I would like DS to turn down HGC. Husband thinks I'm crazy!
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Anonymous
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I feel for you. Our child is in an HGC program that happens to be at our home school. It's been lovely and she has a terrific peer group.
Having said that, I don't think we would have moved her from a different school since she is the type who loves consistency and had many friends to begin with. I will not be applying to a magnet middle school so she will not be further disrupted. Frankly, our school and others nearby have many students who would qualify for an HGC-like program in most other parts of the state/country. There are simply many bright kids around here and therefore, your child can find a bright like-minded peer group at all of our local schools. Good luck coming to a decision together. |
Anonymous
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Have one who is currently at HGC and one in middle school who turned down HGC to stay with friends and in good school.
The one who turned it down did end up getting into the middle school magnet. Overall, I think it was the right decision. I do cringe now at his study habits. He's a complete procrastinator. I wonder if he would have built better study habits by going to HGC. Other than that, though, he's had no negative impact by not going to the HGC. The one who is at the HGC LOVES it. He talks more about kids at school than ever before. Whatever you decide, it will all work out. |
Anonymous
| what is HGC? |
Anonymous
Agree with all of the above. DS didn't get in, and was on the fence anyway, but I would have accepted on his behalf and we would have thought all summer about it. Please don't close a door for your child! |
Anonymous
Highly Gifted Center-- you have to test in and get recommendations from your home school. There are not enough spots to accommodate all of the highly gifted children in MCPS. Maybe it should be called The Most Highly Gifted of the Highly Gifted Center. That was a joke by the way. |
Anonymous
MCPS highly gifted centers: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/specialprograms/elementary/highly-gifted-centers.aspx There are spots for roughly 2-3% of MCPS 4th and 5th grade students. (Private school students can apply and get in, but I'm comparing the number of center 4th grade spots to the number of 3rd graders in MCPS.) |
Anonymous
You know what a magnet school program is, right? You can think of it as an Elementary Magnet School for 4th and 5th grade. Though in MCPS lingo it is called HGC. There are magnet middle school programs and magnet high school programs as well. Read, research and then welcome to the cuckoo's nest!! |
Anonymous
Ok , so for all the kids who did not go or did not get I. Do u think a door was closed for them? Lots of kids do not do HGC and do great in life. |
Anonymous
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Let him stay in his home school where he will be happy with his friends. In ten years your decision won't mean squat.
He only gets to be a kid once. |
Anonymous
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I'm new to the area so can't comment on this program, but want to say I was in a similar situation on the west coast where one of my kids got into a different school.
That school was a long drive. I remember one day after school, we were all in our garden, puttering around for a long time, and me looking at my watch and thinking, "Wow, if DD were going to that school, she would not even be getting home until now." And I thought, this is so not-what-I -want-for-my-kid. The other piece was that I, like you, thought my DD was smart, but no genius, and her sib was similarly smart but not as lucky and didn't get a spot. I didn't like the idea of having one kid going to one school and one the other school--I felt it would internalize their roles--the smart one, and the "other" one… So I just wanted to add those two thoughts to the mix. Maybe both schools are equidistant. But if one's a much longer slog, then I agree with PP in let your kid be a kid. |
Anonymous
I'm a PP whose child grudgingly moved from much-loved old school to LOVES SO MUCH MORE (!!!) new school for gifted program. He didn't want to go and give up his friends. He is SO happy here and tells me how much more he likes it. He is most certainly still being a kid. A very happy, building close friendships, found-the-right-spot kid. |
Anonymous
+1 RE the above closing a door comment, I think it is in relation to the program - not to life generally. I would send him, no question. |
Anonymous
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Bottom
Line is that every kid is different, each family is different and has different needs. You have to do what works for your particular situation, regardless of what your neighbors are doing. A program can be great for you, but not a goid fot for little Johnny. it is sooooo subjective. In 20 yrs you want to know that you made a decision that worked for YOU and YOUR KID. |
Anonymous
| Everyone's priorities are different, and I don't think there's a "wrong" decision. With that said, I agree with some PPs that recommend trying the HGC with the option that you can always switch back if it's not a positive environment. It doesn't have to be a permanent choice. You have nothing to lose by trying a program that provides great academics, and I think most kids are resilient and will make new friends fairly easily after the initial transition, especially in a situation like an HGC where there's a lot of new kids. My first inclination wouldn't be to have friends drive academics since your child can still have playdates and keep in touch with the old friends; however, I do think school should be a positive experience and if he still wants to go to his old school after a year it would be easy to switch back. |
Anonymous
| i think it is crazy to turn it down. |