Don't have real advice to offer but have some of the same concerns, my DS4 (June bday) is due to start K next year and we can't find anything yet that seems like a great fit. The ones with experience providing for the academic needs of kids entering with advanced skills are filled with nice bright kids who seem to genuinely enjoy following someone else's directions. Then there is a nearby public K where the teachers are relaxed with regard to emotional readiness (say as long as he seems to understand the subject they don't care about each individual worksheet), but that one has no kids entering reading, some don't even know colors, it's an option where the teachers just have better things to do than pay attention to a kid having a meltdown. Then there's various private options most with long commutes, and preschools that go up to K.
We went to a pyschologist, he described DS as wilful with a strong fantasy life, very ahead academically, going to have a hard time in school no matter where or when he goes. Emotionally not ready for a setting like you describe (which most "good" public K classes are these days). An only, wants to follow his own interests too much for a really structured setting, melts down pretty easily. Poor writing skills, which I had thought were abnormally below average, but testing shows to be smack dab in the middle of average for his age (just out of synch with the rest of him).
Psychologist's opinion was to focus on his overall happiness, at least for the next year or two. Where will he be the most happy, not what looks on the surface to be appropriate.
Given that I am leaning towards keeping him where he is, a play based montessori style preschool that goes up to K (but they barely have books available, although they read advanced stuff to the kids). He's really happy there right now, but how about in 6 months? Of course we would have to commit before even finding out if he gets in to anywhere else, and before finding out if there would be more than one or two other kids his age.
Just in looking at our fairly limited school options here it seems like there's just no way to make something a great fit when the kid is so uneven, and we have to just choose some aspect to make right for this one year.
Polly
