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

Yay JJsmom! That's great news that both kids got in. The (knock-on-wood) permanent place is why we chose to move our kid mid-year, when there was a spot in the HG school.

Just wanted to report that the school change has gone well so far, a month in. DS7 hasn't complained, but when asked he still sometimes says that things are too hard (because he has to think), and that he liked all the pullouts in the old school because he got out of classroom projects. But all in all, I think he likes it, and he's making friends. He just started chess club after school too, which he loves, and that wasn't an option at the old school.

As for me, I feel a huge sense of relief, like we finally have a break from advocating for awhile. I feel that DS7 is consistently challenged and is doing a lot more interesting work at the new school. Hooray!

That's awesome! Your DS sounds like mine with the "hard" work. DS7 has been so conditioned to have things come easy already too. He hates having to think, especially if it's a subject he doesn't like. I'm so glad, as I'm sure you are, that we are catching this now instead of when DS7 gets to college and gets overwhelmed with having to think (like his mom).

This will be the one down side to the new school for DS7. They do not offer chess. BUT they do have a science club among other things that are not offered to him at his current school at his grade level!

So now we've reached a difficult decision... because it may involve moving, it's more than just a choice between two schools.

DS7's current school is a Title I school with half the population being ESOL. BUT, he is on a gifted track, with about 12 other students and would follow this track through 5th grade, which would include his Target (ALP) classes. The benefits could be huge being clustered like this.

The charter school just broke away from the Imagine Charter system. That's a plus, but I have now been told that a counselor at DS7's current school pulled her two kids from this school, and the other gifted teacher at DS7's current school was hired for the gifted spot at the charter for the 2010-11 year, but in the end turned it down. We couldn't try it and decide to pull DC if we didn't like it because we'd basically have to move (we rent) closer to the charter. The charter, to give it its props, has a waiting list. If it was awful, it wouldn't right? It now governs itself with a board (instead of Imagine), and it's about to move into a new building. It boasts high test scores, and one of the main complaints I have read is that if your child isn't gifted, you do not want him/her to go there (which is a plus for us).

I am on a mission now to talk to both the counselor and the other gifted teacher at DS7's current school. We have until the 24th to claim our spots at the charter. I hate decisions like this!

JJsMom,

I think you are definitely on the right track. I think the best way to get answers is to talk to people directly. Their responses/reasoning may surprise you.

I remember feeling very concerned when my dc's school announced a change in headmaster only weeks after we switched there. Abrupt change can be unnerving, to say the least.

I had to empower myself to call several people I barely knew (board members, etc) to get what I considered "the real scoop." I felt I owed it to my children. I have a feeling that if you talk to these mothers/teachers, you will find it enlightening.

My one caveat would be that if either of these parties feel disgruntled or bitter towards the school/administration, that will probably filter heavily into their comments. That's the part you'll need your mommy gut to suss out.

Please let us know what you discover!

Irish Eyes

Thanks! It's funny because I woke up this morning with the "just do it" feeling. I mean, afterall, I play it safe in most things. I rarely take risks. What's the worst thing that can happen? We hate the charter, and we can't get back into the current school? Well, it's not like the rest of the county schools (including the one DS went to for 1st - heck they are the ones that tested him to skip K, which is rare, so they must be ok too) are so bad.

I was driving home yesterday next to a lady with a bumper sticker for the charter... unfortunately we were never stopped long enough for me to flag her down! But I thought about it!

JJsmom -any news re: the charter?

I have some good news. DS7 has been at his new school for HG kids for about a month and a half. He has complained a bit since he started, telling us he liked the easy school and he doesn't like to have to think. Well, yesterday, I asked again if he was liking his new school. I finally got a yes!

I think this might be related to the fact that now he's having a lot of fun with math. At the school we transferred from, if you recall, we begged and pleaded for DS7 to get 3rd grade math, because he was ready for it. Well, at the new school, he was dropped right into the middle of 3rd grade math, and he's been doing fine. The teacher posted that the kids would be working on fractions, which DS7 has never done. I asked him in the car, "I hear you're working on adding and subtracting fractions with the same demoninator." He said he could do them with different demoninators too, and he proceeded to do one in his head for me. I waa so amazed that he learned this new concept so quickly, and I'm so happy that he now loves math again. Just put the kid at the right level, and he thrives.

That's great!!!

I have no additional news other than we are still trying to decide 100%. The plusses & minuses are about equal right now. I have to enroll them on the 24th if we go with the Charter for sure. So I suppose I will know in a week.

Good luck with your decision. It's bad and good that the pros and cons are equal - hard to make a decision, but also hard to make a bad decision (since they're both equally good).

That's so great SPG! So glad that DS is liking his school, from what you said about I assumed he would love it. It really is amazing how quick they pick up math concepts sometimes. DS6 has been into Khan academy and really enjoys that. Has your DS tried that site? Maybe not so much during the school year but during the summer some. DS only really looks at it on weekends as the weeks are so busy! But Math Olympiads is over in a couple weeks so that will free up some time. Last week we had yet another snow day and DS somehow learned multiplying and dividing fractions and got up to the linear equations. He was really into it, and trying hard to improve his streak and get badges. Kids are funny sometimes.

DS7 brought his report card home last week. His reading level went up to officially an "S" (top of the 4th grade level), even though his teacher says it's probably early-middle 5th grade, but she can't put it b/c the tests he's taken only go up to the 4th grade level. I wonder what they will do when he is actually in 4th or 5th!!! He brought home a 7th grade level book to read for his AR reading (on Daniel Boone) over the weekend and said that the library only holds books up to an 8th grade level. He also received all 3s & 3+s (Meets/Exceeds Requirements on the Rubric).

But I was most proud of his behavior!!!! He got all S's (Successful) instead of the 1-2 P's (Progressing) he brought home the previous two times - he's a little too chatty. Yay!