Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums THINKING BIG About Gifted Education Reviews/Opinions/Input on Mirman School?

That's exactly what a friend of mine asked when I told her I was looking into a preschool program that meets 3 days a week, 3 hours a day; their tuition was $9000 a year and they are on a traditional school calendar. I replied, "No, but at that price point, it doesn't make a lot of difference either way."

Above, someone protested that the families at these schools are not so affluent. I was wondering how many kids at these schools qualify for free lunch.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp/national-school-lunch-program

The affluent comment obviously hit a nerve. Affluence is relative and to most people I know being able to find $25,000 a year while still being able to provide the basics of life equals affluence. Even the reasonably well off people I know would be seriously stretched to manage that though they could probably manage it for one child if they really really wanted too.

I think what hit a nerve was the term "profoundly affluent," which looks to me like it was just a rhetorical device. Let's move on.

I would love to see a school for the gifted in NYC costing 25,000 - here all non-religious privates (and some of those too) are in the 40,000 range!

DeHe

i thought speyer cost 30K

34,000 and going up steadily each year now that they are filling. But they do offer that nice 2000 sibling discount!!! Lol! But they will be or are in their new building so that will likely add cost.

DeHe

Luckily in my city there are aren't enough people who could afford that kind of money to justify opening such a school. The two private schools I know of are a Steiner primary at $6000 a year and a prep school for years 7/8, I know a lot of not very affluent people who manage the latter simply because it is short term even though it is expensive by our standards.

And yes profoundly affluent was probably rough but I think it came under poetic license. It sounds like an excellent school for the population it serves - and who could ask for more?

Guys, to be clear, it is completely ok to be profoundly affluent (I wish I was, really:)), it is just not the general fact for the Mirman population. Someone asked if some of these kids would qualify for free lunch - no, most likely not - these are highly educated, professional families - they either buy lunch at the school for kids or send lunch bags!

The concern was more with the combination of profoundly affluent with moderately gifted - it practically suggests ok rich kids, incorrect impression for Mirman which would misguide someone considering the school. The school by its charter and practice is focused on highly gifted, not moderately gifted or exceptionally or profoundly gifted. The school's name includes highly gifted in it, so it is range bound in HIGHLY gifted range - WPPSI III range of 138-145.

Again, these titles don't mean much for real life success - not all Mirman kids are leaders of the world or business community and not all leaders were classified as gifted. No one school will determine a child's future, it is up to that child and his/her family.

Thanks for all the input, everyone. Secured, how awesome that we have a current parent respond to this chain! Thank you. You provided great insight. So far, everything I have ever read online about Mirman at this point is consistent with all you have described here.

We were invited to apply online into the Mirman program after the psychologist submitted DS's WPPSI-III results. Tomorrow night is the once-a-year open house informational night and my husband and I are looking forward to attending it to learn more about the school. I also ran into a kid wearing a Mirman shirt at DS's Robotics class the other day. I approached the kid's dad and explained that I would love to chat with a parent about the school as we are seriously considering it. He gave his name and number and mentioned that they have been there 1 year and are very happy with the school and his son, he says, loves it. I plan on calling him after the open house and before I submit our application.

I will post as we progress. If anyone else has any input, please keep them coming! Much appreciated.