Would like say how glad I am to have stumbled upon this website, and to extend my hi's and hello's to other parents out there in the same situation.
My son and I live in Las Vegas, NV, and this gifted tyke will be entering first grade this September 2006. I'd like some thoughts on how to best approach his school for a 1st grade "plan of attack", so to speak, to best help nurture his academic growth.
Before he started formal schooling, all the signs where there of giftedness, as we parents, can know. This would be an awfully long post if I were to recount each amazing piece.
To fast forward, my son entered Kindergarten last August 2005 in a public school, and he was given a reading comprehension test by his teacher sometime December 2005, and he scored above Grade 6 level (his teacher said the test only went up to grade 6, but that he was probably well beyond this level). Since this point of testing, he's had the school's GATE specialist & Literacy specialist come to see him. The GATE specialist even contacted the Nevada's Board of Education Highly Gifted Program people, and they in turn, contacted me to ask premission for a pre-screening of my son.
I never really got to speak with the Highly Gifted Program people from Nevada's school board, but only spoke with my son's teacher who first said that they were going to proceed with full testing. However, a few days later, she said that they decided to wait until he was in 1st grade to test him. After reading posts here, I realize this is probably because they can only administer the test every few years to a child.
Now that my son is entering 1st grade, I was wondering what my plan of attack would be for my son. GATE classes really don't start till 3rd grade, and as a single mother, I cannot afford private school education (although I'm exploring scholarship options). Although my son was bored to death with Kindergaten's carpet times, I kept him at Kinder level and didn't really pursue things much back then because I wanted to give him time to socially adjust to school with his peers.
However, now that he'll be in 1st grade come September, I wanted to meet with his school officials beforehand to see what sort of programs they had available for a Kindergartener with above grade 6 level reading, and how they can meet his needs.
Any thoughts or suggestions from other parents out there? Thanks in advance.
