I think your child might thrive at a progressive school like Green Acres provided there are no behavioral issues. I looked at it for my son when he started struggling in school in 2nd grade. He is 2E though he didn’t have that designation at the time. The kids are encouraged to move throughout the day and classes are lively and engaging. To an outside observer it might not seem “rigorous” but my son went on to a strong MCPS HS where he took all honors/AP, earned As and was constantly complimented by teachers for his work ethic, participation, writing, etc. He developed excellent writing and critical thinking skills there. We waited to make the switch until 6th for financial reasons and it’s a huge regret of mine. He hated school until we made the move.

Anonymous wrote:Looking for shared personal experiences here:

Our 2nd grader does fine in his regular MCPS classroom. His grades are OK but he's unmotivated and struggles with attention. We decided to complete neuropsych testing for possible ADHD and it turns out he is gifted and likely needs a more dynamic curriculum and a more stimulating classroom environment.

He’s sensitive to change though and has really thrived in his current social setting. I would love to keep him with his neighborhood friends.

Any insight into how to navigate MCPS so that he can reach his full academic potential while staying in a social environment where he is comfortable and happy? Or do we really need to consider private?

Already scheduled time to talk with his teacher but any help/guidance/input from those who have been through something similar would be helpful. TIA!

Said Sooo many parents in this system. Answers people give are "school is for socializing" all we have to say is good luck.

The pandemic bubble has burst for private schools and it’s back to just kids who need small classes in private schools. You won’t get enrichment or tracking until 6th or 7th grade at the earliest. This is due to staffing and the logistics of a private school schedule.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only private which might work is St Andrews.

Could you please elaborate?

You should look in the private school forum for past threads on it. It's a school which has a reputation for being more holistic and working with a variety of different learning styles / kids needs. A friend of my DD went there when MCPS became too much for her. She was a top student, talented and had been accepted by one of the advanced magnet programs, so she had no learning difficulties, but just didn't suit the learning styles - fast paced whipping through subjects but rarely engaging with them more deeply.

https://www.saes.org

Anonymous wrote:The only private which might work is St Andrews.

Could you please elaborate?

Anonymous wrote:The curriculum becomes less boring/more rigorous in 3rd grade.

My 3rd grader finds the curriculum too easy. He is tested privately gifted with good scores and IEP. He is definitely going into math advanced class in 4th grade, and I fogot what that is called. For CES lottery, I am told that it will be lottery based even though he has IEP. He is in one of 5 local CES ES, hope that may increase the chance a bit. Is it okay to ask at upcoming parent teacher conference?