Hi Advocate
I did mention at our meeting yesterday that DD would prefer to have a homeroom in 5th grade and go out for some subjects. That didn't get received too well. I think they really want an all or nothing approach to this. There may also be political issues at play--our elementary school is one of 5 in the district. There are two middle schools. Of the 5 elementary schools, only two were built attached to a middle school. That means potentially gifted kids in the other three elementary schools do not have the ability to float back and forth. There is no bus to move one or two kids around. Therefore offering that to my child makes it unfair to other children. I know this sounds wonky but the district is highly sensitive to have any one school being perceived as better than the other (don't get me started on that one!).
There was some comment made by the middle school principal that some 5th grade classes will be housed on the middle school side next year (we're closing one elementary school in the district and consolidating kids). This is not finalized and the elementary school principal commented aloud "we have to talk about that still." This would be optimal since she would see the other 5th graders, but in reality it won't be the same as being with them all day.
Last night I talked to her about this and she seemed very sad. She said she was really stuck between a rock and a hard place. She wants to have more challenging work but at the same time recognizes the complexity of all of this (what happens to orchestra, for example. She's in 4th grade now, she skips 5th grade and then shows up for 6th grade orchestra a year behind? Can this be "caught up" with lessons? I don't know). And then there is after school. She goes to a program now with kids K-5th that are bussed from the school to a nearby church. In middle school I hear there is a teen club run by the YMCA (not confirmed). I'm not sure I like that, nor the option of her coming home alone three days a week when I'm at work. The elementary school let's out at 3pm and the middle at 2:10pm!
The whole thing is stressing us out.
The other option is to keep her completely in 5th grade. They seem now less interested in pulling her out next year for 7th grade reading because it messes them all up when she gets to middle school (what will she do, they say. We can't take her to the high school and it won't work out etc etc.)
We reconvene in two weeks so hopefully there will be some more options presented.
