Hi,
I'm a newbie, so please forgive any posting goofs! I'm finding reading this site very helpful over the last week or so and I'm hoping some of you might have time to give me some direction.
I am panicking about just discovering that Jan (now!) may be a month of deadlines for getting into schools for the 2011-2012 year. I don't even know where to start in gathering useful info about area schools (San Diego) suitable for my son. He is nearly 5, is some level of extremely bright, and has been in excellent center-based child care since he was an infant. He won't be old enough to meet the public school age requirement for first grade for the 2011-12 year. He is currently in a all day mixed kindergarten/preK class of 4-6 year olds with 2 teachers for 24 kids. He could stay there next year if necessary, in the same classroom, but his teachers say he should really go to first grade. Is socially, intellectually, physically ready for it. But I think if he stayed in this preK/K class, the teachers would make an effort to support his needs and help him be challenged and happy.
I'd prefer to put him into a first grade class, but
public school system (reportedly excellent school blocks away) is expecting 30 kids per first grade class next year, which is nearly a deal breaker for me, just on principle. And then there's that part about him not being old enough anyway. The school system's web site discourages trying to get around this deadline. The public school kindergarten, really not an option because he'll be very out of place, has small class size, but is only half day which is difficult as my husband and I both work.
So-private schools for first grade next year, then? which I just realized may have application deadlinend of the spectrum which will make the parochial schools impossible, limiting our choices. How do I start this process of learning about our options and about the schools, and how do I not make myself nuts over it? We've only lived here a couple years so I don't have friends to gather info from. The director of his current school is wonderful, and has been in the area a long time, so I can discuss with her.
Any suggestions/advice? Should I have a beer and try not to panic? Do I need testing to assess where he really needs to be next year, and what type of classroom might be best for him? Or is my sense of him vs his age peers, my reading of GT literature, and his teacher's assessment sufficient to make a skip to first grade? help!
Beak
