PWC Gifted Education (Woodbridge: credit, middle school, college)

[ReloEast]

We will be relocating to the DC area, and due to traffic/congestion and affordability, we are considering moving to the Bristow area. We have a child in the Gifted program in the elementary school in the state where we currently live, and we are interested in learning more about the Gifted program for Prince William County schools.

For instance:

Is the program well structured? Well funded? Well administered?

If you have first-hand experience or knowledge of the program, has it met the needs of the gifted student?

Our gifted child also has ADHD. Does the Gifted program accommodate and serve children with learning differences?

Any other insights you could provide would be very appreciated.

Thank you.

[ibecowtippin]

Our kiddo has been in PWC gift program since he was in the 4th grade.

Over all, it has been a good experience for him. Although we have hit the high school years now and he is more interested in a social life than grades...

Our kiddo was also ADHD and was on meds started in third grade (he was on two meds a day, more hard core than ridalin). He is off them now though. We did a little experiement went he went into middle school in the 6th grade through the 8th grade. He had the opportunity to take same gender classes in middle school. They taught the boys in a more hands on environment with limited time sitting at the desk doing things. Everything was hands on. So the summer before he started the program, we gradly removed him from the medication, much to the oposed opinion of his ADHD doctor.

You know what, his grades actually improved over the three years being off the meds. By the end of his 8th grade year, he was A/B honor roll, and then we filled in the administration of the school he was attending (Woodbridge Middle). They were excited about the results of our "blind" experiement, as none of the teachers knew he was on meds or needed them.

His is now in the International Bacclorette program in high school. Grade wise, he went from being an A/B honor student to a C average student, with some Ds thrown in there. Its not a problem with the school what so ever. He's gotten caught up in the popularity thing and just doesn't want to do homework and turn it in. Not much the school can do about that one. We have met with his high school teachers a few times and they all remark how enjoyable of a student he is to have and how he paticipates in class and is a leader, but he just doesn't do the work and turn it in for credit. But when he tests on the SOL standard exams, he scores perfect, or close to perfect on each section. Yeah, we tried taking away everything from him and ground him from everything but the results haven't produced any better grades. We are chalking it up to one of those that will go through high school and get by, probably go into the military, and then do college later in life when he matures.

But overall, the schools gifted programs have been excellent and supportive. They do challenge him, probably more than he wants to be, but for someone that wants the opportunity to excell, it is an excellent program.

[ReloEast]

ibecowtippin -- Thank you for your helpful reply. I'm intrigued by the same-gender classes in Middle School. Do you know if those options might still be available, and in what schools?

[ibecowtippin]

Relo,

The only school that it was conducted at was Woodbridge Middle. We were lucky and already in the district for that school.

More information and news clips from CNN can be found on their homepage. Woodbridge Middle School - Start Page

We are happy that we did go that route. The only thing that we hate, is they didn't offer it in high school, which we felt would continue to benefit our kid.