Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments NYC Gifted Public

I don't know how to search for subjects yet, sorry if this has a subject already.
Anyone have a child in the gifted NYC public schools?
I want to know if they accommodate the specific needs of the child. Meaning... If the child is doing 4th grade math and is placed in 1st grade will that child be force to do 1st grade math etc....
I get mixed answers from the Dept of ed on this subject?

Hi Traceyqns,
my ds goes to a nyc gifted school.

My experience has not been good. I have a son whose gifts are for abstract thinking/reasoning/reading but whose writing is weak and math computation skills are not that great(though his math reasoning skills are) and it's been an unmitigated disaster for us. I have been very disappointed. It is just simply not working, but I'm not sure it's the school's fault... largely my son's fault, I guess...He is not conforming to expectations.

Anyway I will probably home school next year.

If you have a child who is simply advanced, with no other issues (behavioral, etc.) it might work!

One thing is that the class sizes are huge-- there are 29 kids in the son's class. And 20 of them are girls. So a bouncy boy will really stand out.

I'm surprised you're getting any answers at all from the DOE?

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Is this for Kindergarten?

Oh, I just read your other post about the school in Long Island... my son is at one of the citywide schools, and there's really not even a chance you'll get a spot at one of those for first grade. (Maybe I'll sell you my son's spot?) The district g&ts are indeed a joke from what I hear, although, I don't know, maybe the classes are smaller and you can work with them more directly.

I think staying in Queens for the low taxes and driving to the Long Island school is not a bad idea. As you know, the NYC privates are over 32K...

I am thinking of calling the DOE and asking if I can send my ds to our local zoned school for half a day next year, but that seems so hopeless that I haven't bothered.

Apparently there is a new school called Speyer Legacy opening on the Upper West Side next year, run by the HOllingworth people, maybe you can look at that?

Anyway good luck.

I heard that there were 19 1st grade spots at NEST last year. Parents didn't like the commute. And there are mixed reviews on what happens in the regular G&Ts (citywides are accelerated and will accomodate pullouts for math -- heard the teachers tell me this on tours). The regular G&Ts are not accelerated but I do know of a 1st grader at PS 9 whose teacher is giving her 3rd grade math but that is the teacher. Don't know what will happen next year. The girl was waitlisted for Hunter and the mom thought she might get a spot. Now the mom is very frustrated.

If you take the OLSAT and take TAG or NEST, you might have a teacher that acoomodates. I would take those options for the curriculum, though TAG is not an appealing school because it shares the building with some tough "east harlem" type middle schools.

Ren

Hi Bronxmom,
Sorry to hear public is not working out for you son.
But I am not surprised.
29 Kids in a class is horrible.
How can a child get any individual attention.
I believe we will be in the same boat next year.
I am sure of it.
Like your DS oh yeah mine is bouncy as well and talkative.
I am expecting a nightmare.
He will be entering 1st grade.

Speyer is 28.5K per year, no financial aid. The first year, they are only running 1 kindergarten and 1 split first and second grade. 12 kids per class so that is 6 spots for 1st grade. And moneyed parents that did not get into Hunter, and went to Hollingworth are the ones that started it, so they get first shot.

I also question it. The woman running it ran a preschool for 20 years. Going past preschool is a whole different story. For instance. She chose Danny from Hot Peas and Butter for the Music Director. Now I know Danny, he taught dd when she was 2 in her preschool and he lives up the street. But now DD4 is taking piano. Many HG+ (and Speyer is looking at PG really) are very talented musically. Why now have a serious musician teach them the fundamentals they are capable of learning? With all the musicians in NY willing to teach in these schools. I could put a list together. The museum of Natural History has amazing after school programs, they could have done a science thing in coordination. They didn't. So I wonder if it is going to be a success. Not an experiment I would want to make for 28.5K.

Ren

Yep me too Wren. Most of the privates are about 30K and if you have more than one kid that is crazy.
If you are rich there are plenty of schools for you.
The rest of us are out of luck

askjudy from the DOE website does answer you back so she is how I get any info

I'm very familiar with Speyer. Speyer is $28K, which is about the same or a little less than most of the private schools in NYC, and for the early families, that tuition is fixed for the rest of the child's tenure at the school. There is lots of financial aid. I have to tell you, what's going on in the classrooms there is absolutely incredible. The kids are energized and inspired. I urge you to talk to any Speyer parent for informed feedback.