Hi Cathy A,
Young Scholar's Program is terrific in that they do give you a phone or email ally called a Family Consultant who offers resource to you and the school. They have lots of ideas and experience about what has worked with other public schools. Another benifit is that they maintain email lists of other parents of similar children, so if you have hesitations about grade skipping, or subject acceleration, or "content daughters" you can ask a question and get about 35 different perspectives at a time. They also have a team of specialists that can help with various issues, such as perfectionism, disipline, ADHD, etc. through e-seminars and private phone calls. All in all, I would say it's been a big help for my family ---- even though the "intercesion" with the public school, which helped a lot, but didn't in the end, seem like enough. We did switch to a private school, got the grade skip, and DS10 is having his best year ever - emotionally, behaviorally and intellectually as well!
Here's a q for you, dear -
If you could keep him at the private school, would they send him to first grade next year? Would they send him to 2nd for reading and math if there were no first graders to be in groups with him?
I do reccomend testing DD as well. You have no idea the number of "I told you sos" I get to give parents of girls who eventually get their "not as gifted appearing" girls tested. If I had a dollar for each one, well, paying for private school would still be a pain, but maybe he'd have a shiny new laptop. ((wink))
Best Wishes,
Trinity
