Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School City vs Suburb for Gifted Kindergartner

I am trying to find the right educational fit for my 5yr old son. He's been identified as 2E: 145 GAI with sensory processing issues. He struggled in 2 preschools (anxiety, defiance, hating school, behavior issues) until we found one that was a good fit. We've learned along the way the classroom environment is hugely important for his success.

That brings me to the question of kindergarten. He just missed the cutoff for K this year which means next year he will be one of the oldest kids, probably the fastest learner and definitely the tallest kid in the class (he's already 49"). The two options I am considering is a selective enrollment public school for gifted in Chicago (assuming he gets in) and a public school in a very good district (Barrington, IL). Barrington has a traditional mix of abilities but it does have a gifted program starting in 2 or 3. The selective enrollment schools made up of all high achieving kids and typically accelerates the kids by 2-3 years.

Barrington is a beautiful suburb with large yards, forest preserves and the calmness of country life. Kids can run around the neighborhood. Chicago is vibrant with lots to do but we would be living in an apartment or maybe a very small house with no yard. He wouldn't be able to run around the neighborhood without me.

Thoughts from anyone who's been here before me?????

Any thoughts are appreciated

rioja, I haven't lived in your area, but fwiw, here are a few things I'd consider:

It's *really* difficult at 5, kindergarten entry age, to know for certain what your child's needs will be 2-3-more years down the road. I've found this to be true for both my 2e and my non-2e kids. When you're choosing schools, if you aren't making a physical move for your household, I'd recommend choosing what's best for now. If you're looking at moving I'd suggest several things:

1) First and foremost (jmo), I'd not make a move only for a school. You might move and find that the school, once your child is enrolled and actually attending, is not the same school you thought it would be. This can be true even for schools that get rave reviews from parents who have similar kids - there are just never any guarantees that any school will be the best fit for your child. Schools can also change as administrators and teachers leave. If the school is a public school, programs such as gifted can take hits from budget cuts. So if you're moving for a chance at better educational opportunities, look for an area where you'll have *choice*, rather than moving to get into one specific school.

2) Don't discount the "extras" that come with living in an area that *you* love and that has opportunities outside of school for your family. If you are a city person, you'll enjoy living in the city. If you're not really a city person, the demands of the city may start to wear on you, and that in turn takes away from the joy of life. While we, as parents, want to give our children the best education possible, one large part of education is giving our children a great *life* experience growing up, having us as parents able to share our passions, interests, values, and to have fun as a family.

So I'd consider those things first... but that's just me

Best wishes,

polarbear

It's a myth that kids run around the burbs on their own more than in the city these days. Unless it's a very very small town, and I don't think anything that is a suburb of Chicago is a small town. I did live in the burbs of Chicago through 2nd grade, and in the 70's we walked to school by ourselves (in K) and played outside without parents. I know of a family that lives just outside Chicago and they still walk their 3rd grader everywhere. I'm not sure kids running around town happens ANYWHERE in the U.S. anymore. (Certainly not where I live & it's supposed to be suburban.) In the suburbs things are farther away and there is usually not as good public transport turning parents into taxi drivers until the kids old enough to drive. There are pro's & con's to the suburbs and the city. I'm just saying don't put on rose colored glasses thinking the burbs are the best place for growing up.

As to where is the best for the kid to go to school. Hard to say until you are in the situation and as polarbear also mentioned. If you are in the city now you can try that and see if it works. I assume you won't know for a while if he even gets into the gifted school. It's fine to decide that isn't working for your family and move in a few years. Don't move just for the school district.

Good Luck.

I totally agree with not moving just for the school district, because so much is dependent on the people who work there, their flexibility, and whether the district talks a good game but doesn't back it up. That said, I do wish we had more than the basic pull-out and differentiation, there are no GT classes or schools to even try to get into in our whole metro, including multiple suburbs, and with our kids' scores, they would be automatically in for those larger cities that offer the tiered entry, and I think they'd like having more gifted peers.