Bright Beginnings

BRIGHT BEGINNINGS

Deer Valley’s Bright Beginnings program provides hands-on learning opportunities for our early childhood learners in grades Pre-K, K-2.

Deer Valley's Gifted Pre-K Academy at Las Brisas provides an enriched academic foundation for gifted and talented learners. Gifted Pre-K Academy serves as a foundation for nurturing the development of our youngest scholars who require advanced learning opportunities. The Gifted Pre-K Academy environment is structured to provide a personalized approach to learning within socially appropriate contexts. Instruction is hands-on to promote discovery learning and FUN!

Kindergarten:

Bright Beginnings Kindergarten is available at Canyon Springs, Highland Lakes and Las Brisas. Qualifying students are placed in a Bright Beginnings Kindergarten classroom with children of similar abilities. Students participating in Bright Beginnings are taught by a gifted endorsed teacher. During their time in Bright Beginnings Kindergarten, students work and learn at a pace commensurate with their advanced abilities. Instruction is project and problem-based to support critical and creative thinking within an inquiry learning environment.

1st Grade:

Bright Beginnings 1st Grade is available at Canyon Springs and Las Brisas. The primary age experience within the Bright Beginnings classroom is enriched to ensure growth and development. Primary age students explore enriched and advanced content. Students benefit from a thematic approach to learning, fostering depth and complexity across each of the core content areas. Students participating in Bright Beginnings class are taught by a gifted endorsed teacher.

2nd Grade:

Bright Beginnings 2nd Grade is offered at Las Brisas. Students participating in Las Brisas' K-2 Bright Beginnings Program automatically progress to the next grade throughout their K-2 academic journey. At the end of 2nd grade, students will be re-assessed to determine future gifted programming options for third grade and above. The programming options may include Gifted Cluster, SAGE, Walk-Up Math or Renaissance placements.

Kindergarten
Grades 1-2

Kindergarten

Deer Valley Gifted Services is pleased to continue to offer our full-day, self-contained Bright Beginnings Kindergarten programs for the 2025-26 school year. Bright Beginnings Kindergarten is offered at Canyon Springs STEM Academy, Highland Lakes School, and Las Brisas. Bright Beginnings Kindergarten is taught by an experienced, Highly Qualified, and Gifted Endorsed teacher. The program builds from all of our standard Deer Valley curriculum as well as supplemental gifted and advanced materials to provide an enriched learning environment for students. Content areas of emphasis include: STEM (Canyon Springs), Music (Highland Lakes), and Global Studies (Las Brisas). In Bright Beginnings, individualized approaches to instruction are the norm, ALL within a smaller than average class size.

NOTE: The Bright Beginnings Kindergarten Program is designed for children who are identified as gifted or demonstrate gifted potential according to a state-approved gifted assessment (ARS 15-779). Although not part of the Renaissance Highly Gifted Academies, the Bright Beginnings Kindergarten program provides an excellent starting point for future placement within one of our many DVUSD Gifted Programs.

Entry Criteria:

Be age 5 by August 31st
Students must test at or above the 90% percentile on a state-approved gifted identification test.

Approval Process:

If your child has gifted test scores on a state-approved test at or above the 90% percentile:

Email your gifted test scores to Giftedservices@dvusd.org
Complete the online application
Gifted Services will review the online application and gifted testing documents
If Gifted Services approves placement, our office will:
- Contact the school to share placement (Canyon Springs, Highland Lakes, or Las Brisas)
- Provide families with a confirmation letter
Once approved, parents should register at the school.

Register at the School:

Register at any of our schools www.dvusd.org/registration
Use the results letter to verify gifted placement.
Bright Beginnings Kindergarten will place the first 20 qualified students. Students are placed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Grades 1-2

Students who score at the 90^th percentile in any of the three content areas (Verbal, Quantitative, Nonverbal), are eligible for placement into this program (ARS 15-779). Bright Beginnings is offered at Canyon Springs (Grade 1) and Las Brisas (Grades 1 and 2).

Bright Beginnings (1-2) provides hands-on learning opportunities for our early childhood learners. Qualifying students are placed in a classroom with children of similar abilities and with a gifted endorsed teacher. During their time in Bright Beginnings, students are immersed in a literacy-rich classroom, engage in inquiry-based learning, and are exposed to world languages. Bright Beginnings students in grades 1-2 participate in unique STEAM enrichment classes and explore unique themes related to being a global learner -- all within a smaller than average class size.

AT LAS BRISAS ELEMENTARY...

Students who qualify for a Bright Beginnings Program at Las Brisas are eligible to remain in the program throughout K-2 grades. At the end of 2nd grade, students will be re-assessed on a state-approved gifted assessment to determine future eligibility for one of our premier Deer Valley Gifted Programs. Program possibilities may include the Renaissance Highly Gifted & Global Studies Academy, Gifted Cluster, SAGE ELA, SPARK Enrichment, Walk-Up Math, and more!

NOTE: The Bright Beginnings (1-2) is designed for children who are identified as gifted or demonstrate gifted potential according to a state-approved gifted assessment (ARS 15-779). Although not part of the Renaissance Highly Gifted Academies, the Bright Beginnings Kindergarten program provides an excellent starting point for future placement within one of our many DVUSD Gifted Programs.

Entry Criteria

Be age 6 by August 31st
Students must test at or above the 90% percentile on a state-approved gifted identification test.

Approval Process:

If your child has gifted test scores on a state-approved test at or above the 90% percentile:

Email your gifted test scores to Giftedservices@dvusd.org
Complete the online application
Gifted Services will review the online application and gifted testing documents
If Gifted Services approves placement, our office will:
- contact the school to share placement (Canyon Springs or Las Brisas)
- provide families with a confirmation letter
Once approved, parents should register at the school.

Register at the School:

Register at any of our schools www.dvusd.org/registration
Use the results letter to verify gifted placement.
Bright Beginnings 1-2 will place the first 20 qualified students. Students are placed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

APPLY FOR K-2 BRIGHT BEGINNINGS

Click below to complete our online application!

PROGRAM TOURS