Is EEK (early entrance to kindergarten) getting harder?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm bumping this thread because we were just denied eek for my daughter with a Sept 4 birthday. She's very bright and her preschool teachers felt she was exceptionally ready. We actually weren't able to test until August and I wonder if the late time frame had anything to do with the unfavorable decision as I'm sure classes are probably already pretty full.

Go private two years. It was the best choice we ever did. Then, transfer in at 2nd grade (they will try to refuse you but can't - we are doing this now). I'm so glad we did the private and went forward.

Who is trying to refuse you and on what grounds? We had zero problems with this last year. We spoke to the admissions people at specific schools as well as MoCo board of education and as I said, there were zero concerns. It was a piece of cake.

The registrar tried and kept coming up with excuses on why I could not enroll and finally allowed. She was just really nasty and tried to say he should not go to 2nd. It was far from a piece of cake. They should not be refusing.

[Anonymous]

That is not MCPS policy. After completing first grade you can go on to 2nd regardless of your birthday.

[Anonymous]

If you read the county policies I am not sure they have to take kids into 2nd grade if not old enough. My friend went through this and was not successful. Sounded like its principal discretion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you read the county policies I am not sure they have to take kids into 2nd grade if not old enough. My friend went through this and was not successful. Sounded like its principal discretion.

No, if you pass 1st, it's automatic. 1st grade is at the discretion. That's why most switch at 2nd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm bumping this thread because we were just denied eek for my daughter with a Sept 4 birthday. She's very bright and her preschool teachers felt she was exceptionally ready. We actually weren't able to test until August and I wonder if the late time frame had anything to do with the unfavorable decision as I'm sure classes are probably already pretty full.

Go private two years. It was the best choice we ever did. Then, transfer in at 2nd grade (they will try to refuse you but can't - we are doing this now). I'm so glad we did the private and went forward.

I think we're going to do this. Are you willing to share which school?

Winchester in Silver Spring. Redwood also might. There are many that just have K but you really need to do K and 1st privately. Then transfer in second.

Thank you! I work near Winchester. Will check it out. I also thought that was the policy - they need to accept you regardless of age, once you've done K and 1st at a private.

[Anonymous]

Why push the child ahead? If a child is lucky enough that academics in school are easy for her, so much the better. Of my three school-age or older kids, two are quite academically advanced and are/were quite happy to be in their chronologically-expected grade in the top group or leveled class with little effort.

All that meant is that they had mental energy and time left to pursue various other interests more fully.

My oldest (now a young adult & recent college graduate) could easily have been advanced one or more years and out of curiosity I just asked her if she would have preferred that. Her perspective was that pushing her to work harder sooner just because she could would have ended up (once she understood what we did and that there were other options) feeling like almost a way of making being smart a negative/punished thing instead of it just being a lucky benefit that she got the top education possible in our public school but never felt as overly pressured as many of her friends did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why push the child ahead? If a child is lucky enough that academics in school are easy for her, so much the better. Of my three school-age or older kids, two are quite academically advanced and are/were quite happy to be in their chronologically-expected grade in the top group or leveled class with little effort.

All that meant is that they had mental energy and time left to pursue various other interests more fully.

My oldest (now a young adult & recent college graduate) could easily have been advanced one or more years and out of curiosity I just asked her if she would have preferred that. Her perspective was that pushing her to work harder sooner just because she could would have ended up (once she understood what we did and that there were other options) feeling like almost a way of making being smart a negative/punished thing instead of it just being a lucky benefit that she got the top education possible in our public school but never felt as overly pressured as many of her friends did.

And, I asked my child and he's much happier being "ahead"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm bumping this thread because we were just denied eek for my daughter with a Sept 4 birthday. She's very bright and her preschool teachers felt she was exceptionally ready. We actually weren't able to test until August and I wonder if the late time frame had anything to do with the unfavorable decision as I'm sure classes are probably already pretty full.

Go private two years. It was the best choice we ever did. Then, transfer in at 2nd grade (they will try to refuse you but can't - we are doing this now). I'm so glad we did the private and went forward.

I think we're going to do this. Are you willing to share which school?

Winchester in Silver Spring. Redwood also might. There are many that just have K but you really need to do K and 1st privately. Then transfer in second.

Thank you! I work near Winchester. Will check it out. I also thought that was the policy - they need to accept you regardless of age, once you've done K and 1st at a private.

Winchester is reasonably priced and have before/after care to make it easy for you. It is the policy, but our school was not particularly warm or welcoming. I think it is just our school.