I am going to be a 'problem' parent :(

[MrsAxilla]

We went under contract for our first house this weekend! I called the elementary and both full day kindergartens are full!! The only one open is pm! I checked and it's only 3 hours long versus 7 for full day. I can't even enroll him until we close on the house, but they were nice enough to put him on the wait list anyway. I didn't think to ask what number he was or whether he'd be aced out by enrolled students.

As you may recall from my AW last week, Ben started full day K at his private daycare right after he turned four, and he scored in the 98th percentile on the national assessments. Three hours of K will not be challenging. I don't want to be all "my kid is super smart and you HAVE to make an exception", but my kid is super smart and the have to make an exception!!

Advice? Should I make an appt with the principal? Academically he's ready for first grade, but there's an age requirement. Even if I can test him into 1st, I think barely 5 is too young. Do the math forward, and he'd start high school at age 13 and couldn't get a driver's license until his senior year. He'd start college right after his 17th birthday and couldn't legally drink until one year AFTER college. I just think that's all a recipe for disaster.

[teflep]

You can but don't get too mad if they won't make an exception. Half day k is insane, especially for your crunchy state . But seriously, it won't hurt to call and bring in the scores.

[UMaineTeach]

I would call the director of special services and inquire about what can be done and if you can bring in the test scores or get him an eval. The special services department usually handles SPED and G&T.

[downtoearth]

I think several of the kids in my son's K class were ready for 1st grade curriculum, but they still had a good year and are now reading at 2nd grade level (not my son, but I know one of them). I don't think it's a problem to have him in K even if he's advanced and socially it might be better for him to spend a year in K in his new school.

Good luck.

Most G&T programs don't start until 2nd or 3rd, but it can't hurt to call. Call the school and ask who you talk to about testing and G&T soon b/c if you don't get it started before the end of the year, you might not get any response until August.

[cookiemdough]

Have you actually asked about the curriculum differences if any?

Half day kindergarten is pretty inconvenient, however I know a lot of parents whose kids are enrolled in other school districts. Based on my understanding, the academic curriculum is not different. Supposedly they are not actually "learning" more in full-day kindergarten because the academic curriculum is just spread out over the 7 hours instead of condensed into a shorter period of time. The short day doesn't do the lunch, recess and extras that fill up the time in full day kindergarten.

[LocalMom]

Hi! Re: half day Kindergarten... please check to see if any of the pre-schools your new district have "Kindergarten Enrichment". Basically it is a "filler" for the rest of the day that would include more relaxed type of activities: making a volcano and erupting it, playing restaurant etc. and gentle learning (nothing that would interfere with the hand-writing lessons, math style etc. that would be taught in his K). Our pre-school has this and it is very reasonable and supplements our neighboring districts half day.

Re: Even if I can test him into 1st, I think barely 5 is too young. Do the math forward, and he'd start high school at age 13 and couldn't get a driver's license until his senior year. He'd start college right after his 17th birthday and couldn't legally drink until one year AFTER college. I just think that's all a recipe for disaster.

This was me. I started K at 4 and graduated high school when I was 17. I moved to NYC and attended college etc. and was just fine. Some kids can handle college at 17 (almost 18) and some can't handle it at any age. BTW - the drinking age in NYC was 21 - but that didn't hold me back either.

Good Luck to you!

[GailGoldie]

ditto above- the curriculum in the 1/2 day really won't vary from the full day. I would look for a private full day K if that's really what you want him in and he can't get into the full day in the public school. I find it odd that they have both... that sucks.

I taught K and think 1/2 day K is bullshit. If my town went to it (or goes to it in the next 2 years) we'll send our kids to private K.... thankfully we still have full day K.

[MrsAxilla]

May 29, 2012 19:11:17 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

Have you actually asked about the curriculum differences if any?

Half day kindergarten is pretty inconvenient, however I know a lot of parents whose kids are enrolled in other school districts. Based on my understanding, the academic curriculum is not different. Supposedly they are not actually "learning" more in full-day kindergarten because the academic curriculum is just spread out over the 7 hours instead of condensed into a shorter period of time. The short day doesn't do the lunch, recess and extras that fill up the time in full day kindergarten.

Interesting. I'm not sure; it's hard to tell exactly.

Here is the full day schedule: 8:40-9:00 Landing Pads
9:00-9:20 Scott Foresman
9:20-10:40 Literacy Block (The Daily 5)
10:45-11:10 Snack/Bathroom/Recess
11:05-11:30 Calendar Time & Circle Time
11:30-12:00 Fundations
12:00-12:45 Lunch
12:45-1:05 Quiet Time
1:05-1:40 Math
1:40-2:20 Core Knowledge
2:20-3:05 Specials
3:05-3:10 Wrap Up /Dismissal

Here is half day:

AM CLASS OUR DAY: MON-THURS PM CLASS
8:40 Arrival 12:30
8:40-8:50 First Things First 12:30-12:35
8:50-9:10 Calendar/Scott Foresman 12:35-12:50
9:10-9:20 Mini Lesson 12:50-1:00
9:20-9:40 Writing 1:00-1:20
9:40-10:40 Literacy Work Stations 1:20-2:20
10:40-11:00 Bathroom/Recess 2:20-2:40
11:00-11:10 Mini Lesson 2:40-2:50
11:10-11:30 Math 2:50-3:10
11:30-11:35 Dismissal 3:10-3:15


Thoughts?

[sunny]

well I would give it a go and bring in the scores to your meeting, but at the same time I would tour private programs and be ready to pay for a full day. GL!!

[UMaineTeach]

most concerning is that the all day kids get 35 min of math and the half day kids only get 20 minutes.
and I would guess that core knowledge is sci/ss (?), if it is then the half day kids are missing out (and no specials for half day)

It really appears unfair and not an equal opportunity education for all K kids.

[Lolipoli]

Seriously, your kid is going to be ok. I was 99th percentile (even more special than your kid!) and went to half-day K. I was still 99th percentile in 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 10th grades...so clearly the half day didn't make me dumber. I'm not saying this to brag, I'm saying this to make you relax .

I would think full-day K would be more important for a kid that needs to catch up. Your kid will learn all of this stuff faster than the regular kids. I remember being bored as hell in K and 1st until I went into special classes in 2nd grade.

PS: The security check to post as a guest is "bless you". This may have annoyed me enough to make an account.

[MrsAxilla]

May 29, 2012 21:42:19 GMT -5 @Lolipoli said:

Seriously, your kid is going to be ok. I was 99th percentile (even more special than your kid!) and went to half-day K. I was still 99th percentile in 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 10th grades...so clearly the half day didn't make me dumber. I'm not saying this to brag, I'm saying this to make you relax .

I would think full-day K would be more important for a kid that needs to catch up. Your kid will learn all of this stuff faster than the regular kids. I remember being bored as hell in K and 1st until I went into special classes in 2nd grade.

PS: The security check to post as a guest is "bless you". This may have annoyed me enough to make an account.

I think my main concern is that he's already 'mastered' kindergarten, and I'm worried that he'll be overly bored learning the same material again and will develop behavioral issues. Of course, I'm concerned about that in full day K, too.

Plus, what the hell am I supposed to do with him the rest of the day? This trophy wife is not interested in being a SAHM. Lol!

[Deleted]

The concepts will be old but the materials will be new. That's how I'm thinking about it. If he were repeating in the same county, with the same books, I'd be far more concerned.

I honestly would be wary about passing him onto a higher grade. I'd worry the older kids would be too much for him socially and he'd end up being the smart, yet awkward kid who isn't into what everyone else is.

At most, I'd let him do kindergarden for a while and if he's just not into it, then see about testing him up. Is that possible?

I'd hon

[MrsAxilla]

May 29, 2012 22:02:35 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

The concepts will be old but the materials will be new. That's how I'm thinking about it. If he were repeating in the same county, with the same books, I'd be far more concerned.

I honestly would be wary about passing him onto a higher grade. I'd worry the older kids would be too much for him socially and he'd end up being the smart, yet awkward kid who isn't into what everyone else is.

At most, I'd let him do kindergarden for a while and if he's just not into it, then see about testing him up. Is that possible?

I'd hon

I agree. I'm hoping the social challenges of a new school with new kids, teachers and rules will help, too. I really, really don't want him in first grade yet. When DH and I decided we were going to send him to public school, we said we'd spring for extra tutoring or challenges if we had to. I'm psyched that our new school is top ranked in the state, even if he won't reap full benefits for a few years.

[Deleted]

Have you considered a private half day program maybe? I don't know how you feel about church centers but I know my church has a good morning program for kids that isn't very expensive. And by not very expensive, I can afford it and I spent all morning today bitching about $15 uniform pants lol.

[MrsAxilla]

May 29, 2012 22:30:10 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

Have you considered a private half day program maybe? I don't know how you feel about church centers but I know my church has a good morning program for kids that isn't very expensive. And by not very expensive, I can afford it and I spent all morning today bitching about $15 uniform pants lol.

They have an affiliated before and after school program with the local parks and recs, so maybe. The rates aren't online, so I'll have to call tomorrow, but the 'curriculum' looks like the summer camp curriculum at daycare, so that might work. I think I'll check into sports and such, too.

[SmartyCat]

May 29, 2012 22:02:35 GMT -5 @habbsies said:

I honestly would be wary about passing him onto a higher grade. I'd worry the older kids would be too much for him socially and he'd end up being the smart, yet awkward kid who isn't into what everyone else is.

I was that smart yet awkward kid. A year's difference in age is a big deal socially in the early primary years, and I wouldn't take it lightly. I LOVED school before I was skipped ahead, and spent the rest of my elementary and middle school years feeling like I was running from behind. I so wish I had known when I was 7 that I could raise my hand and say I wanted to go back.

That said, every kid is different. My brother in law was skipped ahead in elementary school also, and it was the best thing for him - he was bored out of his mind before they moved him ahead.

[copzgirl1171]

I can share only my experience in raising the copz kids but I feel like I always come off as a braggart and that isn't my intent.

Kindergarten really is meant more for socialization and acclamation to school and a routine...I wouldn't over think it. You will have plenty of time to do that

I could give some more insight if you like.

[Deleted]

I can't believe there are districts with 1/2 day K still.

Our district's K is very academically focused and not so much about the social development.

I would definitely talk to the principal and your school board about only some kids getting full-day

[tripleshot]

May 29, 2012 19:11:17 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

Have you actually asked about the curriculum differences if any?

Half day kindergarten is pretty inconvenient, however I know a lot of parents whose kids are enrolled in other school districts. Based on my understanding, the academic curriculum is not different. Supposedly they are not actually "learning" more in full-day kindergarten because the academic curriculum is just spread out over the 7 hours instead of condensed into a shorter period of time. The short day doesn't do the lunch, recess and extras that fill up the time in full day kindergarten.

I agree with this. My DS is in half day and i was mad at first. But the while day has nap, lunch, and extra recesses that make up the time differences. The curriculum is the same. My DS tested very high too and I thought he'd be bored. He is, but it's better to be bored for 2.5 hours than for 7.

[ESF]

I had no idea there was full day kindergarten until this thread. Or that half day was some kind of freak thing.

Is this a new development or have most places always had full day kindergarten?

[Deleted]

May 30, 2012 11:36:55 GMT -5 ESF said:

I had no idea there was full day kindergarten until this thread. Or that half day was some kind of freak thing.

Is this a new development or have most places always had full day kindergarten?

I'm pretty sure most places switched to full-day with the advent of NCLB combined with more and more working parents

[MrsAxilla]

May 30, 2012 12:28:11 GMT -5 @septimus said:

May 30, 2012 11:36:55 GMT -5 ESF said:

I had no idea there was full day kindergarten until this thread. Or that half day was some kind of freak thing.

Is this a new development or have most places always had full day kindergarten?

I'm pretty sure most places switched to full-day with the advent of NCLB combined with more and more working parents

Right. In some districts, half day is free and there's a fee for full day.

[basilosaurus]

I don't think I'd heard of half day K until this thread.

MrsA, I think a half day combined with some challenging extra that your school couldn't provide might actually be a good thing. Like, could you get him in some language classes or some other sort of enrichment? A friend of mine works at Denver Montclair, and while I don't know much about them, or even if they have after school programs, when she first got hired she was really excited about the bilingual programs.

[marchmom06]

[/quote]

I agree with this. My DS is in half day and i was mad at first. But the while day has nap, lunch, and extra recesses that make up the time differences. The curriculum is the same. My DS tested very high too and I thought he'd be bored. He is, but it's better to be bored for 2.5 hours than for 7. [/quote]

Kindergartners in your area take a nap? I remember doing that when I was in kindergartner, but that was many moons ago. I haven't heard of a district doing that in years.

My son goes to full-day. Both full and half day are offered, but half-day is highly discouraged by the district, because the kids do miss out on learning. We pay $400/month or so for the full-day.

[Deleted]

If it were me, I'd enroll him in private school for at least K. If you're really committed to doing public, switch him back into first grade after that. If you can't do that for whatever reason, load up the rest of his day on enrichment activities. Find a sports class or two, music, foreign language, maybe extra reading and math if you feel he needs it. It'll be easier just to do private but if you're not working, it won't be as difficult to handle that kind of schedule.

[cookiemdough]

May 30, 2012 16:05:55 GMT -5 marchmom06 said:

My son goes to full-day. Both full and half day are offered, but half-day is highly discouraged by the district, because the kids do miss out on learning. We pay $400/month or so for the full-day.

You have to pay for public K if you want a full-day?

[copzgirl1171]

It has only been in the last 7 years or so that we went to all day K.

We chose not to accelerate copzson at any point in his academic career despite an enormous amount of pressure to do so. Finally in his junior year of high school we relented and let him take college courses at what became his undergrad college of choice.

It is such a personal decision that it is hard to dole out advice on it. We chose not to because we realized that we only had him for 18 years and this was one of the few things we could do to shelter him and not make him feel so unique and give him a chance to catch up socially to his "gift". It was more difficult to direct him to outlets other than academic ones, to this day he would be prefer to be a professional student given the opportunity. He has many varied interest now that don't always have to be learning driven but it was a challenge for him to find his footing with those after undergrad. He was coddled in college and to this day is still very close with two of his professors who he claims as best friends as well as mentors.

He really didn't come into his own until grad school.

Babycopz was easier as she is more socially outgoing that E ever was. It was still very important to let her be a child and enjoy the non pressure of high school just as it was with E. Yes, high school was easier for them both and they probably slacked a lot more than the average student because they didn't need to study, but I was thrilled that grades weren't that important to them.

Don't get me wrong we had very set ideas and goals for them and above and beyond anything academics always came first, but allowing them to develop on their own in school was important as well. That way they found their own friends and really never felt set apart from other students.

I am not saying it would work for every child, but it worked with our two.

Good Luck!

[perhapsprincess]

"I think my main concern is that he's already 'mastered' kindergarten, and I'm worried that he'll be overly bored learning the same material again and will develop behavioral issues. Of course, I'm concerned about that in full day K, too."

Read more: pandce.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=11642#ixzz1wSaegKrV

My son will be in full day K and I am very concerned about him being bored because it does seem like he already knows all the academic stuff he will learn. I almost wish that K was half day because he's going to be CRANKY when he comes home for lack of nap/quiet time! Except that if my husband finds a job it will be nice to have to pay for less childcare. We are not trying to accelerate him to 1st grade because 1. He is a young 5. Will have just turned 5 when school starts and 2. He is immature. He needs the time to learn how to sit still, stand in line, eat during lunch time. Etc. Hopefully he isn't so bored that he starts hating school!

[Deleted]

May 30, 2012 11:36:55 GMT -5 ESF said:

I had no idea there was full day kindergarten until this thread. Or that half day was some kind of freak thing.

Is this a new development or have most places always had full day kindergarten?

In Ontario, they just implemented full day kindergarten recently, but it sounds like its here to stay. Parents love not paying for daycare, plus the kids learn all day. I think it's a win win.