We are now in the process of hunting school for DD for next year.

This is the situation: no GT school where we live this next year, but most probably the following one (2009-1010) yes.
There is one opening on another town but it involves driving (see later on).

So, we have to look some other solution for DD for just one year, 2008-2009.

Our options are:

1. Same school where she was going but she would be moved to first grade. Since it is a Montessori, she would be in a group with 6 to 9 years old.
School has agreed to accelerated her, the Principal was quite in favor from the very beginning, the remedial teacher half-half, but convinced at the end, and the actual teacher (kindergarden) was totally opposed, saying that DD wanted only to play and refused to do any learning activity.
Problems with this: DD will be in a large group (30 kids) and only one teacher. No possibilities for the teacher to give DD extra time or attention. Teachers in that school do not have any gifted training. School would accept an extra teacher payed by us.

We have asked to meet the teacher that DD would be having to see if she agrees to the acceleration, because if she does not, then it is useless.

2. Another school just around the corner would accept as well DD in first grade, but I still have to talk to the Principal about details. This is a 'normal' school so she would be with just 6 years old children. This school is studying the possibility of opening a gifted section in two years, but nothing is decided yet.

3. And finally, the gifted school in another town. That would be perfect: they have philosophy, chess, individual curriculum on maths and LA, drama, English, Spanish (this at 8 only)... Teachers are specifically trained for GT kids. The children get a laptop and they learn keyboarding so they can 'write'....

The big problem is: I would have to drive back and forth in the morning and afternoon. Without traffic jam, it is 25 minutes of driving, not too bad. But in the traffic jam it can be easily one hour. And the school times are sure enough in the peak hours. So I would drive one hour in the morning, drop DD, drive one (maybe 45 min if I am lucky) back. And the same for the afternoon.

Moving there is not an option. This is only for one year (hopefully) anyway.

Soooo, what would you do??????

The GT school is the perfect school but the driving .... mmm

All schools are public schools. Fees are negligible (except if we hire an extra teacher to help in the classroom).