Horizons Overview
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Horizons is designed to meet the needs of highly gifted students whose intellectual, academic, and affective needs exceed those of other gifted students in regular classrooms. The program offers a learning environment and advanced curriculum for same-aged peers in four content areas, including English and Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. The program emphasizes academic and intellectual rigor and emotional and social growth for a wide range of highly gifted children from all backgrounds.
Horizons curriculum and instruction are taught by highly qualified teachers who function as instructors, facilitators, coaches, and mentors. Teachers' content-rich curriculum is designed to extend, accelerate, and add depth to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. To receive appropriate academic challenges, opportunities, and growth, students are expected to function at cognitive levels that are generally two to three grade levels above the assigned grades. Various skills and abilities include understanding and interpreting advanced texts, handling complexity, and providing possible solutions to real-world problems. Controversial dilemmas and open-ended discussions raised from text, concepts, and issues offer students opportunities to engage in meaningful intellectual discourse. The accelerated pace also allows time to engage students in solving advanced problems that are concept-based, multidisciplinary, and cross-curricular. Students will also investigate issues independently and cooperatively based on their interests, readiness, and learning profiles.
Student growth is assessed through ongoing assessments, performances, and portfolios. In addition, a collection of products of learning in all core subjects is captured and shared in quarterly Performance Reviews.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Horizons program?
Horizons for elementary is housed at Charles H. Parker Academic Center, while sixth through eighth grade is housed at Randolph IB Middle School. Students in grades 9-12 are guaranteed a seat in the IB Programme at East Mecklenburg High School.How many students are in Horizons?
The numbers fluctuate each year based on the applicant pool. For the school year 2022 - 2023, we have approximately 51 students in the elementary program, 51 students in the middle school program and 10 students at East Mecklenburg High School in the IB Programme, for a total of 112 students K-12.Will my child receive transportation if accepted into the Horizons program?
Yes. Students will have access to bus transportation. Please keep in mind that, depending on where you live, the bus ride can be lengthy to get to and from the school where the Horizons program is housed. Students in the middle school program will have shuttle bus stops. Please contact CMS Transportation (980-343-6715) for more information about your particular situation. Please note that you must reside in the CMS school district to attend Horizons.How are classes designed?
Students in the Horizons program in elementary and middle school are in self-contained classes. This means that the students are taught the core subject areas (language arts, math, writing, social studies, and science) by the Horizons teachers in a class with only other Horizons students. In addition, students will attend special area classes and recess (elementary), electives (middle school) and lunch (elementary & middle) with same-age peers.Should the student decide to continue to East Mecklenburg High School in the IB Programme, there will be opportunities to take advanced courses. High school students will attend their electives and core classes with other same-age peers. The ability to take advanced coursework is available at all high schools. This is coordinated by the assigned high school counselor.
Contact Us
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Marie Deegan
Horizons Elementary Programming
980-343-2700Mikki Ayers
Horizons Middle School Programming
980-343-2644980-343-3390 Fax
