Anonymous wrote:OP, don't rely solely on a gifted resources teacher. Unfortunately, even the one that was well meaning and seemed to show interest to us a while back was unable to execute because of a variety of limiting factors, both personal and systemic, which left us even more disappointed and several years in the hole of lost development. If you get the support you need at school that's great but try involving your kid and yourself in activities that actual gifted kids participate in such as Odyssey of the Mind, FIRST or VEX robotic competitions, Math or Science Olympiad, competitive chess, certain individual sports, etc. I would add orchestra/band but unfortunately they don't seem to be very good or serious in Arlington. A lot of development your kid will get depends on the support and friendly competition of the peer group around them. With that in mind, join or organize teams/orgs that are merit and success driven and avoid those that have gone down the equity/inclusion rabbit hole since the reason you're asking this in the first place is because of misguided policies (first inclusion, later equity) at school. If your school has that unicorn PTA president that cares about the high end of educating our kids, maybe you can ask them for money to help start one of these activities at school.

Anonymous wrote:It's a crock of sh*t. It was all political at my kids' elementary school. Parent push. Donations. Lobbying for it, etc. My kid had teachers advocating for his placement, scored super high on CogaT, etc. and basically told there was no space. Space was taken by kids put in there at 5-6 years old in Kindergarten.

Meanwhile, my now Senior scored a first try 36 ACT, 5s on all of his APs, straight As at a tough private and has had 4 top 10 college acceptances.

What is funny--is a letter came from APS at the end of 8th grade saying he qualified for GT in all subjects----just as he was out the door.

Anonymous wrote:OP, don't rely solely on a gifted resources teacher. Unfortunately, even the one that was well meaning and seemed to show interest to us a while back was unable to execute because of a variety of limiting factors, both personal and systemic, which left us even more disappointed and several years in the hole of lost development. If you get the support you need at school that's great but try involving your kid and yourself in activities that actual gifted kids participate in such as Odyssey of the Mind, FIRST or VEX robotic competitions, Math or Science Olympiad, competitive chess, certain individual sports, etc. I would add orchestra/band but unfortunately they don't seem to be very good or serious in Arlington. A lot of development your kid will get depends on the support and friendly competition of the peer group around them. With that in mind, join or organize teams/orgs that are merit and success driven and avoid those that have gone down the equity/inclusion rabbit hole since the reason you're asking this in the first place is because of misguided policies (first inclusion, later equity) at school. If your school has that unicorn PTA president that cares about the high end of educating our kids, maybe you can ask them for money to help start one of these activities at school.