Gifted and talented listserv??? (Cary: house, middle school, college)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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Once upon a time I was on a listserv for parents of gifted kids in Wake. I don't know how I fell off but I can no longer find the info. Can anyone help me find it?
What happened is this: we just moved here from NY, we talked to the counselor about differences in curriculum and thought we had her appropriately placed, but today's Algebra class was WAY too easy for her as was her Bio. So now I have to try to get her assessed somehow and I'm a little concerned I'll have to put on my pushy-mom hat.
If anyone who has relocated and been through this has advice, please DM me. She goes to Broughton.
I already emailed the science and math teachers for a start.
Susie, I don't know that the teachers can do much--was she in a gifted program at her previous school? I'd go to Student Services ASAP with her Differentiated Learning records. Here, the middle school did absolutely nothing for my gifted child. i"m homeschooling her at the moment and am actually horrified at her writing (she's got a great writer's "voice" but not much nuts-and-bolts grammar/composition knowledge).
Don't worry about your pushy-mom hat. You'll have to retire it forever when she goes to college, but until she gets there, push away. These schools have over 1000 students and a tiny staff to serve these kids--and if I've learned anything about Wake County, it's "she who screams loudest gets her way" (helps if you have a couple hundred votes in hand).
My suggestion is to give the teacher and your child a little time...it was day 1! Don't be a helicopter parent My grandson who goes to Cary HS said his first day of math was way too easy. He is a B/C (B when he applies himself consistently) student. I have no doubt that his classes will get tougher as time goes on. I have seen some (most) teachers start off light as a refresher and to see where each child is and then they take off and quickly progress to a higher level. Day 1 is way too soon to make a determination.
I'd give it a couple of wks and see how it goes. Then i'd talk with the teacher about her lesson plan, etc.. although I expect you already know this.
I also have concerns about my child but it is too soon to have an opinion. My 8th grader is in Algebra and so I met with her teacher at open house earlier this week. From questioning her about the material they'll cover, how it will be approached, challenges she expects with the curriculum, kids, etc., I discovered that her class will have a mix of kids who took pre-algebra in 7th grade and some kids who didn't - they have been plunked down right away into Algebra I. Some of both sets of kids are there (like my daughter) as the result of the SAS program which identified kids who should be in the class. The challenge for these teachers is to teach to two levels of students as noted above. Additionally, I determined the class size is 31 students...a huge # for any teacher! And they don't have enough books! To compound this, teacher assistants have been removed from many classrooms, including this one. So, I will take the watchful wait approach and give it a little time to see how they all do once they settle into their routine and I can see how my child is progressing. I feel bad for the teacher but she is young, enthusiastic and determined. I want to give her a chance and support her as best I can.
My big concern about our schools is that we are now paying the piper! Cutbacks will affect morale. A teacher has limits, kids may suffer, etc.. I am not sure we will have the concierge service we've had in the past. I think parents are going to find that they can't kick up a fuss and get their kids placed where they want or feel they should be. I don't think we will have enough resources, teachers, etc to get the job done. It might not be evident now, but it won't take time IMO.
Unfortunately in high school you can't really "give it a couple of weeks", you have to get things changed pretty fast if necessary. Sometimes one course change can affect a child's entire schedule and you can't have them switching their whole schedule several weeks into their courses at the high school level. I recommend "kicking up a polite fuss" if you really think it's needed!
ETA: I've never heard of TA's in middle school!
Unfortunately in high school you can't really "give it a couple of weeks", you have to get things changed pretty fast if necessary. Sometimes one course change can affect a child's entire schedule and you can't have them switching their whole schedule several weeks into their courses at the high school level. I recommend "kicking up a polite fuss" if you really think it's needed!
ETA: I've never heard of TA's in middle school!
I threw out a couple of weeks speaking generally and especially for me as I think this is fair to the teacher. I know how schedules can be impacted, and yes, more critical at HS level as you stated. However, my point was/is, it's day 1....give the teacher a break! I have raised an adult child thru wake co and have an 8th grader as well as grandson in 9th...the common theme each year, day 1, week 1....teacher assesses the kids. Does review and usually around week 2 you see them kick it up a notch. In light of the fact that Sue just moved here...I thought she should know that what she sees day 1 may not be what she sees day 7 or so.
As for TA's, yep, I forgot about that. I was going on what the teacher said...31-32 kids and 1 teacher. We discussed cutbacks and the fact that she doesn't have help.
Ok, so in high school, we usually give it till day 2 to start requesting schedule changes! I'm a graduate myself of WCPSS and have a junior in high school and I think it's Important to get schedule changes made ASAP. Things are not the same in high school now as they used to be. They do NOT review for 2 weeks in high school anymore with block schedules. In fact, some barely review at all and missing just a couple of days can be hard to catch up with.
They actually do (or at least did) have TA's in middle school in some of the lower level classes that have kids with IEP's in them. These are mainstream classes but just an extra set of hands to help with the kids that are having a harder time with the concepts.
Maybe they were trying to tell you something, and only the gifted and talented people know how to get to the listserve.
They probably found out my youngest only reads graphic novels!
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My grandson who goes to Cary HS said his first day of math was way too easy. He is a B/C (B when he applies himself consistently) student. I have no doubt that his classes will get tougher as time goes on. I have seen some (most) teachers start off light as a refresher and to see where each child is and then they take off and quickly progress to a higher level. Day 1 is way too soon to make a determination. 
