Orange Crescent School Partners with UC Irvine Extension To Provide Teacher Certification for Gifted and Talented Education

GATE programs recently experienced great criticism, So UC Irvine Extension responds with partnerships and solutions

IRVINE, Calif. – December 5, 2001 – Orange Crescent School, a private educational Islamic School in Garden Grove, California, recently partnered with UC Irvine Extension to offer Teacher Certification specifically for Gifted and Talented Education (GATE).

This program, which is being offered on the Orange Crescent School campus from December 1, 2001 to June 29, 2002, will enable teachers in Islamic schools in the Orange County area to be exposed to the latest teaching methodology that should considerably improve teacher expertise and student achievement.

About Orange Crescent School

Orange Crescent School provide educational services to students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. Founded in 1983 by parents who sought a safe environment for their Muslim children to grow and develop, Orange Crescent School is in its eighteenth year of operation servicing 424 students. Although 95% of the students at Orange Crescent School are American born, their families represent over 30 ethnic backgrounds.

Orange Crescent School is fully accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) and teaches all subjects required by the state of California including Arabic and Islamic Studies. Orange Crescent School placed 1st in Science and 4th overall in its division in the Orange county Academic Pentathlon for 2001.

About UC Irvine Extension

UC Irvine Extension, the continuing education segment of the University of California, Irvine, offers over 2,000 university-level professional and personal enrichment courses, including 40 certificate programs and specialized studies every year. More than 18,000 students, most who already have college degrees, attend UC Irvine Extension annually. Custom education and training programs at business sites worldwide are also available. UC Irvine approves all courses and instructors. For additional information regarding UCI Extension courses and programs, visit www.unex.uci.edu or call (949) 824-5414. To learn more about the GATE program, call the program coordinator, at (949) 824-2033.