update on DS - 02/14/09 10:45 PM
I've delayed reporting it here because I know there is no way I will be able to log on often enough to be polite and respond to responses, but..
DS9 is now in DYS!
It's one bit of good news.
The bad news is that once again, we have not managed to get DS into a different school for next year. He is currently in a 4th grade class at the well-regarded neighborhood public elementary school, which we feel does not come close to meeting his needs. We decided to try for private, since we were unsuccessful last year in getting him transferred to a gifted public school. (School district changed its whole policy on gifted K-5 admissions, so that entrance to gifted program once a child is in 3rd grade or higher is nearly impossible. It's based on attrition, and empty seats go to the highest scorers on the state's NCLB exam. An HG+ child can't really distinguish him or herself on this "competency" exam. DS got high scores on these exams, but must have missed some questions because he didn't get a perfect score.)
Despite getting a 99th percentile overall on the private school entrance exam, (and 99.9 percentile on ERB subtests), he got rejected from one of the two private schools we applied to, and the other private merely told us that 5th grade for next year was not an entrance year and they would only consider him if there was attrition.
We knew the rejection was coming. At the parent interview for this school, about a month ago, the admissions director said both that DS would "have trouble keeping up" with the writing requirements by 6th grade (DS has an IEP because of handwriting trouble) AND that they would not be able to meet his needs because they only accelerate in math and foreign language, and only by one year. He then asked if DS had ADD, because DS got up and walked around the office during his interview, and he has never had anyone do that before. He suggested we apply to a local, incredibly expensive private school for kids with learning disabilities. I pointed out DS's high test scores on IQ, achievement and ERB, explained that I thought DS would thrive in the classrooms at this school with minimal adjustments, but to no avail. I tried to use all my persuasiveness at the time, but after I left, I just got really annoyed and told DS that I didn't think that this would be the right school for him.
We are in NYC, so I feel like he will have many, many options once he can apply to 6th grade and the selective public middle schools, I'm just bummed out that DS will likely spend another year not learning much in school and feeling bored.
bk
DS9 is now in DYS!
It's one bit of good news.
The bad news is that once again, we have not managed to get DS into a different school for next year. He is currently in a 4th grade class at the well-regarded neighborhood public elementary school, which we feel does not come close to meeting his needs. We decided to try for private, since we were unsuccessful last year in getting him transferred to a gifted public school. (School district changed its whole policy on gifted K-5 admissions, so that entrance to gifted program once a child is in 3rd grade or higher is nearly impossible. It's based on attrition, and empty seats go to the highest scorers on the state's NCLB exam. An HG+ child can't really distinguish him or herself on this "competency" exam. DS got high scores on these exams, but must have missed some questions because he didn't get a perfect score.)
Despite getting a 99th percentile overall on the private school entrance exam, (and 99.9 percentile on ERB subtests), he got rejected from one of the two private schools we applied to, and the other private merely told us that 5th grade for next year was not an entrance year and they would only consider him if there was attrition.
We knew the rejection was coming. At the parent interview for this school, about a month ago, the admissions director said both that DS would "have trouble keeping up" with the writing requirements by 6th grade (DS has an IEP because of handwriting trouble) AND that they would not be able to meet his needs because they only accelerate in math and foreign language, and only by one year. He then asked if DS had ADD, because DS got up and walked around the office during his interview, and he has never had anyone do that before. He suggested we apply to a local, incredibly expensive private school for kids with learning disabilities. I pointed out DS's high test scores on IQ, achievement and ERB, explained that I thought DS would thrive in the classrooms at this school with minimal adjustments, but to no avail. I tried to use all my persuasiveness at the time, but after I left, I just got really annoyed and told DS that I didn't think that this would be the right school for him.
We are in NYC, so I feel like he will have many, many options once he can apply to 6th grade and the selective public middle schools, I'm just bummed out that DS will likely spend another year not learning much in school and feeling bored.
bk