I am also pretty scared about a skip to 5th grade while DS is still 7. He does not turn 8 until Decemeber. I also live in a district with K-5 and 6-8 schools. I fully realize that my 8 year could not attend 6th grade the following September.
I think that an important part of the equation is 'what if you took option C, and the new principal wasn't willing for your child to repeat 5th the following year?' Is homeschooling out of the questions? Partial homeschooling? (He could go to 8th go a few classes, I would think.) Any Private schools that haven't been tried yet?
I do tend to think that a great teacher trumps almost everything. Everything except a shred of an exit plan, I guess. My son hasn't done radical acceleration, but I think that's because it hasn't been offered.
I think access to the extracurricular activities might be very wonderful.
I've been thinking lately about the idea of 'auditing 5th grade classes as a 4th grader.' There might be a better way to say this, but I think the ideal thing would be your son to be a 4th grader, assigned to the 5th grade teacher's classroom, which would now be a multigrade classroom, on paper at least, with certain extracurricular privileges that 4th graders don't usually get.
That would give you maximum flexibility for the year ahead.
BTW - you can't judge a social group by grade/age differential, what really makes the social feel is
a) the teacher's example and
b) the luck of the draw
Some grade-groups are known to be 'nice' 'younger' or 'mean' or 'accepting' or 'harsh' and that probably matters more than a year or two of age. Also, for some kids, being 3 years younger is the totally perfect age difference, not so much for others.
It sounds to me like you are asking if other kids have done well socially/emotionally/academically with big age gaps. I'd recommend surfing around hoagiesgifted.org. Start with:
Best Wishes and I know you will make the 'least bad' decision and Yippee for your Principle!
Love and More Love,
Grinity
