Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Stanford Binet V?

Hi, I'm new to the forum so I apologize if I'm posting a redundant topic.

My son is 5 and highly advanced academically. His kindergarten teacher has taught for 30+ years, K-5, including gifted children, and has made kindergarten her permanent grade and has received her masters in early childhood. She has assessed my child with the most advanced materials available to her and he has surpassed all of it. For example, they stopped with his reading/comprehension assessment at a level that equates to the end of 3rd grade. She says she has no doubt he can go beyond it, but she and the literacy coach just stopped there. Similar testing has been conducted for math skills as well, with the same results. They have modified his curriculum somewhat but his teacher says the modified coursework is "a waste of his time."
In all of her 30+ years experience, she says she has never seen a child this age able to accomplish and comprehend what my son can.

So my son will soon undergo a series of tests for early acceleration, starting with the Stanford-Binet V. I met with the school committee yesterday and am concerned that the school psychologist does not have much experience with highly advanced children. Also, when I read about the SB test, I find that the results may not be completely reliable. I thought this assessment would answer many questions for us, but before we even begin, it's already creating more.

Other tests in the series include the Woodcock Johnson tests of achievement, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and some other adaptive behavior tests that appear to be a collaborative system between the school and parents.

I guess I'm just interested in hearing about others' experiences with this type of assessment and if your results were helpful in determining the type of schooling your children need.

A red flag for me is when I expressed my desire to learn whether or not my child is an alternative learner, or special needs child, and I hoped these tests would give us that information, the psychologist could not understand what I was asking. Basically I want to know if the public education system is fine for him, or whether we need to explore other schooling options. They are very pro- keeping children within their age groups but I refuse to stifle my child's natural abilities.

Anyway, sorry to be so long-winded. I knew we would have this to face when he entered school but I had hoped this assessment would lead us in the right direction. Now I'm wondering if we're even giving the right assessment.

Thank you for reading and any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

AMDStreit,

My son was tested using the SB-5 recently. As I have posted earlier, his score was lower than the SB-4 score that he received four years earlier. This is apparently typical for both the new WISC-IV and the SB-5.

Our tester informed us that the gifted group norm average for the SB-5 was 123.7 and according to another parent on a seminar with the Davidson Institute, the gifted group norm average for the WISC-IV was also 123.something. The requirement to participate in the gifted norm group for the SB-5 was a previous I.Q. test with a minimum (emphasize MINIMUM according to his psychologist tester) full scale of 130. I assume it was also a requirement for the WISC gifted norm group.

According to another parent participant of the seminar, these tests were adjusted to counter the Flynn Effect. At the very least, your child may score lower than he would if he had taken one of the earlier tests. Be sure that your tester is aware of this probability.

P.S. if a teacher says (admits) that your child is the most advanced they have seen in 30+ years, you will need to find an alternate school than the lock step one he currently attends.

Good luck and welcome.

I think that you've just been given a lot of information regarding what type of educational placement your child needs. ((He had better have access to more than 3rd grade material, for a start. Got any places like that local to you? Were you planning to move anyway?)) Let us know if you want advice on liking what you are hearing. It isn't easy.


These are the tests you want to have. They may help you apply to the young scholar's program. They won't tell you much in the hands of the inexperienced tester, but if money is an issue, you may want to start with what the school offers. It's worth at least as much as you paid for it. Should you expect to get good info outside of the top 6 places in the US for the "wildly" gifted? No, that isn't going to happen. But for most of us, we couldn't quite tell that we needed to spend the money and time to travel to one of the top 6 places right away. If you have the money and the eyes-openness to recognise that you want answers and you want them now, then don't bother with the school and get back to us with some hints so we can advise you were those top places are.

Some of our young ones loved the testing experience. For other children it was draining or uncomfortable. This figures into the equation. For my son, DS10, taking the WICS IV at school was the highlight of the academic year last year. Yeah, we made some changes.




It sounds like you can "stomach" going straight to one of the Meccas. If not, let the school do the best they can. If you want advice about where to go, give us hints of where is doable geographically, and about you child. ((Are there hints of "other exceptionalities?"))

BTW - What have you read? Which experts "speak" to you? Have you read Deb Ruf's Losing our Minds, Gived children left behind? A Nation Decieved? The Spirited Child?

Warm Welcomes -
Trinity

Hi and welcome!
My 5 year old was tested using the SB-5, Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, out of level testing (they used the Comprehensive Test Program from ERB) and then scales for behavior and ADHD. We found the comprehensive testing very helpful, each assessment contributing to our overall understanding of our son's cognitive and behavioral strengths/weaknesses.

The psychologist who tested him using the SB-5 specialized in assessing gifted children. She said she could use either the SB-5 or the WPPSI on him, but I asked for the SB-5 because after he topped out on about 6 subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement, I was concerned he might do the same on the WPPSI (since it is designed for up to 6 years old). He did score lower than I had thought he would on the SB-5, but the psychologist felt that the verbal subtests "became too difficult too quickly" and that his verbal abilities were not as well developed since he had never attended formal school, just daycare. But the scores definitely reflected giftedness and she did a great job interpreting for us, stating that looking at the full scale IQ was not an accurate representation of his abilities.

The out of level testing helped, too. He took a test designed for second semester high achieving first graders, two years above his educational level at the time. I think that his performance on this test is what made the school agree to let him skip kindergarten. And the ADHD scales ruled out ADD/ADHD so that has helped to fend off complaints/concerns regarding his phsycial activity level and sometimes impulsive seeming behaviors!

Hope all that info helps you. I think it sound like they are doing a comprehensive assessment. Hope it answers some questions for you.
Again, welcome!

Thank you all for your thoughts! I'm embarrassed to admit I have not yet read any of the books Trinity mentioned...I have done a lot of web reading. Unfortunately, money is an issue so we're starting with the school district's resources. I feel sure we'll need to follow this up with an assessment by a professional experienced in working with gifted children, but for now this is our starting point.

I would LOVE a list of the Top 6, Trinity! I have identified a psychologist in Kentucky who specializes in child giftedness and we spoke briefly. I liked him and thought maybe we'd take our son to him (we're in South Carolina), but it would make much more sense to know for sure we're contacting the right professionals.

I have been wanting to read Genius Denied...I think I'll stop by the bookstore this morning and pick that up, along with one or some of the others recommended here.

Thank you all again. They are starting with the SB-V right after the holidays. The school psychologist told us point blank that her experience is with children who are behind academically so I just hope that her inexperience doesn't distort the test results...I realize these things are often only as reliable as the administrator/interpreter. It would be a shame to make decisions based on scores that are not an accurate reflection of his abilities. I guess we'll see in 3 weeks or so!

On another note, my son gets along GREATLY with his classmates. At home he seems to relate to the older children in the neighborhood better but at school he does great with his age peers. His teacher told me she thinks it's because he is highly adaptable but she recognizes that even on a social level, his social peers are likely a few years older.

Welcome AMD!

I read your post with great interest as I also have a 5 year old (she'll be 6 in January). We managed to do early entry to K, at age 4, so she is in first grade this year. Like you, we do not have the financial resources to choose private school at this time. We had to switch schools early in the year (within our same district) but luckily we now have a wonderful teacher who is doing the best she can to work with DD5 and keep her challenged.

Your post jumped out at me because of your son's teacher saying she'd never seen a child like him. Just before Christmas break, DD5's teacher told me the same thing. She said "I've had a few highly advanced children in my class before... but I've never seen a child like your daughter." It's hard to know how to feel about a statement like that!

As for your questions, I think you're wise to pursue testing through the school system but also seek outside resources. If you have any reservations about the results/interpretation of the school's testing, you can always do independent testing as a means of comparison.

You're very lucky to already have a K teacher who recognizes your son's giftedness and a school district that seems willing to provide accomodations. If possible, try to "hand-pick" your son's teacher for next year and talk to her ahead of time to be sure she understands the situation and will be supportive of what your son needs. Don't hesitate to ask exactly how she will accommodate your son so he will actually learn something new and not have a wasted year.

Best of luck to you, and keep posting so we know what happens!

GG

AMDStreit,
I wonder if it's
Edward R. Amend, Psy.D, Amend Psychological Services, Lexington (SB L-M)
phone: (859) 269-6465, e-mail dramend@amendpsych.com

You've spoken to in Kentucky. He's lead a Davidson Young Scholar online seminar and I was Very, Very impressed. I'm wondering how the testing will go, as the holidays are upon us. If you get into the YSProgram, you many be able to have the test results reinterpreted over the phone. That feature has been Amazingly helpful for my family.

Smiles,
Trinity

Trinity, yes! I had a conversation with Edward Amend. I contacted him via e-mail and he followed up with a phone call. At that point I was looking to have my son assessed during the holiday season (that just passed...hope everyone had a great one!) but now that the school is doing it I thought I'd wait for those results. But I was impressed with Edward Amend's credentials and couldn't find anyone in my state that I thought as much of....so if/when it comes down to it, it's very good to know he is reputable as well!

GG...thanks for your reply. Yes, upon hearing things like that from my son's teacher all I can do is get teary eyed...then tear into action. hehe. She has taught kindergarten through 5th grade and has taught gifted children so it really kind of knocked the wind out of me when she said that. Good luck with your daughter too...gosh, this is hard isn't it? I'm so glad I found this place!!....Which, by the way, I found because someone sent me a link after watching a Larry King special on gifted children one night. Unfortunately I missed the program.

Wow AMDStreit,
That's so reassuring. Good for you! I hope the school testing yeilds meaningful results. Even if your child tests in a way that doesn't get you into Davidson Young Scholars Program, he will still need lots and lots of educational individuation, so it's good that you have someone local to rely on.
I hope your son enjoys the testing process - mine always did!
Smiles,
Trin

Wow! He liked the testing process!!! Both Rite and Mite HATE HATE HATE being tested. Both psychologists noted extreme test anxiety and performance anxiety and perfectionism.

UGH!!!

I want to have the SBV done on both of them but at this point I'm having to be comfortable with knowing they are both highly to exceptionally gifted, without the numbers to prove it. chuckle.

WG,
I wish I could dontate DS10's numbers to Mite.
Does is work that way? ((wink))
Trin

I wonder why some kids hate testing and other kids love it? Do you think it has to do mostly with perfectionism and fear of failure?

DD6 still talks about how much she liked taking the Woodc*ck-Johnson reading mastery test last year, which took about 6 hours overall but was broken up into 3 sessions. She was 5 yrs, 5 mos. at the time, and even during the test when she was getting tired, she wanted to keep going. It was amusing... the tester had told her that she could stop at any time, so after awhile she'd say, "I think I want to stop now, after this page." Tester would say, "Okay, that's fine." Then DD would finish the page, peek at the next page and say, "Well, maybe just one more page." And keep doing that for five or six more pages, until finally the tester said she thought they should stop for the day.

Many times since then, DD has asked when she can go back and take more tests! Part of it, perhaps, is that she really loved the tester and had such a great rapport with her.

I think the extrovert thing is a big part of it. My son just soaks up Adult attention! Also processing speed helps - LOL

Mite's and introvert and Rite's an extrovert. Both like interacting with NICE adults, though. I'm not sure the district folks are always "nice".

I think the processing speed is a big big big issues. Both boys noted to their evaluators that the "hate timed tests", "hate being timed" and such. Rite completed all the matrices and those little block thingys on the WISC IV and Mite completed most of them, but both were outside the time limit when they did. So, processing speed really affected performance on those parts of the test. Mite's PSI was in the 6th%ile. Rite's was in the 68th%ile; so not as severe.

The funny thing is the school district's evaluators don't see that not only does the processing speed affect the PRI scores, but it probably had a profound impact on the VCI scores...especially when further impacted by slow working memory. They don't get it. Rite's ed pscyho even said that Rite answered one of the comprehension questions very thoroughly and profoundly AFTER he'd completed several other tasks. So, in other words, he continued processing THAT question while working on all the other stuff and long after the appropriate time to answer that question. She said she had to give him a "1" because of his immediate answer, but his ponderings later would have given him a higher score.

Still, she felt the test acurately measured his intelligence.

He still scored hi as did Mite, but only in the verbal sections.

The district contends they "have good vocabulary" but are just bright, not gifted, because their scores "average out".

UGH!!!

ok ok ok breath breath pant pant....oooohhhhhhmmmmmmm!!!!

:^)

Aaaaccchhhh.....I'm so nervous! He's being tested today. I have no idea what time...he may be testing right now! I didn't prep him for this. He didn't even know it was going to happen. But it's not something that would make him nervous either...the psychologist pulling him out of class, I mean. I can't imagine the testing would bother him either as he generally LOVES tests! The only time he has said he loves anything at school is when his teacher tested him a couple of months ago. Anyway...I'm so excited about this and I just had to express it somewhere. I hope the results are right on, whatever they are. I don't care if he scores average as long as it's an accurate reflection.

Oh, I should have mentioned today is the SB-V. She said it would only take about 45 minutes? Does that sound right? Of course, there are a variety of tests to follow if he scores a 124 or higher.

Good Luck AMDSreit,
45 minutes - LOL!
good luck, I have been in your shoes, and Yes - do go for as vigerous a walk as you can manage, rearrange the furntiure, take a hot bath, pray, try to help someone else, or whatever you do to relieve stress. Remember - but the time he gets home, he'll be soaking up your emotions like a sponge.
Best Wishes,
Trinity

132 is the full scale number. She hasn't broken it down for me yet. She said last week she had never tested one that scored in the 130s or 140s. In fact she didn't even tell me the number when she first called. She just said he definitely qualified for the next round of testing (the Woodcock Johnson tests, I think). I asked her three times for the score before she gave it to me. Wonder what that was all about? And I wonder if it's an accurate number? Like I said...I don't care if it's 90 as long as it's accurate!

Anyhoo, thanks Trinity for the good thoughts!

Woodcock Johnson today. She called and said at first she thought we had somehow gotten our hands on a copy and had our son memorize it. Can you believe that? That being said, he was scored against students who are at the end of first grade and he did not reach the 95th percentile cutoff for all areas. He was 85% for handwriting and 92% for math calculations. For reading and comprehension he was off the charts (she said she was floored and the test didn't measure up to what his true ability is). She rambled off some other areas where he did meet the 95th percentile (against the first graders) and said when all the testing is done she'll give me a complete comprehensive report.

Then she told me she is pregnant and asked me what I ate when I was pregnant with my son. LOL! I said bacon and lemons. Way too funny.

So, I must say I'm surprised he didn't score higher. I'm okay that he didn't, but I just expected him to. However, my understanding is that these tests were on academics and if he hasn't been exposed to something yet, I guess he wouldn't know it.

Do any of these tests tell us how quickly he could learn it? That's a big thing with me....if he can learn something in five minutes and never forget it, will the test show that or will he have to go through 9 months of schooling because he hadn't yet seen it when he took the Woodcock Johnson tests?

I'm rambling again.... She has already spoken with the principal and with the director of elementary education for the district and she said she expects them to recommend advancing him.

Next is the social stuff. I filled out a questionnaire today and she will interview me next week. Then she meets with his teacher and she somehow comes up with an adaptive behavior score. Then we have to meet with a first grade teacher and THEN the process should be over.

Exhausting.

AMD, your son is still in K, yes? If so, it's likely that he has not been exposed yet to some of the things on the test and therefore would score a bit lower.

Take Math--if the calculations used unfamiliar symbols he would be at a disadvantage. For example, when my DD6 started working on higher grade level math, there were symbols she didn't know--such as greater than, less than--because she'd never seen those before. But when we explained what they meant, she could easily solve the problems.

I doubt if any of the tests he's taking right now will show his ability to learn quickly and retain that information forever. Definitely a good question to ask the tester.

He's really doing great so far--and you too! :-) Keep us posted!

GG

AMD,
132 on the SBV is good news! He should qualify for your districts gifted program and/or a grade skip. I am currently participating in an on-line seminar through the Davidson Institute where the guest expert (I don�t know if I�m allowed to mention the name) stated that in most cases, the earlier the grade skip, the better. The expert also advised not to assume (as most schools do) that one skip is always enough. Often, additional subject or full grade acceleration is needed again (best before high school).

Good luck in pursuing accommodations.

Okay, yikes. We have two more people who just say they are dumbfounded. This of course makes me proud of my boy, but at the same time I'm a little troubled. The psychologist said she has assessed many children for early advancement but has never seen any child with the reasoning skills Duncan has. She talked to her mother about him. Her mother teaches first grade (not at the same school) and has taught gifted children. She said she has never seen a child so globally advanced...usually they are really strong in one or two areas but according to the psychologist, Duncan is at the top of all areas in which he was tested.

My concern is the same as it was before all this...is grade advancement really the answer? I'm thinking sending him to first grade now may be a step in the right direction, but unfortunately I don't think I can relax with that. This pains me, it really does. I just don't know how it is possible not to stifle this child in some way, however minute.

I guess this will sink in by the time I get the report next week and hopefully I'll be able to make some good decisions when the time comes!

Thanks for listening.

I am in the same boat with you! But we already advocated for and got early first grade placement (I responded earlier in this thread about the testing we had done). There was a point at the beginning of the year where everyone said that it was a "perfect placement" and that he was "right where he needs to be." That seemed true for the first two months, maybe.

I hate to tell you this, but we are now at the point where DS is complaining that he hates school because everything is too easy!!!! We are now working on getting another meeting set up to discuss the math curriculum that he is bored with (he was doing this math about 1 and 1/2 years ago!) and how to give him reading material that he is excited about (he complains about having to read "preschool books with silly stories and easy words). Yikes, is right!

Someone on another board advised me last summer that one grade skip is usually NOT enough when a child shows a need for such acceleration so early on. And he was right. It is clear to me now that DS will need something very different from the public education he is getting. We just don't know what.

When I asked the school psychologist last summer about her experience working with kids like DS she said to us, "Honestly? I've never seen a child his age with scores this high." Yikes. And now the principal says to me "We are trying to cover all our bases here and do the right thing for him. This is totally new territory for us here at Lincoln Grade school." Yikes, again!

When I started reading boards I thought that my son was perhaps bright, gifted but not "out there gifted," you know what I mean? Because at 5 years old he wasn't showing so many of the signs that go with those higher levels of giftedness. But now, he is showing increased emotional intensity (like crying at TV shows), making statements about school that are way beyond his years ("Mom, I hate learning math with worksheets. I lke to learn math in activities. And why do I have to practice what I already know?" "Mom, isn't science wonderful!!!" "I LOVE doing hard math! How many days until my Saturday class again?!"), identifying that he is different from the other kids in his class and showing all the signs of some pretty asynchronous development. And he is now saying he hates school and asking me not to make him do that "Easy, kindergarten math" anymore.

I'm sorry that I don't have any answers for you, but I thought that sharing my story and our place in this roller coaster ride might make you feel not so alone! You've got a great little guy there! Best of luck - I'll keep you posted if you'll do the same!

Debbie, thank you for sharing. Yes, please do keep me posted. I was faced with (or should I say slapped with! hehe) the realization last week that there truly is no one in daily life that I can talk to about this! (Trinity had mentioned this before.) Even my mom, and if you can't talk to grandma then who can you talk to???...but even my mom doesn't get it and it sounded as though at one point she thought I was actually saying none of the educators at my son's school are smart enough to teach him. Then there was my husband who has not done one iota of research trying to put his foot down and say NO we are not advancing him to first grade at this point...that we're going to do what's best for the child, not for me. I ask you, as someone who is experiencing this, is this what's best for US as moms? Good grief, the easiest thing for me to do would be to ignore it and just pretend it's not happening.

But I digress....it's just difficult on all levels but still I know it is NOT in my son's best interest to drop this. That would be robbery and even his teacher says that.

I'm at the same place you are in realizing public school most likely is not the thing. We will most likely end up having to move over this. And I hate that because we are in an incredible school district which I think will be perfect for my daughter. But my state has no gifted schools, no charter schools, and the private schools are not geared to the gifted...they are either designed for the wealthy or the religious. Of course, they may be better equipped to design a custom program but if they don't specialize then it's kind of the same thing.

So I'm at a loss!

Thanks again for sharing and please keep us updated!

Martie

Martie,
I do have some suggestions for the DH thing.

One - leave the two of them alone together for a whole weekend about every 4-6 weeks. After about a year, DH will start moving in your direction.

Two - put your foot down, also, right on top of his, preferable while wearing some serious shoes, and insist that DH either do the legwork on the grade skip or leave the driving to you. Tell him to "be a man, not a baby" about it if nescessary.

Three - arrange for a series of Daddy chaproned playdates with some nice normal agemates.

Four - if your husband know how to play chess, or is willing to learn, suggest that DH teach DS how to play, and that they attend some age-based chess matches. This could backfire, but might be fun anyway.

Five - Learn how to pitch your voice low and utter short commands. Use when nescessary. Develop matching body language.

Marriage is a partnership - and also a power struggle, sorry. I believe that one of the differences between smart and gifted is the integrity to follow your observations to their logical conclusion no matter how unpleasent they may be. I've never seen anyone write about this, but lets face it - being smart isn't in and of itself an interpersonal problem - but consistiently sticking to one's guns is.

Best Wishes,
Trinity

Great ideas, Trinity! Oh, but DH absolutely realizes "this"....he's just listening to people talk about how it can be detrimental to grade skip. Of course, the people he's listening to never skipped grades so they speak not from experience!

Funny...DH and DS already play Chess. In fact, DH says DS is the only person he has to think to beat these days (out of 4 teen nephews, me, and DS).

I did pretty much say that he cannot make an educated decision about this so he'll have to either educate himself or leave it up to me. I've invited him to share in my research but so far he hasn't, so....

Martie:
I'm curious as to why your DH is so adamant about NOT accelerating. Especially at this early age. I have to say that at first my husband and I were worried about it, but the more we got to know our sons abilities and level the more convinced we were that he had to be accelerated if he was going to attend the public school.

We do not regret having accelerated him. He is socially doing fine (as far as we know). He would have been absolutely miserable in kindergarten. Our only issue now is that the skip wasn't enough!

Has your husband read A Nation Deceived or Genius Denied? That was how my husband came around, after seeing the information presented there. I'm not saying that acceleration is the answer for your son, it is not right for every child. But there are times when it just makes sense.

My husband's father and brother were both gifted. His father tested in the 'very superior' group and I'm not sure about his brother. Neither skipped grades. Neither is living his dream life either. My BIL was in the gifted program at his school and he loved it and he was thriving but the mother pulled him out because she thought he received too much homework. So this is what my husband bases his objections on. Doesn't make sense, does it? How can he draw on detrimental experiences of people who never actually even experienced it?

Truth be told, my guess is he's a little freaked out by it all and just wants to be sure we don't push DS into something. LIke he's concerned about high school...says if he's too young none of the girls will date him (ummm, if he's too young HE won't be dating!) and that he'll be last in his class to develop...like go through puberty and stuff. I told him if we ever get to the point where the difference is that great (like if we ended up doing more skips) that he would not be in public school, but in a school where he is not different...meaning a school for the gifted, of course.

And no, he has not read anything. The only thing he knows is what I and DS's teacher tell him. I've tried to get him to read up but he hasn't. But I'll bet if I bought some of these books and had them here he might.

I can certainly understand his concerns. You can get a copy of both volumes of A Nation Deceived (the summary and the research reports) for free at this website:
http://nationdeceived.org/

We also used the Iowa Acceleration Manual as a tool for looking at all the assessment data objectively to see just whether our son was a good candidate to succeed with a grade skip or not. It was very helpful. You can pick up a manual from Amazon for about $20. Ask your library to get you a copy of Genius Denied. Good Luck!

I agree with Debbie. A nation deceived is free, even in hard copy, and if you leave it in the bathroom and remove all the TV Guides, well...

A Nation Decieved is also good to help him process his own experience a bit...

Iowa Acceleration Manual is very good for people with what is traditionally classified as masculine strengths - numbers and research and problem solving.

There is also the approach of reading these books while DH and DS play chess, and interrupting his game with, "Oh honey, listen to this cute story...(insert paragraph here).... Can you imagine that?"

Best wishes,
Trin

Thanks again for all your support. I did download A Nation Deceived and both DH and I read it. We made the decision to advance DS, and he will begin first grade on Monday. I am so excited for him and his new teacher is also gifted and did early advancement when she was in school as well. Our gifted program here doesn't start until 3rd grade but this first grade class is the one with "those" students. And on top of that, the class is further broken down in subgroups according to what level they are own. DS will immediately be placed with the top readers, currently a group of three.

I got the complete assessment reports yesterday and WOW is all I can say. His fluid reasoning score on the SB was 144. That was the highest of all the subscores but again, WOW.

Also, my absence around here isn't because I don't appreciate all the good advice et al, that I have received. I will try to help offer the same once I catch up on all the new threads! I have a dear friend who has fallen ill...plus my computer crashed (using DH's now)...so that's why the disappearing act.

Take care everyone, and thanks again for everything! Wish us luck in the first grade!

Yea! I'm happy for you and most of all for your son! Having a son at the same point, I really relate! Here's hoping all goes well and he makes lots of new friends and feels really great being there!

I'm happy for you too! Please keep us posted when you can... it's always nice to hear the success stories.