To appeal or not....

[MomOfTwoGifted]

My son was identified gifted... We knew that from his piano teacher at age of 4! But he was not selected to attend the ODC school (gifted learning) in our school district. We feel it will become a challenge later on if he continues into the gifted cluster class in his current school. I also volunteer in the classroom and see his reactions to things like activities and friends in the classroom. He is so bored! He does sloppy work but done right. Hates repetition and digits way too much. The school doesn't tell u much about gifted clusters, so figured u all had better understanding of it than I did.

As parents we feel he deserves the other school too! If he isn't challenged he thinks of his pain. He has ongoing pain issues that we realize come out and take notice when he is bored or idle.

What do u feel are some points to discuss to get him into this school? Should we appeal? Are we setting him up for failure since he was not originally selected for the school?

We do get a different committee to look at him from what I am told.

Thx....
B

[TiredX2]

When you say "identified as gifted" what do you mean?  Was that just individuals saying "He sure is smart" or "He must be gifted" or was there formal testing involved.  Why has he not been invited to the other school?  What is their criteria and how is he not meeting that?

How old is he now and what do you hope to get from the other school?

[VocalMinority]

I don't have much to offer, as far as specifics.  But our public school had clusters, then a separate gifted program, all in the same building.  I strongly felt that the key difference between the "regular" gifted (or high-achieving/high-intelligence) cluster and the actual gifted program was what kind of learning and work style a kid had, yet placement decisions were based entirely upon achievement testing.  

Our middle son was placed in the separate gifted program, but struggled with responsible usage of all the free time and independence he was given, in terms of completing long-term work.  He actually did better, when we took him out and put him in a "regular" classroom, because there was more structure imposed upon him and more regulation of his time-management.

Meanwhile, my friend's son did not quite test high enough to get into the separate gifted program, but was bored in the regular classroom and works very well independently.  She fought for an appeal - even though she was made to feel like a problem parent, over it.  For whatever reason (possibly just because she was a squeaky wheel), her son did end up in the separate gifted program and has done well.

I think if you're sure your child would do better in the other environment, you should fight for it.  No one else will ever be as motivated to advocate for your child, as you are.

[joensally]

Would you regret appealing?  In your shoes, I'd feel worse down the road for not appealing than I likely would for appealing.

Do you have test results?  And does he have any accommodations re his health issue?

[MomOfTwoGifted]

There was the OLSAT test along with parent and teacher forms to fill out. This was sent to a committee and then each child judged based on all three.
With that being said, he hates having to wait on the teacher to read the test to him, which is what happened. His mind wanders easily as each question was given two minutes. For a child who answers in 20 secs or what ever that wems like forever.

I am hoping from the gifted classes or school, that he be kept challenged. We have not requested anything special for his pain yet. Hoping he can manage it on his own. I hate using it as an excuse, but he does get headaches and complain of pain more frequently when he is bored. He isn't the problem child so he doesn't get really noticed in class. Sorta just there ya know? Remember I do volunteer in the classroom so I see this stuff.

From what I understand about these clusters, they pull the children out of class.

My son is 7 and I believe I am my child's advocate and have had to fight for him since birth. Asthma, headaches, pain started at age 2! Allergies..... Went to duke medical recently for second opinion..... Been ongoing.


His piano teacher who works with him indovidually plans to write up his strengths as she works one on one with him.

[MomOfTwoGifted]

I did it! We appealed! Now just waiting game! Ugh!

[ollyoxenfree]

Good luck with the appeal.

Is it an appeal in writing (you provide all your reasons for the appeal in written submissions), or do you appear in person before the committee?

Have you already made submissions supporting your reasons to appeal, or will you be doing that soon? 

[MomOfTwoGifted]

The process was to add information that wasn't already on there and to be seen by two additional ppl. It was in writing. We even asked his piano teacher to write up something too! With him labeled as gifted and understanding cluster class we were informing the board why cluster is not good for him. We also mentioned his language comprehension at home, his impatience when someone reads the test to him (in which they did) and how he gets frustrated when he has to slow down. We also requested that because his pain management skills suck, the only way to keep his mind off was to keep him busy!

So we touched on some points that were not mentioned. He recently missed a weeks worth of school. We got his work from the days he missed and he completed 5 days work in one hour!

Thx for asking. Awaiting results now!

It's not the end of the world if he doesn't get in.... Just feel he would do best there ya know?

[MomOfTwoGifted]

Well this thread can close! We appealed and got the answer that the decision stands. Upsets me tons! But he will be in cluster.... At least I like the staff!

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by MomOfTwoGifted 

Well this thread can close! We appealed and got the answer that the decision stands. Upsets me tons! But he will be in cluster.... At least I like the staff!

Ah, it's unfortunate that you didn't get the result you were hoping to hear. I hope that the cluster and any in-class accommodations he receives will work out just as well. Keep us posted. 

[GratefulGifts]

Eventually my hubby and I decided that it was worth trying unschooling for child. By the age of 9 he was already coming home from school to search the internet for answers to all of the questions that the teachers couldn't answer. We lived in a smaller town at the time. There were not any good gifted programs. Once he was left to his own devices it was like a new world opened up for him. We let him order whatever textbooks he desired. To make sure he was being properly challenged we reached out to our extended social network for adults who would be willing to act as tutors for him. My hubby is a graduate of Dartmouth. His fraternity brothers remain incredibly supportive to this day. I also have my own little network of contacts working in research science. It was like my son had his own collection of professors that he could call on at any time. Whenever there was a program we could enroll him in we'd do so. It was fairly shocking. Most of the public schools in the area were open to homeschoolers participating in things even if they were not in the local district (the key was to make friends with the faculty so that they'd personally let me know what was going on).

There's always a good path for a gifted student. And if it doesn't seem that way at first then allow them to follow their passions. Your job is to clear the underbrush ahead of them to make their path easier.