Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Cyber school options. Connections or K12?

My DS8 has been expressing interest & desire for homeschooling for over a year now. DH has been reluctant due to the socialization issue. However, I feel we can supplement that with classes (right now he's really into drama) and golf (he really wants to have private lessons but timing is difficult since he's in school til 3:45).
So we are finally at a place where we are seriously looking into it but wanted real life experiences to see which program is a better fit.
I'm not prepared to go a full homeschool route (where I plan everything) so I was hoping that a cyber school would be our best bet.
DS's reasons to homeschool are lack of peers in his age group. He has his best lunches & recesses when he's with the GT kids in higher grades. Complete & utter boredom. He spends most of his day waiting for his class to finish work. Prime example is that they did benchmark testing this week, he finished way ahead of the class and probably spent the better part of an hour reading. He wants to fill his down time with museums & nature hikes and not simply waiting for the class to catch up.
Our school while a wonderful magnet on paper with some wonderful teachers does absolutely no differentian for GT kids. The theory is to incorporate some lower level GT work into regular work. He doesn't like to talk about his day -- it's always followed by complaining about the noise and/or waiting.

So if you have made it this far, thank you. The two options I'm looking at are K12 and Connections Academy. Both seem to say acceleration is ok, that they work with GT but I know that most websites & brochures are written in the best light.

don't forget that now days, most homeschools have plenty of opportunities to meet other kids with like interests, clubs, things like that.

I would LOVE to take Mr B and Butter on a nature hike. That would be the PERFECT activity for them to share!

Ok seperately from that...we talked about how Connections uses the same cirriculum as our school (for other posters, we go to the same school) and I like that in case you decide to put him back in, especially for high school. What about K-12? How does their stuff line up?

I would also want to actually look over the material in person before you decide.

(grrr-had a reply all typed up & now it's gone!)
I have requested literature from both programs just waiting for them to show up. We also sent an email to his therapist with some questions and concerns. DH really needs her validation that this won't damage him socially. I don't have that concern.
Mr B doesn't want to go today. Mrs. H hit her limit yesterday with the same kids talking during lessons and took away last recess. Then it continued so she took away 1st & last recess today. His response to me "But Mom, we are kids we need to get rid of our excess energy so that they will focus!"

well, you could go over to the homeschooling section here and get some ammo for DH...

I think our children are being more damaged in their current environment

Ya think? When my kid talks about how it would be better if he was dead? That school is boring. That he feels like he doesn't learn anything. That he doesn't have any real friends. My heart breaks on a daily basis.

I've gotten both sets of information and we are going to try Connections Academy next year ( if the state has enough room as its limited here to 500 students per year in this state...grr). I found they had more club/activities for the younger students than K12 and gave us more information on the gifted services and how they deal with those types of placements but I do know a lot of people who use k12 and are happy with it.

My suggestion is that you search for homeschool groups in your area. You may be able to find it by googling homeschool group and the name of your area. Or, try http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/support.htm Also, look at yahoogroups as many are listed there.

If you subscribe to a few local homeschool lists you will have a much better idea what is available as far as co-ops, field trips, classes, etc. In many areas it would easily be possible to be out of the house at homeschool activities every single day. Having a plan for activities may help convince dh and the therapist.

Some families find they start with something like k-12 but then find it is similar to public school and lacking in the degree of flexibility their gifted kids need. At that point they are more confident in their abilities to take on homeschooling planning.

Thanks for the info. I'm leaning towards Connections and you are right I may find it too limiting but I want to get my kid out of this environment sooner than later so I figured going with an established cyber school would be the quickest route.
Yes, we are in CA and when I get to the computer I will definitely be doing those more intensive searches. As much as I love my iPhone doing detailed searches is a chore with the smaller screen.

we talk later via FB what we did with Butter today...we're so gone like last year's shoes! lol!

I can't wait!!! I even texted you --