afford the entire program
fee. Financial aid is awarded only to students who have submitted
a complete SEP Application and
an SEP Financial Aid Form. You
will also have to provide a Statement of Need, a $75 deposit, and
current federal tax information. Notification of an award will be
made prior to the start of the session. The tuition bill will reflect
the amount of financial aid granted and the remainder due on the account.
If you have any questions, please contact CTD at (847) 491-3782.
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What
can parents do while children are in attendance?
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At the Evanston campus, Naperville site and the Gurnee site, SEP sponsors free
informational seminars, led by psychologists and other educational
experts, on topics pertinent to gifted education. Past seminars have
examined topics such as: science resources in the Chicago area; using
technology to enhance your child's education; and understanding gifted-yet-learning-disabled
children. Also, parents can visit downtown Evanston (including the
Evanston Public Library), use the Northwestern
University Library (a.m. only), or visit the Norris
University Center.
Downtown Naperville is just a few minutes away from North Central College .
Gurnee Mills is just a few minutes away from Woodland Intermediate School West.
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