Gifted program in NW suburb (Barrington: homes, transfer, school district)

[gramirez2012]

Originally Posted by Pebbles81

I guess my question with regards to the Barrington gifted program is whether it is still up and running as described? A lot of the suburbs seem to be cutting or planning to cut the gifted, enrichment options.

Does anyone have any information on what's going on with Barrington's gifted program? If I could pick a parents' brain about this, I would so appreciate it.

AFAIK the gifted program at Barrington schools begins around 2nd or 3rd grade. I don't know what preschool/kindergarten options there are, other than that they just opened a new "Early Learning Center".

[Pebbles81]

What is the Early learning center?

[gramirez2012]

Originally Posted by Pebbles81

What is the Early learning center?

Pre-School/Pre-Kindergarten

[chicagojlo]

If you are in Oak Park you might consider the CPS gifted programs, I'm not sure the busing goes out that far but you can check on the CPS site.

[nmtinx]

[SIZE=3]Thank you for all your responses in the past. Eventually I moved to Palatine couple years ago since I could not find the house I wanted in Barrington area at that time. My kid currently is taking two to four grade above his grade level for math and reading. He scored 99% percentile for all categories in MAP and CogAT (profile 9A). However, school provides very limited support for potential children until 3rd grade but it is no guarantee you can get in. I totally agree the ‘no children left behind policy’ leave gifted children behind since I can see the teacher pretty much focus on kids who are behind and set the bar pretty low and make sure the kids meet the minimum standard. If the kids are above their level, they are pretty much on their own. I feel school is wasting their time and potential. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]My kid is taking the enrichment program running by Northwestern at Quest every Saturday more than a year ago. I found most school can’t provide what exactly potential children need and extracurricular supplement is necessary to keep my kid challenged and stimulated. I am just curious how good the Hough street gifted program is. I won’t rule out to move again if my boy can’t get in the gifted program next year or the gifted program doesn’t provide what my kid needs. [/SIZE]

Originally Posted by GoCUBS1

Agree... IMO, this is one of the most well-regarded gifted schools in the state (if not the country). I have children at this school and researched it thoroughly B4 moving to Barrington. Admittance to this program typically requires top 1/2% - 1% on natl. achievement in Math and/or Verbal composite scores on Cogat, WISC-R and sometimes MAPS (assessment) testing as well as interviews by psychologists. Rather than testing skills like multiplication/division, the IQ tests focus on assessing learning aptitude and assess abstract, verbal and spatial reasoning abilities.

I also researched/toured Science & Arts Academy (SAA), Avery Coonley and Quest (as well as Da Vinci and Einstein Academies in Elgin). IMO, if you reside in Barrington and your child qualifies for Hough, it is a superior (and free) program to the private schools. However, the private schools will still accept kids who are in the top 5-10% in testing (usually ANY 1 IQ or assessment test is accepted) and whose parents can afford the $15K+ price tag. Kids who wouldn't qualify for their district's gifted program (or who reside in a district without a good gifted program) may still qualify for these private schools.

Of the private gifted schools mentioned, I'd recommend SAA as, when I researched it, it enabled the most differentiated/accelerated instructional plan for each child. At the time, children were in mixed, multi-age classes for all subjects except social studies. I was also impressed by the founder and teachers who are very active in Natl. Gifted Foundations and continuing education.

My kids have also been involved in the Northwestern Center for Talent Summer programs which are excellent.

p.s. Want to add that, in each Barrington school, there is also a daily pull-out gifted Math AND Reading program starting in 2nd/3rd grade. Each elementary school has a specialized gifted teacher (and separate gifted classroom) for these classes which usually contain 7 to 15 students. Kids who are in the top 5% on testing (Cogat, MAPS) and receive teacher recommendation qualify for the pull-out programs. IMO this is also an excellent program. Both the Hough self-contained program and the elementary school pull-out Math and Reading programs (which are 2 to 4 years ahead of grade curriculum) prepare students to enter the same advanced/honors program in the middle schools which feed into the High School AP programs. Barrington H.S. has a high number (compared to other Il schools) of AP courses as well as both a Traditional and Theoretical AP Math track that addresses highly gifted math students.

Since I've had kids in these Barrington gifted programs, I'd be happy to answer any other questions you may have on this...

[GoCUBS1]

I no longer have kids at Hough school but can still comment on the D220 gifted programs. BTW, I believe the Early Learning Center addresses other special needs (e.g. autism, LD, etc.) in pre-K children, and does not include any gifted services.

The latest Barrington school budget cut a few of the gifted (Extended) services. All the gifted budget cuts should be listed on the Barrington 220 school board website. E.g. 3rd graders now receive fewer pull-out days; 5th graders are no longer sent to middle school for gifted math classes. There were some additional cuts, but the core pull-out and self-contained gifted programs still exist. Self-contained program is 3rd - 5th grade. Pull-out is 3/day Math and 2/day Reading for 3rd grade and daily Math and/or daily Reading for 4th - 5th graders.

In middle school, there is an "Extended" team program ("E" team) for gifted Reading/Language as well as Extended Math, Extended Art, and an Extended Science starting in 7th grade. Admittance is based on CogAT score (or portfolio for Art).

All I can say is that this district LOVES the CogAT test. That is the king of all tests for getting into their gifted programs. My kids also scored above 99% in MAP and ISAT testing, but that didn't matter as only their CogAT score was used for gifted identification.

I have a child who is identified as highly gifted (above 99.99% CogAT and in self-contained Extended program) and also a child identified "borderline" gifted for this district (above 95% CogAT and in Honors programs). My Honors child could probably place in gifted programs in most other districts, but Barrington's kids test very high and he did not make the cutoff. His Honors classes are still probably 1-2 years accelerated and the perfect fit for him academically and socially. Also, the Honors path still allows him access to the highest level AP courses offered in the district (e.g. AP Calculus, AP Physics, etc.).

My other child just thinks differently and is very self-directed in his learning. He also learns very quickly and remembers everything. I think he may have a photographic memory. He is a good fit for the Extended program which requires a lot of independence and self-direction. The Extended self-contained program is accelerated, but they also teach in a different way to a different type of student. There are both plusses and minuses to this approach.

[GoCUBS1]

Originally Posted by nmtinx

I am just curious how good the Hough street gifted program is. I won’t rule out to move again if my boy can’t get in the gifted program next year or the gifted program doesn’t provide what my kid needs. [/SIZE][/font]

PM me if you have specific questions about this...

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by nmtinx

[SIZE=3]Thank you for all your responses in the past. Eventually I moved to Palatine couple years ago since I could not find the house I wanted in Barrington area at that time. My kid currently is taking two to four grade above his grade level for math and reading. He scored 99% percentile for all categories in MAP and CogAT (profile 9A). However, school provides very limited support for potential children until 3rd grade but it is no guarantee you can get in. I totally agree the ‘no children left behind policy’ leave gifted children behind since I can see the teacher pretty much focus on kids who are behind and set the bar pretty low and make sure the kids meet the minimum standard. If the kids are above their level, they are pretty much on their own. I feel school is wasting their time and potential. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]My kid is taking the enrichment program running by Northwestern at Quest every Saturday more than a year ago. I found most school can’t provide what exactly potential children need and extracurricular supplement is necessary to keep my kid challenged and stimulated. I am just curious how good the Hough street gifted program is. I won’t rule out to move again if my boy can’t get in the gifted program next year or the gifted program doesn’t provide what my kid needs. [/SIZE]

Exactly! Teaching down to the test. And it is a shame because in smaller districts where the same grades are taught in one building, they could have a higher achieving class separated from the normal achievers and teach to their capability instead of below their capability. But until enough parents start getting involved, attending school board meetings and demanding changes, it will stay the same. And don't get me started on Chicago-Everyday math! Biggest bunch of nonsenese; "Gee, lets teach kids abstract concepts and 4 ways to solve a problem before they have the basics down let alone understand ONE way to solve the problem"

[GoCUBS1]

Originally Posted by nmtinx

[font=Arial][SIZE=3]However, school provides very limited support for potential children until 3rd grade but it is no guarantee you can get in. I totally agree the ‘no children left behind policy’ leave gifted children behind since I can see the teacher pretty much focus on kids who are behind and set the bar pretty low and make sure the kids meet the minimum standard. If the kids are above their level, they are pretty much on their own. I feel school is wasting their time and potential.

I do want to add that, though gifted classes officially start in 3rd grade, there is some in-class gifted/differentiated instruction for K-2 kids in D220. However, I think the level of gifted differentiation depends on the school and, primarily, it depends on the teacher. One of my complaints about this district would be that, IMO, there is an inconsistent district approach to how K-2 gifted students are identified/instructed.

We've had 1st/2nd grade teachers who have given my child a completely separate gifted curriculum. They were amazing teachers basically providing a 1:1 custom curriculum for each child depending on abilities (they used more of a Montessori approach). I felt like we won the teacher lottery with these teachers. We also had a teacher who, quite obviously, focused on the lowest performers in class and told me my son was "doing fine" so would not get any advanced work. That is the year I pulled my son out of her class and homeschooled him through Northwestern's online gifted program (I have a thread on the Education forum about this).

The problem is teacher assignments can be a roll of the dice, so I advise parents to advocate for their kids. E.g. Make a teacher request to the principal/teachers if you feel your child needs differentiated/gifted instruction in K-2 and stay informed. Since Illinois schools do not require IEP's for gifted needs, the gifted child's best (and often only) advocate is the parent.

[gramirez2012]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

And don't get me started on Chicago-Everyday math! Biggest bunch of nonsenese; "Gee, lets teach kids abstract concepts and 4 ways to solve a problem before they have the basics down let alone understand ONE way to solve the problem"

At least one elementary school in D220 used Everyday Math, or at least they did several years ago. Holy crap that stuff was BAD! I can't believe that actually allow that nonsense in the schools. And they wonder why kids are so bad at math..