If you are skipping OUT of the class, I see no reason for you to say anything. Just tell the kids whose class she is skipping into. No need to involve parents--no good way to tell them and their kids will do that for you. My dd told the friends she was leaving--that way, she got to control the message going out.
If your dd knows the rising 6th graders, SHE should tell them. She's old enough to want to control the message, and let her say explain it however she wants to.
In my experience, telling one key player is all that's needed. It's such a big deal to kids that they will enjoy spreading the "secret". So you want to be sure the message is started with a reasonable person saying reasonable things (your dd to a trusted friend)
If there's an active parent group, you want to tell some adult that will get the word out to any curious minds in a way that satisfies them too. We messed up that one and got a phone call asking for volunteers. I realized afterward that this person volunteered to call in order to pepper me with questions. But, fortunately, it was a lady who likes to talk and it got turned around to me congratulating her on her fine choice in holding back her dd because yes, she is in the GT program and very popular.
I am not sure if there are any 7th grade girls in the neighborhood. I did tell one mom who has a 7th grade boy who sounds like a male version of my daughter (lol!) But she does not strike me AT ALL as someone who likes to gossip so I doubt she will say anything to anyone--but maybe her son will.
As far as her telling the girls--they have really recently been the opposite of friendly. Dd can be shy but I know she has tried and they are just not that receptive. And they seem to be very much into the popular culture and clothes and boys and dd just isn't, which motivates her even less to really extend herself. (I think when school starts she will find people she has stuff in common with in orchestra and theatre) So honestly it would be wierd for her walk up and share this. But there is swim team practice every day, a neighborhood adult social coming up and the parents are always standing around talking--I am sure people will talk about middle school and I want to be proactive and not act like it is something to hide.
Too funny about the lady with the popular kid.
