As mentioned here before, we began a search for a new school on the advice of our psych. and the head of our children's supplemental school (it caters to gifted kids). DD9 is very unhappy with her public school. Supplemental school director recommended a certain private school so DH and I toured it over a week ago. At our 1st meeting, the principal claimed that students there work 2 years ahead of kids in public schools, stated it is a project based school (quarter long projects), and that all kids are at the 80th percentile or above, but she couldn’t state if any of the kids were at DD’s level because she didn’t have any children’s IQs. The school also offered a personalized learning plan that is updated quarterly with 3 goals – 2 learning goals and 1 life and career goal (social/emotional/organizational). The principal leaned toward whole grade acceleration as DD is single subject accelerated in math and AIG both LA and math (this week was put in AIG 5th grade math although she’s only in 4th grade so she is accelerated even more now?).
These are some of the other items principal mentioned:
-Students grouped for instruction in reading and math by “I Ready” computerized assessment
-SAT 10 given Top 3 last 10 years, generally in the 90th percentile
-STEM school/all about critical thinking
-8 field trips at least (per year? semester?) one is out of town
-each grade only one class, each class about 12 or so kids
Next step – DD9 spent a day there last week in the 4th grade. She didn’t hate it which was a big step. She loved technology. She felt that math was too easy – like 4th grade math. That concerned me as she’s already in 5th grade math in her school plus pre- algebra after school, and yet this school claims to do math 2 years ahead of public school. But, I am going by what a 9 year old says. So I am withholding judgment. DD says language arts is just like her school as well.
Today:
Principal tells us on advice of all the teachers they won’t accelerate DD because: worried about the developmental aspects of skipping, worried that because they are so rigorous that she won’t be able to make up the gaps in her knowledge, feel she’s a better fit with the 4th graders. Aren’t these all the arguments that have been discounted? Do I ignore the fact that my child found the work easy (although it was just one day)? Also, her pre – algebra teacher suggested she be grade skipped. And he’s the guy who suggested the school.
I have to admit I was rather surprised. And, how do we really determine this school is running 2 years ahead academically? We would be shelling out a lot of money to place our child here, and we need to know it really is the right fit. I look at the curriculum, and my head just swims. What should be our next step as parents? So far the other school parents I have talked to don’t have gifted kids like DD. This is really stressful. I have a call out to the psych. as well.
