This is a bit of a rant and also a hope for some relief of feeling bitter. Also ideas are very welcome or BTDT solutions. My dd13 goes to an alternative school which has a cool philosophy. The students are given a lot of freedom and are suppose to be responsible for their own learning. My DD has been bored in class. When I approached the school I think I was to blunt. However we have a gifted middle school program. All the paperwork has been cleared for her to be enrolled in the school (at least I believe it has) however when I asked if my DD could shadow a student I was told that the coordinator did not have enough time to organize this. One of the teachers at my DD's current school use to teach in the gifted program and says the classes are not any harder or different than the classes at her current school. So my next rant has to do with calling the High School and trying to find out about what test scores they use for entrance into the gifted program there. The woman was quite rude. She explained that they use such and such tests. I asked if they could use SAT scores and she said something to the extent of, "I just told you we use such and such tests." She then goes on to say that there is no way that she could see my DD's SAT scores. She has access to my DD's file. I was a bit dumb founded at that point as I can't imagine that people working in gifted education coordination would not know about talent searches etc. I met with the head of the gifted department and he was a great guy. I felt like he gets gifted kids and when I mentioned SAT scores for entrance into the high school program he thought it was completely possible to use the scores if we needed it. I could contact him and explain that I want my kiddo to shadow at the middle school program and I am sure he would make it happen. However, if she goes there I do not want her to have a negative relationship with the coordinator of the program. I like the woman and do feel that she is over-worked and under paid and I do think that she likes the kids. At my DD's current school she advocated for herself and got a different advisor who has implemented some changes to her program which has helped a little but I am not sure it is enough and it requires my DD to do independent study in two of the four core subjects. But I am not sure that it does not meet or outdo the gifted middle school.... I am just frustrated with the whole thing and wish the teachers and coordinators were as nice as the head guy was. I really do not like the way I feel after I have spoken with most of the people involved. Thanks for "listening"
