Saturn V - Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the admissions process for the 2021-2022 school year?
Parents and students complete an application online or a paper application and return it to the front office at their Hays CISD campus. Applications will be available in mid-January.
A selection committee will review applications, teacher recommendations, and student test scores from this school year, in addition to STAAR scores (if applicable from the year prior; 4th graders only).
Notifications regarding program acceptance will be sent in the spring semester via email.
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Will my child have to take a test to be in Saturn V?
No, in an effort to make the admissions process easier for families the admissions test was eliminated during the 2019-2020 school year.
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Where will my child attend Saturn V?
Saturn V is held on four elementary campuses for 4th and 5th graders in Hays CISD. The campuses are as follows: Carpenter Hill, Kyle, Pfluger and Tobias Elementary.
*Students will be assigned campuses based on geographic proximity to the student's home campus.
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Does it cost anything to be in the Saturn V program?
No, Saturn V is just a different way of learning using STEM as our central theme. We follow the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and the district's scope and sequence with TEKS Resource System.
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Does Saturn V - STEM happen during the school day or after school?
Saturn V is a full immersion STEM program that happens throughout the school day. It is a free program and students will still have their regular specials. They will play on the playground with students from other grade level classes.
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Is Saturn V only open to children currently enrolled in Hays CISD?
No, any upcoming 4th or 5th grader who resides in Hays CISD may apply for Saturn V. Our program has children who previously attended private or charter schools or were home schooled.
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My student is in Gifted and Talented (GT), will they still receive GT services?
Yes, GT students are cluster grouped in a GT trained teacher's classroom and receive differentiated instruction. All Saturn V teachers are GT trained and provide differentiated instruction.
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My child is not an avid reader, is it okay to still apply?
Absolutely! Although many Saturn V students would rather read than sleep, every student has different strengths and likes.
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How do I know if the program will be good for my child?
A place to start are these engineering websites:
- http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/
- http://www.discoverengineering.org/
- http://www.Alice.org
- http://www.childrensengineering.com/freeresources.htm
Talk to your child’s teacher and principal, and please feel free to contact us with any additional questions.
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Which of the Saturn V Program campuses will my child attend?
The Saturn V program provides the same curriculum, instruction, and engaging opportunities for all students on the four campuses: Carpenter Hill, Kyle, Pfluger and Tobias Elementary.
Students will be assigned campuses based on geographic proximity to home campuses.
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Is transportation provided if the student is accepted to a campus that is NOT their home campus?
No. Transportation is not provided by the district unless it is your home campus.
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Will my child's sibling be able to transfer if my student gets into Saturn V?
Sibling transfers are not guaranteed, please make sure that you fill out a transfer form for the sibling and contact the Hays CISD Office of Student Services for further information. Saturn V staff will handle the transfers of all Saturn V students.
*If your child plans to participate in Saturn V and you would like to submit a request for your other child(ren) to attend the Saturn V campus, please email your request to student.transfers@hayscisd.net by March 5, 2021. If the Saturn V campus your child will attend is already your zoned campus, you do not need to request a transfer for your other children.
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How will I register my child if the Saturn V campus they will attend is not his/her home campus?
The district will provide a list to the Hays CISD Office of Student Services of all the students who were accepted into the Saturn V program. You will still need to register your child online (or in person at the campus).
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What happens in middle and high school?
Students have the option to take STEM elective classes in middle school. These classes are offered to students in 6th - 8th grades. In 7th and 8th grades, students can take Gateway classes through Project Lead the Way, where students are introduced to different modules with an engineering and biomedical science focus. At the high school level, students can enroll in Project Lead the Way classes all four years, and have the STEM endorsement on their high school diploma. Just because a student is in Saturn V in elementary school it does not automatically mean that they will be in the middle school Gateway classes.
Feel free to contact us with any additional questions.