My DS6 is in Spanish K. We had him privately tested in February and he qualifies for his district Gifted program, which is a separate class within a school, that doesn't start until 2nd grade. The Gifted program is in another school. We have spoken with his Principal who has candidly told us that none of the Spanish teachers would be able to differentiate for 1st grade and only one English teacher would be able to accommodate him. He suggested we move him in 1st to the school where the program is located.

We met with the Principal yesterday at the new school and loved it! He seems to understand gifted kids. We just wish they would allow him to skip 1st and go straight into the program. They are not receptive to skipping so we are trying to plan for differentiating. We left the meeting feeling positive about moving him and were finally relaxing about our decision when the HP District coordinator called me to say that they (both Principals, HP Teacher at current school and HP Distict Coordinator) will be having a meeting in 2 weeks to discuss our DS6 placement. She was unaware of our meeting with his current Principal and our decision to move him out of Spanish. She was still talking about how to keep him in Spanish for one more year. I am working on an email with everyone cc'd so I can lay out everything we have spoken about with each person independently so we are all on the same page. (Sorry to use that phrase!) We would rather move him now instead of moving him first to English and then again to another school for 2nd.

Should I feel stressed that they are having a meeting without us or is this normal? Should I feel optimistic that perhaps they are thinking of accelerating him to 2nd? Sometimes it feels like we are asking too much. Are we? We feel we have a super bright kid who loves to learn, but because he is so amiable and well liked at school he is perceived as being an average kid. The HP District Coordinator said she is bringing into the meeting his school's HP Teacher because she "knows him well." He just started a twice a week pull out a month ago and works with someone else in a project in the HP Teachers room. How well does she know him?? This is the same teacher who, when we brought in his WISC IV report said he wouldn't qualify for the district program because his FSIQ was lower and said the GAI didn't count. (The HP District Coordinator enlightened her on her mistake.)
Also, he tested at the end of 4th grade in WJ Achievement Broad Reading. At school, using the Fountas and Pennell he tested at 2nd grade. I sent a list of the books he has read and discussed with me to the Reading Specialist and District Coordinator. The Coordinator told me that the WJ assessments are usually on the higher range and she sort of blew off his scores. These are the same scores that partially qualify him for the district program. ????? She said the F and P are more accurate and they are making an exception and retesting him next week. Sometimes I feel like I am getting the attitude that we are parents who are exaggerating our kids skills. Am I just being overly sensitive? I don't want my kid in a program he can't handle. On the flip side, he has been completely bored this year, despite Spanish, in 1/2 day K. Any ideas if anyone has been in a similar situation would be helpful. I am new to this forum and just getting the hang of it and I am so thankful I found it!

Last edited by DrummerLiz; 06/07/14 10:36 PM.