School monthly parent principal meeting

[Anonymous]

I have been attending monthly parent school meeting listening to PTA & principal talking about what they are doing on preventing chronic absences, racial discrimination, school improvement, fundraising , bullying and focus group helping kids that are falling behind on math & ELA in ES. All they talk is about catch up, but there's none talking about challenging or helping kid that is advanced to stay interested. I am chicken to raise the topic to ask principal about it because it is all about equality & close gap to help kids falling behind. I have 1 gifted child & 1 learning disability child.

Is it normal that school principal just wants to clise the gap for kids falling behind to catch up on the benchmark in othet elementary school? Will things change direction when they are in MS or HS?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like your mind is made up, and you've decided it is "all about equality and close the gap."

I don't know what you are expecting from this board, if that's already your perspective.

If you have a question about how the school meets the needs of advanced learners, put on your big girl boots and ask it. If you just want to complain, that's fine too, but don't put it in the guise of "just asking a question."

[Anonymous]

In elementary school, it's been my experience that more of the differentiated learning that meets the needs of advanced learners kicks in during 4th grade. Many elementary schools offer, starting in 4th, tiered learning for math and language arts. In math, some kids are placed in "compacted math," which generally moves faster and covers 4th, 5th, and 6th grade math over two years of 4th and 5th grades. In language arts, some elementary schools offer "Enriched Literacy Curriculum" or ELC for students needing more of a challenge. You should ask if your school offers those. Otherwise, teachers can't fairly be expected to teach multiple levels of math/language arts to one classroom, so you are likely to receive extra worksheets or optional books to read for supplementation. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Meeting the needs of advanced kids is an equity issue.

Those who can afford to will supplement. This who can’t won’t have their needs met.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been attending monthly parent school meeting listening to PTA & principal talking about what they are doing on preventing chronic absences, racial discrimination, school improvement, fundraising , bullying and focus group helping kids that are falling behind on math & ELA in ES. All they talk is about catch up, but there's none talking about challenging or helping kid that is advanced to stay interested. I am chicken to raise the topic to ask principal about it because it is all about equality & close gap to help kids falling behind. I have 1 gifted child & 1 learning disability child.

Is it normal that school principal just wants to clise the gap for kids falling behind to catch up on the benchmark in othet elementary school? Will things change direction when they are in MS or HS?

Exactly. Schools do not do enough for those needing challenges!!!

[Anonymous]

I mean, "not talking at parent meetings about what the school does to challenge advanced learners" and "the school not doing anything to challenge advanced learners" are two totally different things. They can both be true, but the fact that it hasn't shown up on PTA agendas doesn't mean it's not happening.

(At our ES I'm pretty sure it's been mentioned only once at our monthly meetings over the last 3 years, but there's definitely plenty of enrichment happening.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, "not talking at parent meetings about what the school does to challenge advanced learners" and "the school not doing anything to challenge advanced learners" are two totally different things. They can both be true, but the fact that it hasn't shown up on PTA agendas doesn't mean it's not happening.

(At our ES I'm pretty sure it's been mentioned only once at our monthly meetings over the last 3 years, but there's definitely plenty of enrichment happening.)

That part ☝🏼