Hi Everyone. I thought it would be useful to give a quick update on one thing I mentioned in my original email. I went to talk to the head of my daughter's school (the brick and mortar school for homeschoolers) and she was super understanding and helpful. She had a clear understanding of where my daughter is intellectually, seemed to know about her classes and performance/maturity, and immediately understood what I was there for. She looked at my daughter and said "you need to keep that brain working and busy."
So the gist is that:
a) DD can take classes above her age level that aren't marked "no exception"
b) DD can take classes above her age level marked "no exception" with special permission (and not all those classes ARE appropriate for a younger audience, so I completely understand this restriction)
c) When she is closer to 13, the director will offer a personal introduction to the early admission director at our local community college. She suggested that DD apply even before she turns 13 so that she can take a spring class that would start right around her birthday (she thought a lab science would be a nice first choice).
In addition she pointed us to EPGY as a source for online learning that she indicated offers more instructional support and online interaction and mentioned summer programs (which we are already looking into). Once the spring term catalog comes out, I can send a list of the classes DD is interested in picking up for the rest of the year (a nice chewy history class probably).
So I am hugely relieved and impressed. I mean, it's one thing to run a super flexible school, it's another to step outside the already very flexible guidelines to accommodate someone who needs it. Such a difference from the public schools!
I know they have age limits for a good reason that has to do with the parenting culture around these parts as much the kids themselves. My daughter has seen classes she was excited about get simplified (my daughter used the term "dumbed down" though I don't think that's fair) because there were more kids on the young end of the scale in the class.
So DD is happy about that (though she's still lonely -- which is a different problem to solve).
Again, if there's anyone in the PDX / Beaverton area who's interested in more detail on the school, PM me. Expect me to ask your children's ages though since I'm on the hunt for possible social connections. ;-)
