Michelle,
I agree with Val et al. We have had a lot of frustration with DD8's teachers this year but somewhat happily more the not-doing-stuff part than the snarky part (at least to our faces). We were also promised 'advanced' math in October and it didn't happen until January, when they finally arranged to have their *on-staff* math person work with DD. Far too little, far too late--although it did have the positive effect of motivating us to continue IMACS and to start EPGY outside of school, which I think is the best thing for now for our DD. School for next year is still up in the air, thanks in part to these same teachers, but at least DD has had some great teachers in the past so we know where the bar should be.
Best of luck in dealing with these losers.
And...sorry to keep going OT, but:
In our ongoing and ultimately fruitless crusade to get DD7 a grade skip, we brought in the district gifted coordinator, and she actually made the argument about breast development. Honestly, I should have won an award for not laughing in her face.
I have to say, I have not heard this argument against grade-skipping yet and don't understand it--is that idea that a particular individual might have too much development, or not enough, or either depending on the circumstances? My impression from my own time in school many years ago is that there is a lot of variation in said development between different individuals (both in timing and end results) so that I can't imagine anyone would believe this should be a reason for or against grade-skipping on its own. And even if this person thought it was true, does that mean that kids generally who are more or less developed than others should be grade-skipped (or held back, respectively)? Because that would seem to be what such a rule would mean. Very strange. Perhaps the coordinator was using this as shorthand for "there are developmental issues that affect social interaction that might make grade-skipping a bad idea," or maybe (assuming from your nickname that you are a man) she was trying to embarrass you into shutting up by mentioning your daughter's development--although I would hate to think that of anyone at any school.
