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    Joined: Jun 2008
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    RPM9 Offline OP
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    The mayor got rid of the BOE? Is that legal? I guess it is. Sheesh. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that.

    PTA and PTO groups are necessary, I suppose. I force myself to go to the meetings. We suffer through the "...is the school color royal blue or more of a navy blue" 30 minute discussions or they prattle on about which fund raiser candles smell best... sleep I sit and bide my time wishing they'd discuss something, oh, I don't know, EDUCATIONAL! But they fund my programs and I'm very happy for that.

    Do they have TaG or similar meetings in NYC? Those meetings are THE BEST! I love them. All District Admin is there as well as many of the BOE.

    Do you have Charter Schools near you?

    DS10 was nominated and accepted to go to the summer program at Claremont Prep School in NYC this year. Money is tight, not to mention the transportation logistics, so we had to pass on it. frown


    "Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve." -Roger Lewin
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    I don't know what happened to my post, but I did respond.

    Yes, the Bloomberg got rid of the BOE. Yes, there are Charter schools around, but they do not necessarily cater to the gifted. Sometimes, they cater to disabilties as there is more money there. In fact, some of the regular schools are creating CIT classes -- money for an extra teacher, but the emphasis is keeping the kids the same. If someone comes in reading chapter books, but by grade one, they will be in the same place. That was their answer, three times. I only asked twice, two different teachers. Another parent asked the principal since it seemed strange as this was the most popular schoo on the westside.

    Ren

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    RPM9 - It's wonderful you have such an open and inviting school!!! YEAH!!! I know a someone whom it took 3yrs to get into the school to run an engineering course. Even after all his positive volunteering, the school sees him as an exception and still keeps parents out of the school. Programs can only be run by teachers who must be paid extra salary to do so which costs money compared to parent volunteers.

    At my son's K-1 school, parents are not allowed on campus until after November. The last year my son was there, the Principal issued a mandate that siblings are not allowed in school for any reason. Her reason was that it spoils the lure of school for the siblings having become familiar with it already. The PTA had to ask to make the meetings an exception b/c if everyone had to get sitters to go to the PTA meetings, not many would show up. Not being able to bring a sibling keeps many parents out. I was nearly accosted by a teacher once b/c I was there for Parent PE day which is held in the gym and you enter the rear of the school so you don't walk down the halls. Well, DS's teacher asked me to take something to his classroom which is on the 1st floor, literally up the stairwell from the gym, and a teacher cornered me. I had to go flag down the teacher to say it was OK for me to be there. Now this is a well to do district - violence is NOT an issue - safety is not an issue - it's just one more way to make parents feel unwelcomed in the school. I mentioned running some science classes for the kids to the Principal and she rolled her eyes at me on the part about it being run by parents. GASP! OH NO not the parents!


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    I haven't read the other responses, but we get NOTHING like that and 40-50% of the kids at our school are tagged GT. I think because of this, they think all GT kids are the same and they don't need any special attention. I do agree, many MG kids do very well at our school. But more HG+ kids languish. My son hit the ceiling on their screener, but I've gotten nothing but acknowledgment of a poor fit from our teacher this year. I've actually seen teachers roll their eyes at the GT designation at school board meetings.

    I personally think that kind of attention and acknowledgement is amazing! Enjoy!

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    RPM9 Offline OP
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    We were told that the statistical average for children requiring an SLP [Student Learning Plan] was 1-2% and our District is right in that range, give or take.


    "Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve." -Roger Lewin
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    RPM9 Offline OP
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    [quote=master of none]Our district is pretty hostile to GT parents.

    That statement just made me really sad. My gosh, our TaG kids are giving =gifts= to the schools with perfect ELA, Math... scores. Our kids are collectively propping up our districts!

    I couldn't imagine being treated so poorly for just wanting to help! I hope things get better for you.

    After reading here I realize that I really have no right to complain about our District.



    "Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve." -Roger Lewin
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    It's all too common, I'm afraid. We have the same problem. In fact, our district is like Dazey's in that they're pretty much hostile to all parents, not just parents of GT kids, at least in terms of volunteering and being on school grounds. They want our money for the eternal fundraisers, but that's about it.

    Turning away volunteers is the thing that gets me. How can any school do that? Surely there's SOMETHING you can find for willing and able parents to do, especially in a distract claiming 40% GT with no GT program until 4th grade, like ours! (The same percentage as kimck's, strangely...) I find this anti-volunteer trend to be foolish and really, really disconcerting!


    Kriston
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    This is anymonous right? :S

    Speaking from a classroom teacher's personal point of view.... I don't see the gifted students in many public schools getting the type of learning I recieved when I was a student in school. I've heard the 40% -50% argument before, and there is some truth to students recieving a higher leveled instruction because most teachers aim for the class norm when planning. However, there is a lot more available assistence for students on the lower end of the bell curve (more small group, more materials, more instructional time, etc...) It seems as though the "gifted" students are left to fend for themselves at some schools.

    I went to a private school when I was a child and it was not unusual to find a 4th grader taking 10th grade geometry. I think when parents bring this type of possibility to the school, it falls onto the regular classroom teacher's responsibility and this teacher is more concerned about students failing state tests because it is on their teaching record. Schools are more concerned about failing students because they can loose funding.

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    RPM9 Offline OP
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    [quote=JustAMom]This is anymonous right? :S

    Speaking from a classroom teacher's personal point of view.... I don't see the gifted students in many public schools getting the type of learning I recieved when I was a student in school. I've heard the 40% -50% argument before,

    Does that mean that 40-50% of kids have an SLP or IEP? Wow, if that's the case.

    DS10 is the only, what they call, SNAP kid in his grade level of about 100 kids at school. SNAP = Student Needs Assessment Profile which then requires an SLP [Student Learning Plan]. His teacher last year outright refused to recognize his SLP. But we're beyond that now. I think everyone has their worst teacher. That was last year for us.


    "Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve." -Roger Lewin
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    RPM9 Offline OP
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    [quote=Kriston]It's all too common, I'm afraid. We have the same problem. In fact, our district is like Dazey's in that they're pretty much hostile to all parents, not just parents of GT kids, at least in terms of volunteering and being on school grounds. They want our money for the eternal fundraisers, but that's about it.

    Very, very sad. I just don't see how that could be productive for the school. Gather a group and start voting their budget down and see how things will turn to your favor. <evil grin>

    Our school's PTO is starting a Volunteer Committee. The goal is to get parents, and even relatives or friends of parents, who are talented or skilled in a certain area to do one or two shot clinics for the kids; sort of like an extended or enhanced career day [altho it would be in the evening]. We have chefs, geologists, photographers, historians... Most folks can't commit to run an 8 or 12 week program but many can offer up a couple of hours once or twice to share what they do and what they know.

    Thank goodness my school lets us do this sort of stuff.


    "Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve." -Roger Lewin
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