Anna-- there are lots of threads, some just this past week, with ideas on what to do going into K. It's always a dilemma when they're so far ahead. But they don't really fit in with older kids either. When my oldest was starting K, even though he was reading at that level, I honestly didn't know how different he was from all the other kids. I was just so used to him and I really thought those age-guides were not real because they had never applied to him or his brother (or his sister, later).
It was only when he went in for the beginning-of-the-year assessment and the K teacher's eyes were popped out of her head, that I realized we might be facing an issue. Fortunately, the school also hosts the HGT magnet program so the teacher was able to consult with the gifted teachers. Still, my son didn't learn anything in K and was very frustrated. They tried putting him in older reading classes, but he was just so young and little it wasn't a good fit. He didn't' have the life experience of the older kids, nor did he have the writing stamina necessary for the older reading classes. So his teacher basically assigned books (Like Mr. Popper's Penguins), and he read them in class and at home and she would discuss them with him. I gave him math workbooks at home to satisfy his desire to learn (he thought they were fun).
Once he started in 1st, he was finally challenged. That worked until 4th when it wasn't enough, but now in 5th, he's has a different curriculum, some online classes and he's happy and challenged again. Next year in middle school, we're already in contact with the principal and coming up with a new plan.
I think every kid and every school will present with a different set of needs. And what you'll find you need to do is be as knowledgable as you can be about options and needs, and advocate respectfully to get your son's needs met. I found that independent data-- IQ & achievement testing-- was most valuable. I'm late to the game, and I wish I would have tried to get that around age 6 or 7. I didn't do it until 4th grade, when he was dreadfully unhappy in school (even though he was already accelerated).
This site is a great resource for families with kids like ours, and I think you'll find a lot of support and ideas as you read through different threads.
