Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Taking high school classes early

FWIW, our Scout den has been very flexible about den placement for kids who have been held back or skipped a grade, and for kids who have disabilities. They place them where they seem to belong and where (in consultation with the parents) everyone feels it will work best.

DeeDee

EJ will be signing up as a tiger cub this fall(if we get the grade skip we are asking for). He will be 5 at the start of the school year and in 1st grade. He will be 6 in November.

heeeeeee-- yep. Us too!

I did a little research on the Boy Scout/Cub Scout age/grade requirements this morning. What I found out is that these conditions do not have to be fulfilled simultaneously. In other words, in order to be a Tiger Cub, a boy must satisfy ONE of the following:

(age < 8yrs 0mos and grade > K)
-OR-
(grade = 1st)
-OR-
(7yrs 0mos <= age < 8yrs 0mos)

Similarly, for a boy to be a Cub Scout (i.e. Wolf or Bear) he must satisfy ONE of the following:

(1st < grade <= 3rd)
-OR-
(8yrs 0mos < age < 10yrs 0mos)

Webelos Scouts must satisfy ONE of the following:

(3rd < grade <= 5th)
-OR-
(10yrs 0mos <= age < 11yrs 6mos)

Boy Scouts must satisfy ONE of the following:

(5th < grade and 10yrs 0mos <= age < 18yrs 0mos)
-OR-
(11yrs 0mos <= age < 18yrs 0mos)
-OR-
(Has earned Arrow of Light and 10yrs 0mos <= age < 18yrs 0mos)

DS will have a temporary problem when he is a 9 yr old 6th grader for a couple of months (since he could not be a Webelos or a Boy Scout.) I think we'll just try not to bring it to anyone's attention.

I think they just look at the kid's present age and grade. So once he turns 8, there shouldn't be an issue. We were in the same position at the beginning of this school year (7yr old 4th grader, Bear Scout.) Nobody noticed.

Our daughters are in 4H also, and we had one of them start when she was 8...the wording (in OH) has since been changed so that now even if 3rd grade has been completed the child has to be 9.

All of these arbitrary rules are frustrating.

Also, because of a grade skip the same daughter is competing in high school track as a freshman. The average freshman around here is 15, so she's definitely at a disadvantage (she's 13).

There are so many things to weigh in these decisions! If she could take college classes and still play high school sports, that would be ideal.

We do Cub scouts (I"m a Wolf den leader).
Tiger cubs = first grade or age 7
Wolf = second grade or age 8
Bear = third grade or age 9
Webelos I = 4th grade or age 10
Webelos II = 5th grade or age 11
If you are homeschooled, it can be what grade your parent says you are in.
However, I would suggest going closely with your agemates. The activities can require physical dexterity (making involved art projects, for example), etc. and I think it is more fun if you are with kids near your age.
My son is very gifted, and we have at least one other HG boy in the den.