Advanced Learning in Grades 6-8

We offer Advanced Math in 6th, 7th and 8th grades, and we also offer High School Math 1 in 8th grade.
The Advanced Math classes in 6th grade and in 7th grade follow a compacted curriculum, which means the standard curriculum for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade are taught within those first two years to prepare students for Math 1 in 8th grade. Students who are not quite ready for Math 1 in 8th grade can still take Advanced Math in 8th grade to continue practicing the 8th grade math curriculum with greater opportunities for extension.
All students identified as Academically Gifted in Math have the opportunity to take these Advanced Math classes. These advanced courses are also available to any other student who meets the qualifying criteria: Click here to see the 2023-2024 LCS Criteria for Advanced Math and ELA classes.
All Advanced Math teachers have earned their AIG Local Certificate, or they are enrolled in the course to do so.

We offer Advanced English Language Arts (ELA) in 6th, 7th and 8th grades, and we also offer High School English I in 8th grade.
The Advanced ELA classes in 6th, 7th and 8th grades follow a compacted curriculum, where students move more quickly through the grade-level curriculum to have more time for advanced reading and writing projects.
All students identified as Academically Gifted in Reading have the opportunity to take these Advanced Math classes. These advanced courses are also available to any other student who meets the qualifying criteria: Click here to see the 2023-2024 LCS Criteria for Advanced Math and ELA classes.
All Advanced ELA teachers have earned their AIG Local Certificate, or they are enrolled in the course to do so.

Arts Education: Visual Arts, Band, and Orchestra are offered at each middle school. Vocal Music is also offered at West Lee Middle School. Through a partnership with Artist Year, several schools may have additional arts club opportunities, such as photography, creative writing, theater, or others.
STEM: The CTE Department offers a STEM elective class at each middle school. Additional CTE elective offerings may vary school-to-school.
World Languages: Exploratory Spanish is offered to students at all three middle schools. Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, 8th grade students may earn a high school Spanish I credit.
AVID: Participation in Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) is offered at all middle schools and one middle school is a National AVID Demonstration School. Schoolwide AVID strategies aligned with WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading) to guide instruction are in place at all middle schools. AIG personnel collaborate with AVID to include gifted students.

The North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) offers online courses specifically for middle school students as well as a selection of high school courses which middle school students may be eligible to take.

Each middle school has a wide variety of extracurricular opportunities!
The AIG and Advanced Learning department supports the following clubs at each middle school:
- Battle of the Books
- Science Olympiad
- Chess Club
Check out our extracurricular opportunities page to learn more!

Beginning in 2023, the new Periscope program includes a one-week summer enrichment camp and three-day trip to Washington, D.C.
Periscope is open to 7th and 8th grade students during the summer before their 8th and 9th grade years.
Check out the Kaleidoscope and Periscope page for more information!

It is a program goal to offer an “exploratory” elective class (interest-based, critical and analytical thinking, problem-solving) designed for motivated, advanced learners. This class may be based on the International Baccalaureate (IB) principles of learning.
An AIG program goal is to bring gifted students together periodically to discuss relevant topics, share information/opportunities, and provide social and emotional support.