Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School 1st/2nd Grade 2010-2011

So glad things are going so well! It's nice to hear about differentiation done right!

Well it seems to be going well so far. I'm not sure what DS is actually doing in class but he still claims to love school and his teacher is sending home different homework assignments for him so I'm hopeful that she's giving him different work in class (even though it's against policy). I'm planning on meeting with her maybe next week to see how it's going.

JJsMom,
Did anything pan out with the Charter School?
Grinity

Somehow the school had to have some paperwork to move him up to 2nd grade before school started. Is there any way you can insist on seeing it? How about requesting a meeting with his teacher from last year, the principal and the school counselor?

Is there any way you can get them to assess DS with whatever end of 1st grade indicators there are? And maybe an independent education psychologist could help?

Also, is there any layer between the principal and the school board where you can make your case? We have community superintendents here.

I know, lots and lots of questions. I'm so sorry things have become so difficult. Hang in there and keep fighting for what you know is right. Another thing: Have you talked with the principal about his/her theories about grade skipping? That may help you arm yourself with the information you need to get what he needs. The principal at my former school was extremely against it. When my husband and I moved the conversation to the fact that he grade skipped 1st grade and still went to an Ivy League school on scholarship, that changed the conversation. (Husband, by the way, said 2nd grade was the worst b/c his teacher believed that children shouldn't skip grades and his handwriting was horrible. It still is!)

I know a parent who got a grade skip in the early grades here by proving her daughter's abilities. She went up to the next grade for part of the day and the school counselor watched her interactions in the new grade. The school finally agreed to move the child fully in Feb. The child is now thriving both socially and academically in a magnet middle school.

I haven't heard back yet. I was told it would be about 2 weeks before I was contacted. And I have been busy at work (too busy) to go over for a tour. But I WILL get over there at some point!

Well we can't meet with anybody from last year because we're in a different school district.

The principal is new and started the same day as the kids so I don't think that he really has a clue about what's going on. I want to talk to him but I feel like I need to wait a few weeks until the stress of the new school and new school year has worn off.

I have no idea if there's a lawyer or not. How would I find that out?

They said the move to 2nd was a mistake.

As far as I know there are no school counselors in this district and they don't allow them to move to another grade for part of the day for any reason so they wouldn't be able to observe him there. That's how we got him moved up last year though.

Not a lawyer, a layer. District administration who are above the principal, but still paid administrators (rather than the elected school board). In our district, that person would be the superintendent.

Oops I was reading too fast.

We do have a superintendent here. I wonder if he'd even take my call. I was thinking about trying him next.

Our district has a Director of Gifted Services and a Director of Student Services. You may want to check there.

I talked to the director of gifted services and other than offering enrichment an hour a week there's nothing she can do. She said they don't deal with grade skips or anything like that. I think they just focus on enrichment.

Today he came home with a pretty bad conduct grade. He told me that he has to do all of the work that the class does and then an extra worksheet. He's not too happy about having to do more work than the rest of the kids.