Schools for Gifted Children (Burnsville, Spring Lake Park: homes, magnet schools, college)

[Family_of_four_mn]

Does anyone know of a great school for gifted children in the northern suburbs? It can be public or private. I am looking for one were the majority of the students that attend are gifted. I would need the school to be for children as young as 5 years old and up.

Thanks,
Deanna

[MNNative]

Hoagies' Gifted: Schools for the Gifted
This site lists 6 schools in MN but the following schools are the only ones that start as young as you want:
Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet School -St Paul (gr K-8)
Cyprus Classical Montessori Academy -Burnsville (age 2 1/2 - 8)

Have you tried the Dept of Education?
http://education.state.mn.us/mde/Aca...ted%20children

Sorry I can't be of more help. Good luck!

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Family_of_four_mn

Does anyone know of a great school for gifted children in the northern suburbs? It can be public or private. I am looking for one were the majority of the students that attend are gifted. I would need the school to be for children as young as 5 years old and up.

Thanks,
Deanna

A school where the majority of the kids are gifted, and it caters to gifted 5 year olds....hmm, I think you're looking for "homeschool".

[golfgal]

I think if you ask the parents of most 5 year olds, their kids are all gifted so any school near you should work.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by golfgal

I think if you ask the parents of most 5 year olds, their kids are all gifted so any school near you should work.

Thanks for saying that "Gifted"

[sat832]

Well, it's been proven that parents are the best people to identify a gifted child even if you haven't had them formally tested. As a parent of 4 gifted kids, I know what you are talking about and feel bad that others can't understand that a truly gifted child needs a different experience than a regular classroom can provide. One of my children goes to Atheneum in Inver Grove and it's terrific for gifted learners. My 2nd just got pulled from regular school to be homeschooled. Kindergarten was so unstimulating since she's reading, doing 2nd grade math etc. My 2 and 3 year kids are reading and fully independent on the computer so I'm not sure what to do with them yet. I know the regular classroom won't work. We knew our kids were "gifted" even before we had them tested and we were right as I'm sure you are.

I understand how hard it is to find the right school for your kids. They need the right environment else, they'll be so disengaged and unhappy.

I have heard of a school called Lighthouse in Spring Lake Park, that might be close by?

Good luck, you might also try the virtual academy

by the way, maybe "gifted" isn't the best term but it's the one that has stuck and most known so that's what we have to use. Doesn't mean we are trying to brag about our kids. Believe it or not, having a "gifted" child is not always a total gift. Sure it's great they are smart but there's a lot of challenging behaviors that come with it........

Good luck

[kuan]

Four gifted kids? Wow! I wished my kid were smart but I would not know what to do with a gifted kid. I suppose you know that already.

In my whole life I've only encountered one truly gifted kid. Probably because they were all ahead of my class! Actually I was thoroughly impressed with the one guy I knew. He was 14 years old and getting his PhD in Philosophy of Mathematics at UCLA.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by kim825

Well, it's been proven that parents are the best people to identify a gifted child even if you haven't had them formally tested. As a parent of 4 gifted kids, I know what you are talking about and feel bad that others can't understand that a truly gifted child needs a different experience than a regular classroom can provide. One of my children goes to Atheneum in Inver Grove and it's terrific for gifted learners. My 2nd just got pulled from regular school to be homeschooled. Kindergarten was so unstimulating since she's reading, doing 2nd grade math etc. My 2 and 3 year kids are reading and fully independent on the computer so I'm not sure what to do with them yet. I know the regular classroom won't work. We knew our kids were "gifted" even before we had them tested and we were right as I'm sure you are.

I understand how hard it is to find the right school for your kids. They need the right environment else, they'll be so disengaged and unhappy.

I have heard of a school called Lighthouse in Spring Lake Park, that might be close by?

Good luck, you might also try the virtual academy

by the way, maybe "gifted" isn't the best term but it's the one that has stuck and most known so that's what we have to use. Doesn't mean we are trying to brag about our kids. Believe it or not, having a "gifted" child is not always a total gift. Sure it's great they are smart but there's a lot of challenging behaviors that come with it........

Good luck

See, this is exactly what I was eluding to, everyone with a child that reads a couple grades above thinks their child is gifted. They are good students but that doesn't make them gifted. Our kids were reading WELL above grade level and still do-our 8th graders test out at college level, are they gifted, no, they are smart kids and good students. Like Kuan said, a TRULY gifted student is VERY rare. There are a lot of bright kids but using a computer at 3 doesn't make them gifted, it makes them normal. Our DS was "independent" on the computer by age 2, so what.

Isn't that school in IGH in all kinds of trouble with the dept of Ed? Seems to me they are... .

[sat832]

Originally Posted by golfgal

See, this is exactly what I was eluding to, everyone with a child that reads a couple grades above thinks their child is gifted. They are good students but that doesn't make them gifted. Our kids were reading WELL above grade level and still do-our 8th graders test out at college level, are they gifted, no, they are smart kids and good students. Like Kuan said, a TRULY gifted student is VERY rare. There are a lot of bright kids but using a computer at 3 doesn't make them gifted, it makes them normal. Our DS was "independent" on the computer by age 2, so what.

Isn't that school in IGH in all kinds of trouble with the dept of Ed? Seems to me they are... .

So does IQ evidence of all four of my children count as them being gifted????? I should have mentioned in my last post that ALL four of my children have been tested with the appropriate IQ tests used by the schools and all four test in the exceptionally to profoundly gifted range (IQ 160+.) I don't like to post this info because I don't want to come off as "bragging" or something but your uninformed response gave me no choice. I'm sorry that your kids do not have the IQ tests to show they are "gifted" but mine all do. They were all tested by a nationally known expert and we've done numerous evaluations because they were so far beyond the norm. I know the difference between a highly achieving bright student and a "gifted" one. I've done hundreds of hours of research, education, etc. trying to understand them better and figure out why they dont' fit well with age peers.

I know that many kids, "high achievers", can read well above grade level, I know that happens quite frequently. My kids are beyond that and they are all gifted. When my youngest could identify all of his upper and lower case letters at 13mths without formal teaching, I knew something was up. He's just turned 3 and has pretty much an unlimited vocabulary. Whether you want to believe "mom" or not, I know my kids and I know the differences they deal with by being "gifted."

By the way, NO the school I'm referring to in IGH has never had a problem with the dept. of ed. It's part of their regular district and not a charter. I think you are referring to a charter school. There are several gifted magnet schools in the metro because there is a great need. Especially with stupid mandates like "no child left behind" forcing schools to focus on the bottom tier of students.

If you are any sort of responsible moderator, I think an apology is in order. I also believe that your tone toward the orginal poster was very rude and assuming on your part. Why can't someone come here looking for help without being attacked?

[sat832]

Originally Posted by kuan

Four gifted kids? Wow! I wished my kid were smart but I would not know what to do with a gifted kid. I suppose you know that already.

In my whole life I've only encountered one truly gifted kid. Probably because they were all ahead of my class! Actually I was thoroughly impressed with the one guy I knew. He was 14 years old and getting his PhD in Philosophy of Mathematics at UCLA.

Yet another rude post, Yes, four gifted kids....... Obviously you have no idea what the definition of "gifted" is or you are using some very limited definition.

And, I have NO idea what to do with my kids, every year we have to re-evaluate their educational setting and needs. We worry about peer relationships, etc. It's not a "dream come true" for a parent like you must think I'm pretending.

Do some research before you rudely post, you have no idea what a "gifted child" is.