We are in the process of making the rounds to different states to hit all the open houses of schools listed as Gifted.
We live in Northern California, and are looking at Washington State, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and are open to other schools within the Western Region. (If you have any experience or knowledge of any schools for the PG, please let me know)
Our DD is 4yr 9mo, and is EG/PG and completed Kindergarten in a Private Montessori back in May. She was also assessed by the K12 Private International Academy for grade placement back in Feb, and was found to be ready for Math at 1st grade second semester, and Reading/Language Arts at 3rd grade while she was only 4yrs 1 month old. We chose to enroll her in the iCademy at the begining of First grade in April. She is quickly coming to the end of her 1st grade curriculum (really with no challenges at all..and only working at it 3 days a week), and her iCadamy teachers are suggesting she skip 2nd grade altogether, since she has not faced any challenges so far, and after looking at the 2nd grade scope and sequence, it appears she will not find any challenge until the very end of 2nd grade.
Now, this homeschool/online/distance learning is great for her in that it allows her to learn at her own pace, however, I am reading more and more about how EG/PG kids thrive and "feel normal" when in classes and environments with other highly gifted students.
This is why we are seaching for a school for her to attend with intellectual peers. (btw- she is still supplementing her school with a 2 day a week visit to the local Private Montessori school in their 1st-3rd level class...she loves the kids, but is still not finding any intellectual peers)
After spending days calling around taking to admissions at numerous school touting the "gifted" tag, I am disheartened that I keep hearing that they would love to have our DD in their K class next September. I explain, that by next September, she will have most likely either be ready to go into 2nd, 3rd or possibly even 4th grade depending on whether we continue with her iCadamy school between now and then. Now, we are assuming that "gifted" schools may have an accelerated curriculum at each grade, and that she may actually be okay reapeating 1st grade, however, she is really excited about starting 2nd grade soon, and is comfortable with her intelligence and secure in her abilities, and I question how having her repeat a grade or two is better for her socially and emotionally. (since that is the line I am hearing from admissions people) She fits in fine with her 1st-3rd level classmates at her Montessori, and has no disrubtive behavior or social or learning disabilities.
Right now I see her only choices are homeschooling alone or being in a gifted classroom with intellectual peers and having to repeat one or more grades....well...that is my problem that I need help with.
Maybe a few more sets of eyes from other parents with gifted kids can help me look at this from another angle and or direct me to a new way of thinking.
Thanks for reading this long ramble.
Julie
