Hi all - I've been poking around this site for a few weeks, but this is my first post. I hope its OK to just jump in.
My son turned 5 two weeks ago. We've always known that he is very bright, but did not realize the full extent of his intellectual ability until recently. He's also displayed some signs that he might have ADD/ADHD (difficulty listening, easy to distract, wiggly, etc), and some sensory issues, particularly pertaining to loud or sudden noises, and an extremely limited diet.
A few weeks back, a meeting request from his preschool teacher and center director prompted us to seek a school for gifted children. Obviously, we were quite late to the game, as many of the schools had ceased applications in February. We had an assessment done, and his WPPSI-IV came back with an IQ of 137 indicated (I can elaborate if it's helpful). The psychologist who administered the test (recommended from the Hoagie's list,) noted his attention-seeking behavior and tendency to roam off-topic. A reading test given by his preschool came back with him reading at a second or third grade level (level 16), but difficult to pin down exactly because he would again go off-topic or insist on not giving a synopsis of the story in favor of making a story up on his own. I'm very confident that he comprehended the story, but whatever's in his head prevented him from staying on-task.
The school we applied to constantly assured us that they were fully capable of addressing his "intensity," going as far as promising me that we had found the right place and they'd help us every step of the way. I was very transparent about the concerns we had with regard to his behavior, some of which are tied to boredom, but much of it is again what I suspect to be ADD or a similar disorder. Regrettably, his behavior at the one hour long classroom visit ended up being extremely impulsive (he hid in a closet, and during gym activity, he pushed a girl who stopped short in front of him), so the school declined to admit him. (I do not excuse his behavior, but I do feel like they sort of invited it by literally snatching him away from me and pushing him into the classroom. He was expected to join in circle time and then in gym class.) Obviously, we were upset about losing this opportunity for him, and are feeling very much at a loss as to how we help him be successful for next school year, without being branded as a troublemaker.
Because it's so late in the school year, and because my husband and I both work full-time, our options for other private/gifted schools are essentially nonexistent. We have decided to proceed with public school, and in an effort to try to create an environment that will mitigate any problems for and from my son, my husband and I scheduled an appointment with the principal. I've reached out to the local Children's Hospital for a developmental assessment and to discuss the concerns with ADD or other neurological disorders. We also have our son working weekly with a psychologist who is helping his self-esteem, self-regulation, and impulsivity.
I just feel really overwhelmed. I'm scared that in a public school, the teacher won't see this amazingly smart, sweet, joyful child... she'll see a kid who is out of his seat again, talking over her, getting distracted from his work, allowing his frustration to lead to an epic tantrum, and possibly disrupting the classroom.
Really long posting short, I guess I need suggestions how to move forward. Some of the things I'm wondering are:
1. What should I be certain to discuss with the principal now to plan for next fall?
2. Are there activities that we can focus on over the next 4 months to help prepare him for kindergarten? (He's in pre-k now, but obviously regular kindergarten requires more focus).
3. In anticipation of the developmental assessment with the Children's Hospital: Any ideas what we should expect? Is medicating a 5 year old typical, or is the standard still to wait until 6-7 years of age?
4. Will one year of a potentially poor/negative school experience be really detrimental to him in the long term? We will have him tested for GT/HGT in the fall for the following (16/17) school year - and potentially, based on the result of that, we could push to have him moved to advanced kindergarten halfway through the year (but at this point, I am not banking on that)
And bonus question 5: Has anyone in Denver been successful in getting DPS to permit a GT/Advanced Kindergarten test outside of their normal testing period?
