Hi everyone!

I know I'm not super active on the board, but I'm still trying to feel my way around. I hope I'm posting this in the right place...

My DS5 is in Kinder now in private school because he doesn't meet the age requirement for Kinder in public school (misses it by 3 months). We aren't happy with their current private school and have applied to another private school, but won't hear until the beginning of April if (1) they're accepted, and (2) if they're going to make him repeat Kinder b/c of the age requirement. He is gifted and is way advanced of his peers already.

So I went ahead and put their names in the "lottery" for a Charter School in town. They both got a spot in the school. Of course, being overbearing Mom, I'm still hesitant (I don't know why, no real reason).

What do you guys think of what they say on the website? Some part of me says it'll be a good opportunity for him (and my DD7), but part of me is hoping it's not a "special ed" school.
Alice King Community School

Have you visited the school? See if you can and get a sense of their day. Look at work examples and bring some things that represent what your son can do and see what they say about it.

My son did a charter that seemed to have a similar philosophy, kidnergarten was not a good fit at all. I found that applied to the other grades but kindergarten was very basic and that the individualization philosophy wasn't applied as well as I hoped, although I had it better than some others I know. Talk to a first grade teacher, go over the school day. We are reenrolling at the same school, which I was certain we would not do, after a very successful meeting with the first grade teacher. In retrospect I think our problem was a bad teacher fit, not a school fit.

I think it's special ed. I looked at the faculty listing and there are a lot of special education degrees, some other teaching degrees, no evidence of subject matter mastery.

It sounds like a great school, but maybe not what you had in mind.

I agree you should visit.

I'm going to visit tomorrow afternoon. We just found out they got their lottery spot the Friday before Spring Break. So this week is the first week back. I'm hoping it's not geared to Special Ed in the fact that it's for lower learners. I'm hoping that since gifted is also considered Special Ed, it's contained in the program too...

A school designed for special needs kids might not be a bad fit for gifties. They're going to have a lot more flexibility and more individual attention. The kids will have more diverse needs. No one is going to be the odd man out, since everyone will be different. Of course, it all depends on the specifics of the school.

We actually tried to get DD into a (mostly) special needs daycare once upon a time, but I guess a lot of other people had the same idea.

Dottie, thanks for the information. A friend of a friend works there, so I'll see what information I can get from her as well.

The one thing I really like (for my son, in particular), is that they aren't "age restricted" like most schools. So *maybe* it could be better for him.

It'll be very interesting though, for the tour tomorrow. I'm excited.

how did the tour go?

It went well. It doesn't seem like it's super "special ed" and the lady said that the teachers just so happen to have those certifications. I do like the multi-age classes, especially since DS is already a year ahead of his peers. So going to a K/1 class next year will be good - 1st grade curriculum with kids his own age (Kinder). She also mentioned that the teachers basically have each child on their own "pace", so they don't have a chance to get bored or stagnant.

I wasn't "wow-ed", but I haven't been "wow-ed" by a school since we went to tour their daycare/pre-school.

The kids both liked it, said they're excited to go to school there. I'll have to see what my husband thought about the tour.

I like the idea of 4 day weeks. You could do a lot of family road trips,enrichment activities on that kind of schedule.

I'd like four day weeks too but only if the days weren't super long.

I like combined classes, espdcially for bright kids. DS is moving into one next year. Kindergarten has been horrible, I so wish he had been combined with first grade.

Well, the Husband likes it and we've pretty much decided that's where we're going to put them next year. I still haven't heard from the other private school if they've been accepted or anything else.

I am getting excited about the idea of the 4-day week. I have decided that I'll either ask my boss to work 4/10s or just take a pay cut and work 4 days a week. I think it'll be fun!

As for the hours, here's the schedule: K-G1 - 8:45am-3:00pm
G2-6 - 8:45am-3:15pm. Right now they go from 8:20-2:50, so it wouldn't be any different in the amount of time in school.

I'm really looking forward to the combined classes aspect of it. They also sent home a questionnaire that I liked. The questions were:
What are your child's strengths (academic and social)?
What are your child's weaknesses (academic and social)?
In what type of environment does your child learn best?
What are your child's hobbies/activities outside of school?
What are your expectations from Alice King Community School?
Any other questions/comments?
Does your child receive special services? If so, what?

Those are good hours. My son is in school longer than that on a five day program. I would love a four day program.

I hope the school is everything it sounds like. It's so hard to tell ahead of time but I can say I have found charters feel a need to earn students more and as a parent I have more of a voice.

Good luck KD!
I saw this:


I would specifically ask if this is the NWEA's MAP test which is given on the computer, and ask if it would be used with your children, and suggest that your son be tested on the test designed for 2nd grade and up. If it is the MAP test, and they can give examples of children who were multiage grouped according to their strengths, then I would be hopeful.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

Thanks for the information Grinity! I'll email them now and ask them.

BTW - We just heard from the private school we had applied for next school year... They were both accepted, but they would make DS repeat Kinder in the Fall. So that's a bummer...

Here's the principal's response to your question:

This MAP assessment is given on the computer. We use it for all grade levels. We begin at the grade level the students are on, and the assessment will allow them to progress as far as they can. Hope this helps!

Hmm. We were told at the two private schools we are looking at that if Mr W enters K early then he can go into first grade when he graduates from K. He can also enter 2d early if he graduates from first grade.

Well, the private school they're attending now would promote him to 1st grade (along with all of the public schools). But this one private school seems "hell bent" to "strictly adhere" to the age cut-off... Which is totally stupid IMO because of kids like mine. One of my friends' daughter is in the same position as my son, got accepted, but they want her to repeat Kinder.

Stupid.

We saw much of the same rigidity in the "Top Preschools" in our area. When we visited, the toddlers were Zombies compared to Mr W and their rooms were basically meat lockers with no books, puzzles, etc. When we interviewed the admins, we also found little imagination or flexibility in their thinking. They had a "method" and planned to stick with to the bitter end no matter what.

Great - the MAP is an amazing test that self adjusts while the child is taking it. There are 2 versions (although the school may not realize that, so treat carefully!) - on is for K-2nd, and the other is for 2nd and up. We have seen schools where the school person assumes that because the 2+ test goes on and on forever, that the younger test also does.

Inky - please check my facts here - do I have this right?

Here's the name of the K-2 test that doesn't go on and on:

If at all possible, you want them to let your child take



so that they can really see what your child can do.

That should help you clarify without driving them nuts.

The only possible pitfall is that you child won't have seen some of the symbols in math, so a kid that understands division, and can verbally do long convoluted word problems involving division in their head, but has never seen the ways that division is written on paper might really confuse the computer and be on for hours and hours while the AI tried to figure out where to place this child.

Encourage you child to keep going 'no matter how long it takes' - and if you think this might be an issue for your child, remind child that most tests you feel smart when you finish more quickly than others, but this test has an AI that keeps the smartest kids there for the longest because it gives them harder and harder stuff.

I really think that you have a terrific chance to use this test to show the school what your child actually is capable of. So exciting!

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Okay, not allowing the grade skip seems stupid, but depending on the popularity of red shirting in the private school it may simply be in your best interest. Since its a new school, in a new city, I think it might be hard to know exactly how old the kids in 1st are. I know the school will tell you what the cutoff date is, but it might not tell you how many parents opted to have their kids start a year later.

(DD spent all of k in 1st and 3rd grade classrooms. When we switched her school at the end of "k" I tried really hard to get her skipped to 2nd and the new school wouldn't budge. I was really mad about it for a long time. I took me a whole year to realize that even when placed with her "age" peers she is the 2nd youngest in the class because of the prevalence of red shirting. Even though the school cut off date is Sept 1, everyone born after May 3rd is a whole year older. )

Just an idea... Anyway the charter school sounds great!

Grinity, you're the best. I can't tell you how much help you've been already!

I understand what you mean... We're not in a "new" city though, just changing schools because we're not happy with their current private school. The cutoff is 9/1 and from what I've heard from every parent I've talked to, they've *never* deviated from the age cutoff. Even from people my age (mid-30's) that went to school there from K-12...

To be honest, I did give it some serious thought because the private school they attend now does some Abeka curriculum, but the other one is all Abeka (including teaching cursive in Kinder). So yes, he might be behind in that aspect at the new private school. But we talked about it and know it would probably be an issue with him knowing he's "repeating Kindergarten", even if that's in a new school.