You don’t think I would be considered a “gifted and talented” student, do you? Because if so, and if I lived in the north Denver metro area, I would take a really close look at getting into the new Westgate Community School.

Chartered by the Adams 12 School District and located in Northglenn, Westgate serves students from kindergarten to 6th grade. According to the school’s main web page:

Our school offers an innovative, stimulating learning environment to all students, including the twice-exceptional, visual-spatial, and highly/profoundly gifted learners. We specialize in gifted learners whose needs diverge from traditional educational models. Our instruction is organized to support diverse learning styles by using methods that match the strengths of alternative learners.

We believe the social and emotional needs of gifted students are as important as their intellectual needs. While making our high expectations clear to all students, we also offer a loving learning environment where it is safe to take risks among peers. Our goal is to make our students feel successful, understood, and appreciated for who they are.

Like so many of the wide and growing array of public educational menu options available here in Colorado, Westgate isn’t the right fit for everyone. But the new charter elementary school sure looks like it fills a niche to bring out the best in a certain group of students whose parents recognize this sort of need in their child and support ideas like the Schoolwide Enrichment Model and Responsive Classroom (PDF).

Another neat aspect of Westgate that may appeal to even more parents? The school “plans to offer half-day programming to a limited number of home schooled families with gifted students.” Clearly, it’s too late to enroll for the 2009-10 school year, but if you find Westgate to be an appealing educational option, look for opportunities in the months ahead to include your student in the admission lottery.

Other new schools featured:

• West Denver Prep II
• St. Vrain Community Montessori School
• Math and Science Leadership Academy (Denver)
• Cesar Chavez Academy Denver
• Jeffco’s 21st Century Virtual Academy
• Thomas MacLaren School (Colorado Springs)
• Montclair School of Academics and Enrichment (Denver)
• Atlas Preparatory Charter (Colorado Springs)
• Envision Leadership Prep (Denver)
• Animas High School (Durango)