Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Recommended Resources Move to Denver - public schools or Montessori?

We are moving to Denver from Kansas City hopefully in the summer. I have 2 DSs a 7 year old that has been tested and identified as gifted, my second son is just 4 and though very bright I have not seen the same type of GT signs I noticed with my oldest at this age and younger.

I was hoping that someone here has had experience with the school districts we are looking into. It seems the districts are all so different on how they handle the GT and it is making it hard for us to pick the area we think would be a good fit for both our sons. Currently we are looking at Cherry Creek, Jefferson County and Littleton 6 school districts.

Cherry Creek has a charter school for GT. I assume it will be difficult for us to get into our first year since we will have missed the deadlines to register and you can't register if you are not living in COL yet. I would rather limit the amount of change the kids go though. I don�t want to move them to one school to then again move them again the following year. Within the Cherry creek non charter schools they target GT students individually to meet their needs. I am still trying to figure out what that means.

Jefferson County has a handful of schools that are all day 5 days a week GT centers. In theory this would be awesome but you have to qualify and submit paperwork by a deadline. Again we don't live there yet so I don't think we can submit our paper work. If he does not get into that program they would gear his school work to his needs by anything from giving him challenging work in classroom, moving him up by subject, or moving him up to a different grade.

In littleton 16% of the student population is identified as GT. Littleton does not have a charter or specialized school but will gear his school work to his needs by anything from giving him challenging work in classroom, moving him up by subject, or moving him up to a different grade.

There is also a Montessori academy that we are looking into. Until Kindergarten we had DS#1 in Montessori but he wanted to attend public and made the teachers and peers miserable until it was not a positive experience. We then moved him to public where his friends were. My youngest is still in Montessori and DS#1 attends a Montessori camp in the summer. Now DS#1 says he wishes he would have stayed in Montessori. Because of some of his personality traits I worry that Montessori might be a great fits in some areas that he might just do what he needs to do just to slide by.

I feel like I am floundering with unknowns, I wish they could tell us based on his scores this is how we would approach your sons schooling, but I don't feel as if they will do that until we are in their district. Then what if they don't handle it correctly?

We are coming from a district with a pull out program where the kids go to GT center 1 day a week. Though I love the one day that he is in the GT center I feel as if his needs are not being met the remaining 4 days. So I really want to make this move a good fit for both kids. I am not sure what the solution is, I struggle with the thought of moving him up grades. He is very sensitive, emotional (highs and lows), a sensory seeker and a perfectionist. Moving him up could be good for him though, but I still worry.

This has become a long ramble to just find out if there is anyone whom has experience with any of these districts and their GT programs. I would also like to hear thoughts on Montessori and GT. Please share your successes and struggles.
TIA - Aunalise

Auna,

I don't have any relevant experience with these schools to share, but fwiw, have you tried asking ahead of your move? I am guessing that you might not be able to apply to the gifted schools... but I am also guessing that the school district staff might be willing to talk to you and give you some input that would be helpful in making your decision.

Re Montessori for gifted students - we've been in Montessori schools. The thing with Montessori (and really can be said of most any school) is - they are not all the same, not all teachers are the same, and not all students are motivated in the same way or enjoy the same type of learning environment. I don't think there's really any good way to know ahead of time without talking to parents who's children have attended the school, talking to the school staff, taking a school tour, and going with your gut feeling.

Good luck!

polarbear

I could not agree with this more. We have been in Montessori schools from the beginning and have had both awful and wonderful teachers (even at the same school!). Good luck!

I agree with the others--not all Montessori schools are created equal.

That said, assuming that you find a good one, they can be pretty good for gifted students, and the Montessori elementary in our area is the default school for the gifted (as the public schools don't believe in gifted). My son went there for first grade (after a good experience in a different Montessori school), and we found that it was not a good fit for 2E kids. Some kids, even gifted kids, need explicit instruction.

So I guess my point is that Montessori can be great if the school is one of the good ones and if the kid is a match for the Montessori "way."

I have to be short right now due to limited time but wanted to suggest a few other people to ask. I am one of the gifted youth coordinators for Denver Mensa but I don't live in Denver. You might want to try sending an email to the other Denver Mensa GYC, though as she has kids in school in that area and might have some knowledge of the schools you are considering.

Her email link is on this page. http://www.denver.us.mensa.org/gifted.php

If you're on Facebook, also consider joining the young Mensans page to ask the other parents there. I'll approve your request to join .

One other thought in regard to the Littleton schools with the large number of GT ided kids. We have that in some of my local schools too. Most of the kids with GT ids are not HG. CO considers achievement in the 95th percentile in any one subject coupled with any one of the following to be gifted: teacher recommendation, parent recommendation, behavioral characteristics, a 95th percentile score on one part of the CogAT, high grades, and maybe some other possibilities that I am forgetting right now. We've had to do a lot more than just the GT classes to make a reasonable fit for our HG kids.

Auna,

I live in Denver proper and have to GT kids, one in Denver Public Schools, but a magnet (Denver School of the Arts) and one in Jefferson County.

First, Colorado is a choice state, which means you can chose any school for your child. The choice process looks something like this: the accepts neighborhood kids, as defined by the school's attendance boundary, then kids within the school district, then kids from out of district. That is not great comfort, I understand, but you could get lucky before you move.

Next, in JeffCo, my daughter attends a Waldorf-based charter school. My daughter reads at a 7th grade level, is doing math at a 6th grade level, and writes really really well. She is in 4th grade, and the school does a great job of supporting her, although they do not have a "GT" program per se.

The school my daughter attends is called Mountain Phoenix. Their program starts at 3 years old and runs through 8th grade.

Also, the Colorado Association for the Gifted and Talented (http://www.coloradogifted.org/) could be a big help for you. Check it out.

All of that said, stay away for Denver Public Schools. The GT magnates are being informally dismantled. The district only cares about tests. Denver School of the Arts and Denver School for International Studies are good, but otherwise, just say no!

Hi Auna,

I happen to know the principal at the Cherry Creek High School (as my child went there) and I would be glad to contact him personally and put you in contact with him for questions. You can call me at 303-856-8980.

I am also sensitive to this topic as I was a GT student growing up and I happen to know real estate in both areas in case you have any questions (as I am also a realtor here). I will be glad to assist you in finding out and workong within whatever restrictions the schools may require for finding a home for you in the appropriate area.

Let me know if I can assist you further with either task.

Ethan Besser
303-856-8980

The denver area has a lot of resources for gifted education. The gifted development center does testing and has lists of schools that do gifted education in denver.

We have looked at lots of schools in denver. In my opinion, the Logan School is the best gifted school in the metro area. Its a private school, and it requires siblings to meet testing to get in.

Cherry creek is consistently one of the top school districts, dont know much about gifted there.

You have missed the deadlines to apply for many metro schools so your first year might not get your kids where you want them in the end.

Good luck

sent you a PM -- blinking envelope on top.

I would agree completely with the recommendation for the Logan School for Creative Learning; it's fantastic. They individualize for each and every student and the project based, experiential learning is great. They require IQ testing with a full report and accept students at age four for kindergarten.

Within Denver Public Schools, there is a magnet school called Ebert at Polaris for gifted students that offers full time services. DPS also offers several full time classrooms for gifted students that are housed throughout the district at neighborhood schools. The teachers in these programs are trained in gifted education and are attentive to affective needs of gifted learners. Denver also offers advanced kindergarten program. Although it is not a gifted program, per say, we found that many of the students later tested gifted and continued on to gifted programming. While no program is perfect, at least there are full time options in DPS. Depending on your DS, he may still need various forms of acceleration to meet his needs. IMO, it is better than pull-out because kids are grouped with their peers for the entire length of the school day. For your younger son, there are early entrance policies in Littleton, Cherry Creek and Denver schools for kindergarten and first grade.

I would highly recommend calling the Principal at the Challenge School in Cherry Creek to find out about transfer students and the deadline. I would also contact the GT representative in Littleton to discuss your son.

I live in the area and am familiar with many of the various programs and resources. Feel free to PM me if you would like to chat.