I think that I would send an email to the GATE coordinator and your current teacher who is recommending 1st grade.
Something like:
Dear GATE coordinator,
Ms. Smith, my son's current teacher at Dasiy Hill Learning Center, recently had a conversation with me that she feels strongly that my son's social and emotional needs will be best met by him going to 1st grade in 2011-2012.
My Husband and I were surprised because our son's birthday is x-x-xx, but so touched that she cares enough about our son's emotional and social development to make that recommendation. We have been so blessed to have caring professionals in our son's life.
Do I need to take any special steps do I need to take to register him to start 1st grade on Sept 3, 2011? If so, can we please meet so that you can review the steps with my husband and I?
Sincerely,
Jane Smith
Note the 'it wasn't my idea' and the 'I have a husband, and he cares' (sexism is alive and well at the elementary school level, and the 'take you seriously' level goes way up if you threaten to bring DH to a daytime meeting) and that academic needs are never mentioned only social/emotional.
It is our understanding that children do not have academic needs in elementary school, except if they are behind grade level, but every child has social/emotional needs - getting a child into a classroom that meets their academic readiness level is a key to meeting their social/emotional needs.
Schools sometimes act as if one has to compromise one to get the other -not!
Best Wishes,
Grinity
