Gifted Options (Chicago, Evanston, Downers Grove: sales, renting, home)

[LaMaca]

I have a very bright boy who will start kindergarten in fall 2011. Although we are in a very good school district in Highland Park, I am considering private options. His pre-school teachers and social worker think that he is either gifted or highly-intelligent (we're considering official IQ testing) and have encouraged us to look at the private gifted schools in northern Illinois - Quest, Science and Arts, Einstein, etc.). We have a preference for a public school system, but will consider private options anywhere withing a 1/2 hour drive of the north shore.

Do you have any experience with either gifted schools, gifted programs, or other options well-suited to bright kids? Montessori? I've done all the internet research and have read the stuff about all the schools. I'm now looking for personal experiences and feedback.

My boy is quirky. He has many interests way beyond that of a preschooler and is highly verbal. Right now he is reading a 200 page book about the history of the Chicago Bears...he knows all about Dick Butkus and Bill George. However, he strongly dislikes regimented environments and prefers environments that allow him a great deal of freedom with only basic rules. Ideas?

Maca

[irish setter girl]

Being on the North Shore, I'm sure you have many options. Out in the western burbs I know of families who attend Avery Coonley Avery Coonley School - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and IMSA ( for Sr. High - so this would be a long ways away for you ) https://www3.imsa.edu/ I'm sure you could find similar schools on the north and northwest side. The Latin School in Chicago is great too! Latin School of Chicago ~ Welcome

I don't have any personal experience with these schools but the two families I know at A.C and IMSA are very pleased.

[sgresident]

what about a montesori school? I have no experience with them, but have always heard positive things.

[cohdane]

My guess is that any child as intelligent as your son would be classified as "quirky"-- that combination of developmental immaturity and precocious academic skills would naturally result in a "different" personality.

Can't tell you anything about the private schools (sorry). However, if you do opt to stay in the public schools, be sure to be assertive about placement in gifted classes. I recently was told that the limited spaces in the gifted programs, combined with many parents' desire to have a gifted child (regardless of whether the child IS gifted), sometimes results in truly gifted children being elbowed to the side in favor of less gifted children with aggressive parents.

A specific quote from this conversation, paraphrasing such a parent: "We've got him studying three hours a night. He's working hard for his spot in the class!" (Gifted children don't need to put in insane hours to keep up with the work. Hence, "gifted.")

I was shocked that this was the case. Not sure if it's everywhere, but the person who told me works with many families on the north shore and is in touch with teachers as well. They had no motivation for telling me this.

It made me sad for the children who are being pushed. And angry for the gifted kids who are deprived of their slot.

Bottom line: stay on your toes.

GOOD LUCK!!

[chet everett]

IMSA is residential high school, not much use for some one with a child two years away from kindergarten.

I have some experience with the Avery Coonley school in Downers Grove and the nicest thing I can say is they do a nice marketing pitch. No way you could get to DG from HP in 30 minutes.

As to the Latin School it decidedly caters to those who care to spend a fortune on its sky high tuition, sorta like those that buy Patek-Phillipe watches... The accomplishments of its alumni are curiously aligned with the family businesses of the parents who send their children to the school. Nothing wrong with that, but do not confuse such success with academic talent... Again the trip from HP to Near North side is going to take way more than 30 minutes.

Closer to home I am sure Lake Forest Country Day would be happy to take lots of your money. Lake Forest Country Day School

Frankly if the OP's son is an early reader / precocious in his writing I would be inclined just to get involved with the regular public school options in Highland Park -- probably 5-10% of the kids are going to be reading way above grade level and the important lessons about actually working in a normal classroom / life are far and away best learned in a regular public school.

If your son is making Frank Gehry like creations while the 4 year olds around him are more in the stacking blocks stage it MIGHT be worth trying to explore some of the options that MAY be appropriate through the various major universties that have outreach / talent search initiatives. The closest such reputable program to Highland Park is at Northwestern Center for Talent Development :: Display Article

As a parent and former teacher I can with confidence that basically all four year olds strongly prefer environments with a great deal of freedom and only basic rules however life and normal schools suggest that most people have to adapt to something quite different. Perhaps the suggestions to explore private schools are an attempt to make the transition less traumatic.

[Anthera]

We've had good experiences with our children at CTD. Your son is too young just yet (I think 4 is the earliest they will test for admission). Baker Demonstration School might be worth a look for a full time program. I think their prekindergaren starts at 3.

[Suburban Mom of 2 Kids]

Lake Forest CountrY Day School is a private school that caters to developing the whole child - emotionally, socially and academically....if your 3 or 4 year old is really reading 200 page books, LFCDS will not be the solution for you if you want to continue to foster that academic skill so early. You will have to augment his/her academic experience (strict reading, math, writing) with other solutions (Center for Talent Development at Northwestern is a great option).

They will, however, take a 3 or 4 year old and help to develop those skills that your son/daughter might not already possess...social skills, emotional maturity, sharing, getting along with other 3 or 4 year olds, feeling comfortable transitioning from one class to another. Help to address some of the "quirky" items you describe, typical of a 3 or 4 year old.

It is a structured environment...less so in Pre-K, but children are expected to follow instruction and the teacher's lead. They do have a variety of opportunities for "free play" throughout the morning/afternoon..but in a controlled environment with an objective.

They run classes for 2 year olds all the way up to 8th grade. I'd be happy to put you in contact with the appropriate folks if you are interested.

The Montesorri environment is much less structured (my daughter has experience with both solutions).....they don't seem to necessarily focus on developing the emotional, social aspects of children (although it is a natural byproduct of school, most times)....

In my opinion, you would benefit from visiting both types of schools (private school vs. Montesorri environment) to assess what you are most comfortable with, and what you believe would be the best environment for your child.

Good luck.

[hsw]

Know many smart guys...the types who finished elite colleges in 2-3 yrs; became $1MM++/yr guys in finance or tech industries by early 20s, etc

Common thread...most of these guys are misfits in any environment, whether public or private school...or college...or a big, corporate entity....almost by definition, high-IQ guys tend to be threatening to many in the academic/corporate "establishment" (incl G/T pgms) as they often defy conventional wisdom and social "pleasantries" and aren't well-rounded w/interests in sports or arts or non-quant stuff

If kid is truly talented, will flourish in a world where many precedents of high-IQ tyrants exist in places like SiliconValley or Manhattan (unlike world before ~'85); many of my smartest and most successful colleagues attended mediocre public schools in middle-income suburbs and taught themselves math/stats/economics/programming/finance, etc during their worthless K-12 education; but, if one is not really smart/shrewd but just quirky and difficult, things could be problematic in real world

Keep in mind that many geeks aren't all that bright...esp when one considers how few alums of places like MIT or Caltech have founded valuable tech cos. over past 25 yrs....and how few valuable cos. have been founded nr Bos, despite MIT/Harvard....as opposed to SiliconValley where many of the wealthiest and smartest engineers/entrepreneurs are alums of Stanford or Berkeley or U-IL Computer Science, not Luddite Ivies

[Paige65]

In HP public school district, it may be pushy parents who initially get their children in enrichment activities in the lower grades, but by the time they are in third grade, a child goes through a battery of tests in order to qualify for "gifted" instruction. There is a difference in the HP school system between IEP gifted instruction and being a part of an enrichment program. The enrichment groups are for the brightest kids in that grade level that test at least in the top 95%+ on national testing. There are lots of kids scoring in the high 80% - low 90% so there's not much of a difference between the kid who makes the enrichment "cut off" versus one who doesn't. It's also based on teacher recommendation. The kids with IEPs are probably testing at the 99%+ on national tests and are also given WISCs or some other intelligence assessments. I know that at my children's school, no amount of pushy parenting will get you a gifted IEP without test scores to back up the need for services. I also know of no grade school aged children studying three hours per night. That might be true at the middle school level and certainly is at the high school level.

Unfortunately, I don't think there are many options in HP if your son needs significant gifted instruction. If qualified for an IEP, they would do what they could to provide for him, but if you are looking for a full-time gifted program type of environment, the HP public schools cannot provide that for you. The options I have seen used here are mainly grade skipping or staying in a particular grade but receiving some instruction with a higher grade, or independent study with the gifted teacher. I don't know if that will be enough for your son or not.

I don't think there are many great options on the North Shore. I've heard a few good things, several years ago, about Baker Demonstration in Evanston.

Also, you may want to google Northwestern's Center for Talent Development. It's for pre-school age kids up through high school. They have a variety of programs. Here's the link:

Center for Talent Development :: Welcome to Center for Talent Development

I know one child who has enjoyed it. I think he started around K or 1st grade. My son qualified (he's in enrichment program in HP but not IEP) but never seemed interested in more challenging instruction at that age so we never did it.

Good luck.

[syman]

Originally Posted by chet everett

IMSA is residential high school, not much use for some one with a child two years away from kindergarten.

I have some experience with the Avery Coonley school in Downers Grove and the nicest thing I can say is they do a nice marketing pitch.

.

So, sales pitch aside, is the school worth the money that they charge..from an academic standpoint...