Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Regions Minnesota - suggest good 7-12gr. programs

I am an overwhelmed single parent of a gifted 12 year old boy trying to decide on what would be a good public/charter 7th grade (and on) choice for my son in the St.Paul/Minneapolis, MN metro region. My son speaks 3 languages, but his passion and talents lie in math and science.( 97%+) He is outgoing, very hands on, and I'm told has very strong spatial reasoning abilities. He was accepted at the Lighthouse Program in Spring Lake Park and Math and Science Academy in Woodbury. Both are good but have different teaching methods/environments. Is anyone familiar with these programs to give me an idea of what they see as the pros and cons of each and what kind of child does best in either? I'd be really grateful for any input.

Have you tried the MCGT yahoo group yet? I think you might find a bigger group of Minnesotans there. You have to be a member to join, but it's worth the $35 or thereabouts for the Outlook newsletter (including the summer programs issues) and other support. http://www.mcgt.net/email_group.html

We're out of the Twin Cities area a bit, and our DS is just 5, but otherwise I like the looks of the Lighthouse program for our HG+ kid (from what I've heard anyway about it's one-room school feel where kids go at their own pace). I don't know anything about the Woodbury program. What sort of personality does your DS have? Does it seem to fit better with the styles of teaching (e.g., I think Lighthouse is more project-based).

Good luck! And that's great news that you have this choice.

Have you joined the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented yet?

http://www.mcgt.net/index.html

http://www.mcgt.net/membership.html

This is a great kind of question to ask on the statewide email list of that group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MCGTdotnet/

I haven't visited the campus of either school, but I would expect the Math and Science Academy to have a more mathematically strong program.

Thanks St. Pauli girl and kmbunday. Will look into both of your suggestions and links! I really appreciate your input!

I believe they both are strong programs academically what little I know about each but very different in other significant ways- philosophy, teaching style/methods. What I was hoping to find firsthand was info about fit- i.e. the type of child that does or does not do well at either place based on anybody's personal experience. (I have been to schools that have great open houses and websites but when you visit during the day or speak to parents or children who have gone there, you get a totally different picture.) Since I need to decide before schoool starts, I don't have the benefit of tapping into those avenues-

I think middle school is such a pivotal time because you have to really consider developmental/ personality/individual learning preferences of each unique child or you lose them- at that point they have a history-either they have had good experiences at school or not so good ones- if you have a smart kid often its the latter. Since I am riding solo on this decision, I am afraid to make a poor choice ( again)- one that I regret. Its been a struggle- this gifted world is all new to me- had problems at his past schools as I am sure you all have had- did not know it was because my son is gifted until I had him tested and was told his needs have been overlooked.

Thanks for popping in, K!

Hi K,
My nephew attended the Woodbury Math and Science Academy. He had a very positive experience as did his parents. I am hoping to send my son there in several years. My nephew's personality is pretty laid back, eager to please. He really struggles in college as he says the Math and Science Academy was far more challenging than anything at college so far. HTH. Feel free to pm me. I am north of SP/MSP.

Lettmom:

I attended the lighthouse program for an equivalent to three school years, and ultimately I personally was unsatisfied with my experience there, and so I left before I started 9th grade. However I'd like to say this in a manner as not to discourage you from enrolling your son, as the lighthouse has its equal share of advantages as well as disadvantages.

From what I've seen, your son appears to be a very bright and intelligent kid who is very eager to learn, traits to which the Lighthouse was originally designed to cater towards. "Insatiable Learners" as the founder, Dr. Bill Keilty describes, are really the backbone of the program, without whom the program would not be the same. And thus the greatest advantage of all is the capacity to learn just about whatever one so desires, though lighthouse students still have to comply to state and federal standards in terms of Math, Reading et cetera.

I live in MN, and agree that MCGT is a good resource. Woodbury Math & Science is quite difficult to get into, the waiting lists are very long, so he was lucky to be accepted. One of my older daughter's friends transferred there from her private school at the end of middle school. I asked him about it, and he commented that he liked the course work A LOT, but he did say that there was a lot more drug use than at the school he had come from. I don't think it is an overwhelming problem there, but he did comment on it.

Another good option for high school in the St. Paul Public system is Central High School's IB program; we have friends whose gifted Ds have gone there and had great experiences. One went on to Harvard, and the other to Brown. However, the recommendations for the middle school feeders to it are not as strong (honestly, the black hole of middle school is a problem everywhere...).

Just a comment about the Lighthouse Program. I think it has changed significantly over the past few years going from a handful of students to now 75 plus and it is heading to around a 90 to a 100 this fall. Within that increase in enrollment, has been a large increase in the number of younger students that the program has accepted. There are now a number of students commuting to the Program from 20 to 30 miles away each day.

Lighthouse Program isnt for everyone, I think a lot of parents first off find the structure difficult to get their heads around. As for example, the students dont start with a stated set of goals each year. So, if you are used to seeing homework packets, reading lists, spelling tests... It just isnt visible at the Lighthouse Program. That being written, it is an academic program and there are high expectations of the students. For example, the students that are taking HS classes are expected to get As.

The program is also getting much more active in competitions and won for example one state championship in one competiton this year as well as had runners up in others. Next year, I think there will be much more focus on competitions. And the nice thing about competitions, is that they are built into the school day, not after school activities.

As the program has grown so much over the past few years, there has been a recent big change in the way the program resources and supports itself. Hopefully as these changes get implemented, it will significantly help students at the Lighthouse Program to flourish.

I really do think it is a great program and with the hot bumper ticket price of free, makes it very attractive option in the TC area!