How do late birthday kids do in school? (Fairfax County)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an October kid who started K- DC is reading at 2nd grade - math at 1st grade (not sure about this one- could be more- the reading was assessed).. but there are a lot of skills learned at K and social aspects.. we had no choice due to bday that dc would be turning 6 shortly after entering k but it'll work out- if this above grade level performance remains- then dc will be in whatever the program for advanced kids will be in 2nd grade (or 3rd? not sure since we're not there yet).

We did consider private due to concerns like OP and frankly it seems like the curriculum is the same at this level- there is no compelling reason to go private .. every school differentiates at most for K.. which our public school does and I know dc is in a group of advanced readers (dc told me but teacher told me dc was one of 4 that are reading books).

Basically, I wouldn't worry about it - dc is advancing outside of school but that's what dc did in preschool too.. just really curious.. must be dh's genes since dc has that jeopardy like skills that i hope for dc's sake stay.. we'll see..

Op here, yes exactly, thanks for sharing. I keep hearing about going private to transfer into public 1st but we haven't decided.

OP- pp here- you'll do your own conclusion but private wasn't that advanced at K level that we just dropped everything- to put dc there for some advantage- plus if you read the boards a bit- some kids start off really strong and then can fall back to middle of the pack. My DC is at 2nd grade or so (for a K) but I'm not counting on this being the norm- who knows. If you are concerned about being bored etc.- why not supplement with a program like e.nopi or kumon (we do enopi- long story but we got a discount and we had the summer to try it= dc loves it and actually the teacher did say that dc might get bored in k- i really wouldn't say it as bored- it's more challenged.. but again, they do a lot of things in K that are well worth it- consider what we did- that's it.. We were there a year ago and I went so many school tours but the PS teachers summarized it best- dc is advanced but dc's ES was very good- no need to go private given curriculum differences and that we could always go private anytime- so far, i think it's working really well- the half mondays gives us time to add other things to do).

OP here, I am so glad to hear feedback on this, I have been scheduling tour after tour and with my english not being great, it is so stressful. You are the first to suggest enopi/kumon, what a great idea that I never thought of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I'd guess that every single child in your FCPS K class will have done preschool fro more than one year before entering K. Our FCPS K has 125+ kindergarteners most can recognize most numbers/letters and some are reading chapter books. There's a very wide range. Your DD will likely be tested for her reading level and given books at her level. It's really what the schools deal with every day.
But from your original post, I don't know what either of these means: "puts her back a year" or "the kids who start a year after".

OP here, sorry my english is not the best, how can I explain better? Maybe see PP posts.

[Anonymous]

Even if your child has had what you *think* will be the entire kindergarten curriculum prior to entering kindergarten, your child will not wilt and die. S/he will be maturing in ways that are not part of the curriculum and there will be social advances and challenges and creative thinking opportunities.

I seriously do NOT understand the preoccupation in this area with the possibility of kids being BORED!

Life IS boring. Deal with it. Didn't most of us have REALLY boring summers? Did we fall apart? No. It gave us time to think. I know a guy who was valdictorian of a large engineering college. He went to elementary and HS with me. We never had such a thing as Talented and Gifted programs or AP. HOW on earth did he survive, you ask?! Clearly he is/was smarter than pretty much all the other kids. But, really, he did survive and went on to college and a PhD in engineering. Let your kids be bored a little. It won't kill them or their love of learning. It's not the end of all that is good and right.

[Anonymous]

But from your original post, I don't know what either of these means: "puts her back a year" or "the kids who start a year after".

I also have no idea what this means. I have read the entire thread and still am struggling to figure out what OP is talking about.

OP, how advanced to you think your child is? How old is s/he now?

What would be an ideal birthday for you, if you think December is "late?" (This is a serious question because December sounds perfectly fine to me and it's not very close to the cutoff.)

I have kids with birthdays both right before and right after the school cutoffs (I am talking just a couple of weeks, not 3 months) and we have done just fine both ways. My kids are in the AAP Center, love school, and are doing great with stellar grades.

I would rethink signing up for Kumon or some such program. If you child is in school full-day, do you really want their free time to be, essentially, more school? I don't. I want my kids to be playing outside with friends, practicing their instruments, going to sports practices, reading for pleasure. Not sitting in another classroom environment doing more academic work with an instructor after they just spent 8 hours in elementary school. I have been to places like Score and Kumon and always viewed it as remedial rather than enrichment. The kids I knew who were going there were behind in reading or something and trying to get up to grade level.

Finally, reading early or above grade level does not mean your child is gifted or will be above grade level in other areas, nor does the ability to read upon entering kindergarten mean your child will be "bored" with the entire kindergarten curriculum.

I can't imagine choosing private school for the sole reason that my child's birthday is in December - I just don't understand that at all.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think you have nothing to worry about. With a December birthday, your DD will be well placed in any FCPS kindergarten. You can't worry too much about what friends tell you.

[Anonymous]

I'll just echo the previous posters. My DC has a December birthday, went to FCPS K on the appropriate schedule (not "red-shirted") and was already reading and doing math. DC is now in a FCPS 2nd grade class and doing beautifully, and in reading and math groups with others that are academic peers. (DC is reading way above grade level and is doing above grade level math in these groups, by the way.)

Why go to private just because a child was born in December?

[Anonymous]

Op here, let me see if I can reword. I am speaking of the difference in school cutoff. In a district where Dec. 31 cutoff all kids from a birth year would be starting at the same year vs Sept. 30 where Oct, Nov, Dec start a year after. Based on my understanding parents who want to avoid this start with private kindergarten and test in later for 1st grade or transfer their children. It is sometimes allowed. The other option I have heard is to do a junior k class due to the extra year. For instance if you want your 2007 child in with other 2007 children instead of the oldest in a 2008 childrens class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here, let me see if I can reword. I am speaking of the difference in school cutoff. In a district where Dec. 31 cutoff all kids from a birth year would be starting at the same year vs Sept. 30 where Oct, Nov, Dec start a year after. Based on my understanding parents who want to avoid this start with private kindergarten and test in later for 1st grade or transfer their children. It is sometimes allowed. The other option I have heard is to do a junior k class due to the extra year. For instance if you want your 2007 child in with other 2007 children instead of the oldest in a 2008 childrens class.

I have heard about this for October birthdays, but never for a December birthday. (And I mean NEVER for a December birthday.)

Here's a thread on it for an October birthday:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/75818.page

[Anonymous]

If you're in FCPS, just send DD on time and she'll be fine among similarly-aged peers of similar reading ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're in FCPS, just send DD on time and she'll be fine among similarly-aged peers of similar reading ability.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here, my question is not about age as DD will be one of the older children ( she will be 6, 3 months after school starts). My question is regarding how do children who have covered the kindergarten material from doing the preschool program for more than one year do during their kindergarten year?

My son who just started K just missed the cutoff (he has an Oct. birthday).

Doesn't your DD's preschool have a pre-K alternative so she won't "repeat" a year of preschool? I don't get what your concerns are? That your darling daughter is so super smart that she will be bored and ahead of all her classmates?

I'm trying not to roll my eyes, but considering how many times we here this crap on DCUM, trust us when we say that your child won't get bored and will be just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here, let me see if I can reword. I am speaking of the difference in school cutoff. In a district where Dec. 31 cutoff all kids from a birth year would be starting at the same year vs Sept. 30 where Oct, Nov, Dec start a year after. Based on my understanding parents who want to avoid this start with private kindergarten and test in later for 1st grade or transfer their children. It is sometimes allowed. The other option I have heard is to do a junior k class due to the extra year. For instance if you want your 2007 child in with other 2007 children instead of the oldest in a 2008 childrens class.

So you'd prefer that your child be the youngest in her class and not the oldest?

And no - you won't get much success putting your Dec. child into private K and then transferring to first grade. Based on what the school sends home, my son's class (out of a class of 25 kids) had 5 kids turn 6 in October. That is a good 20%. Add in the kids who will turn 6 in Nov. and Dec., you are talking about almost half the class.

I don't know where you are getting the notion, OP, that your daughter will be one of the oldest in her class...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here, my question is not about age as DD will be one of the older children ( she will be 6, 3 months after school starts). My question is regarding how do children who have covered the kindergarten material from doing the preschool program for more than one year do during their kindergarten year?

My son who just started K just missed the cutoff (he has an Oct. birthday).

Doesn't your DD's preschool have a pre-K alternative so she won't "repeat" a year of preschool? I don't get what your concerns are? That your darling daughter is so super smart that she will be bored and ahead of all her classmates?

I'm trying not to roll my eyes, but considering how many times we here this crap on DCUM, trust us when we say that your child won't get bored and will be just fine.

Op here, right now there isn't so I have been touring the transition programs. By bored I mean behavior concerns due to boredom. Acting out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here, let me see if I can reword. I am speaking of the difference in school cutoff. In a district where Dec. 31 cutoff all kids from a birth year would be starting at the same year vs Sept. 30 where Oct, Nov, Dec start a year after. Based on my understanding parents who want to avoid this start with private kindergarten and test in later for 1st grade or transfer their children. It is sometimes allowed. The other option I have heard is to do a junior k class due to the extra year. For instance if you want your 2007 child in with other 2007 children instead of the oldest in a 2008 childrens class.

So you'd prefer that your child be the youngest in her class and not the oldest?

And no - you won't get much success putting your Dec. child into private K and then transferring to first grade. Based on what the school sends home, my son's class (out of a class of 25 kids) had 5 kids turn 6 in October. That is a good 20%. Add in the kids who will turn 6 in Nov. and Dec., you are talking about almost half the class.

I don't know where you are getting the notion, OP, that your daughter will be one of the oldest in her class...

Op here, I am concerned on both sides. I have peers whose children struggled with being older and developmentally matured earlier than younger students with being an older 6 in a room of 5's going on 6 and vice versa with younger 5. I am simply seeking advice on this as I grew up in a December 31 cutoff district and am new to September cutoffs. This is my oldest dc so I am new to this all.

[Anonymous]

Very few US states have 31 December cutoffs. California is the only one I can think of off the top of my head. Research has shown that children who turn five before they begin K do better overall. That is why so many states over the past couple of decades have changed over to cutoff dates in September.

The curriculum is aimed at children who have turned five in the twelve months prior to 30 September, so your December birthday child really should be fine.
I wouldn't worry about her repeating material. She will be a year older than she was the first time she covered it and thus, will have a different perspective on it simply because she will have gained a year's maturity. Also, a different teacher will cover the curriculum in a slightly different way. Even having a a different group of classmates will create differences in the way the material is gone over. Many times there is something new to learn even in a topic that has been covered before.