I go into a misty-eyed trance when I read the benefits of being a DYS -- imagine someone helping you with all this: grade skipping/acceleration/distance-learning. It is a lot to process!!
Celebrate - you found us, we're as much help as DYS on those issues. What we haven't found a way to reproduce is the social experiences of seeing you child with a bunch of kid who are 'similar enough' that you can finally see their true selves.
We've had such special times with the playdates and the Gatherings.
But there is still -
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/conferences.htmand if the NorthEast US isn't out of reach I'd recommend
Beyond IQ (BIQ) Boston April 29 - May 1, 2011
in particular.
Oh, and there is the DYS possibility of Need based Financial Aid.
This is a particular validation that comes with DYS acceptance, that not only is your kid gifted, but that they are unusually gifted enough that the regular gifted program probably isn't even going to come close to meeting her academic needs. So you aren't crazy. Grinity Says So. (not as good as DYS acceptance, perhaps, but try to bask for a moment.)
That's right - your dd is close enough to DYS level to have all the headaches, you aren't making the whole thing up and Grinity Says So.
Love and More Love,
Grinity