Kerkstra Elementary School
14950 South Laramie, Oak Forest
Sunday afternoons, 2:00 - 4:30

Grades Prek - 10
January 9, 16, 23, 30, February 6
Tuition: $190.00

PreK and Kindergarten Courses - Students will enjoy the following three 50-minute courses every Sunday:



Mad Scientists Loose in the Kitchen: Discover the amazing chemical phenomena happening in your pantries and refrigerators. Explore sundry savory science.
Math and Science of Building: Tackle construction projects with string, straws, toothpicks, marshmallows and more!
Art Meets Literature: Explore the art of famous illustrators, such as Eric Carle and Leo Leonni, then try out their creative artistic techniques!

1st - 8th Grade Courses (as indicated) *Students in 5th - 8th grades have the option of enrolling in either two 75-minute courses or a two and a half hour workshop. Students enrolling in two 75 minute courses choose from the following:

Books Galore and More: Explore the wonder of books and create your own. Dramatize books through Readers' Theater. Grades 1-3
Math Mania: Unravel intriguing number puzzles and solve logic problems. Play math games and even create your own! Grades 1-6
Kitchen Wizards: Discover the magic of science using ingredients readily found in a kitchen. Explore tricks for changing states of matter. Create secret concoctions. Grades 1-2
Crime Scene Investigation: Reconstruct the crime scene, examine clues and use crime lab technology to solve the case! Grades 3-8
Best by Test: Are Band-Aids really ouchless? Does any gum not lose its flavor? How accurate are advertising claims? Find out in a hands-on product testing lab. Grades 4-8
LEGO Robotics I: Engineer and program robots to solve challenges using gears, sensors, motors and computers. ($10 lab fee) Grades 3-8
LEGO Robotics II: Work with other advanced LEGO Robotics students to strategize, design, program, and race your robots. ($10 lab fee) Grades 3-8
Computer Games Lab: Explore different design options as you program in Scratch to create your own computer games. Grades 3 - 8
Art Studio: Create multi-dimensional masterpieces of mixed media, methods, and muses. Grades 1-8
Theater Club: Is the stage calling your name? Play theater games, explore characters, rehearse scenes, and finally perform! Grades 1-8

5th - 10th Grade Workshops - Students enrolling in a two and a half hour workshop choose from the following:*

Robotics I: Construct a siren as you learn to solder and to decipher technical instructions and diagrams. Build Scooter, a sound-activated robot. ($40 lab fee)
Robotics II: Build Scrambler, an all-terrain robot; Blinky, with an infrared tracking beam; Copycat, programmable for direction, light, and sound; or Digital Dice. ($60 lab fee)

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Program Structure / Application / Placement

The winter and spring 2011 Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder programs meet on Sunday afternoons for five consecutive weeks, each. Program hours for all students at all locations are 2:00 to 4:30.

Most students choose their own classes from a variety of exciting topics (see course descriptions). The development of problem-solving skills and creativity is inherent in the framework for all courses. Projects and activities evoke active, hands-on participation.

For our Oak Forest program, students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten enroll in PK/K Forum, consisting of three courses, each of which meets for about 50 minutes each Sunday. Students in 1st-8th grades enroll in two courses, each of which meets for about 75 minutes each Sunday. Students in 5th-10th grades enroll in a single workshop, which meets for the entire 2½ hours. Students in 5th - 8th grades may choose either format.

Applications are accepted online, by mail, and in person. To apply online, click the link above. To apply by mail, download the application form or use the one on our brochure, complete all items, and send it with the required full tuition payment to: The Center for Gifted, Box 364, Wilmette, IL 60091. Enrollment remains open until the program begins.

Parents are notified of enrollment status within two weeks after we receive their complete applications. Applications from new students are not complete until we also receive their teacher recommendations, which may be sent separately.

Students who are accepted are placed in classes on a rolling basis, per dates of their applications. A week or two before the program begins, parents receive enrollment packets with individual class assignments, maps, directions, and information about our on-site parent seminars.

Notifications (enrollment status, course placement, and others) are emailed to parents from [email protected]. Please enable your email programs to allow emails from this address. If you do not receive notices from us in due course, please telephone us at 847-901-0173. Families who do not provide email addresses will receive all information by USPS mail.

Tuition / Fees / Refunds

Tuition is $190 for the entire five-Sunday program. It is due in full with application. We accept payment by check, money order, credit card, and cash. Make checks and money orders payable to The Center for Gifted.

Tuition includes a $30 non-refundable application fee. Lab fees (see course descriptions) are due on or before the first day of the program; online applicants are required to pay them with tuition.

If a student withdraws from the program before it begins, a refund will be issued for tuition and lab fees paid minus the $30 non-refundable application fee. There are no credits or refunds for withdrawing or enrolling after a program begins, or for absences or late or partial enrollments for any reason. There are no sibling discounts.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available based on need. Please contact The Center for Gifted for more information.

Parent Seminars

Parent education is a unique focal point and purpose of The Center for Gifted. During all programs, we offer seminars designed for parents of gifted children. They focus on effective parenting; on differentiation, acceleration, creativity, and the educating of gifted children as they face challenges at school and at home. Specific information about our winter and spring seminar topics and speakers will be included in enrollment packets and posted on our website. Please join us!


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Additional Winter/Spring 2011 Opportunities

Burr Ridge | Elmhurst | River Forest | Wheeling