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06.11.08, 14:39 PM NY Schools
39 replies
I know things are different this year with the horrible new G&T process. But two years ago when I was going through it, I and a bunch of other mothers here decided stick with our zoned school instead. We are in a "decent" but not top zone (PS 261) but find DS is getting a good education and the curriculum is interesting enough to keep him engaged and motivated. Is anyone just sticking with their zone this year? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
NY Schools 06.11.08, 02:39 PM Flag
 

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I had a fantasy about that for our zoned school (165) but our PSD said that every year a group of parents get together and try to make it work, but all end up leaving. I appreciate her honesty. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 02:59 PM Flag
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What would you have done if your child hadn't tested well? Try for a variance? I'm really curious what happens to all the mediocre students in bad districts. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:01 PM Flag
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most have parents who move or pretend to move. they are not as without resources as they behave here. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:03 PM Flag
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OR I would have sent to Catholic school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:26 PM Flag
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private psd's have a different view of things. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:01 PM Flag
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Funny that you say that. I know someone who pulled dd out of 165 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:06 PM Flag
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nope. feel ds needs G&T. highly gifted, and it may be the best we can do to accomodate him. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:00 PM Flag
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we feel similarly. people here will say we just want status or to avoid the non-white kids, but I acually think dc should have a shot at having teachers who are more attuned to helping very smart kids. may not be perfect, but seems better than not trying at all. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:05 PM Flag
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OP: If he's highly gifted, then he's pretty much a sure thing for a G&T spot somewhere, right? Or are things so messed up this year, that's not true? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:07 PM Flag
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You're right, the current process GUARANTEES a G&T spot, just not neccissarily in the particular G&T the parent wants. It will be interesting to see if all these "my child really needs a gifted program" folks will take the G&T that's offered if it's not the one they really want. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 07:01 PM Flag
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FWIW, we are finishing 5th grade at a very well-regarded G&T in Manhattan. Looking back, can't say that G&T has been all that great, and our friends in a good gen ed may have had a better experience some years than we did. Dc is very bright, self-motivated, and organized, but not profoundly gifted, and in hindsight, would have probably done just as well in our zoned gen ed. Main difference in peer group is you do not have the kids who need a lot of help, but there are plenty of very bright (and dare I say it, even brighter kids) in a good gen ed, IMHO. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:08 PM Flag
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OP: I guess that's what we decided for our DS - he's not profoundly gifted, he's just really bright and tests really well. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:09 PM Flag
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of course there are individual experiences, teachers, etc., still makes sense that a highly sought after gifted program, or one with very high scorers will have a peer group and teachers who are geared toward a higher academic level. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:14 PM Flag
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dc with 99 olsat 9near perfect score) and 99.9 SB. will likely get in somewhere decent and better than our zoned school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:23 PM Flag
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you either live in a good zone, cheat, or get your kid to score well if he is not gifted...or win the lottery of course. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 03:08 PM Flag
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I would give my eye teeth to get into 261, your "decent" school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 05:11 PM Flag
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np: really? never heard of it before. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 05:36 PM Flag
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OP: We really love it. But you wouldn't believe the number of people we know choosing private instead, or renting a studio in PS 29 or PS 58 (for the French immersion program). We're kind of the ugly stepkid of those three schools. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 05:43 PM Flag
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Our zoned school is pretty good, but cannot offer much in terms of arts enrichment. Which is why we're planning on district G&T. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 05:52 PM Flag
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I would have been thrilled to have ds go to PS261, but they rejected us. We are out of zone. :-( [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:00 PM Flag
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i'm a parent leaving 261. the 'just interesting enough curriculum' was offset by the kids with behavior problems who pulled focus and the administration that is totally overtaxed. plus disappointed w/the doe. think the teachers are great and wish we could have stayed. sucking it up and paying for private. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:41 PM Flag
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What grade? I admit I'm concerned about what happens after 3rd grade. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:43 PM Flag
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k. we had planned to switch at middle school. didn't want to start the testing. if you look at the mix of kids after 3d you see there has been white flight. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:46 PM Flag
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I think there will less white flight, since the demographics of the neighborhood are changing. We'll see. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:50 PM Flag
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that would be good for the school. we've been in the neighborhood for 15 years. the last 5 have brought change. so those kids have yet to hit that age. our former teacher at openhouse pulled her dc from 261 in 3d last year. that's a typical year to make the switch. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:54 PM Flag
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Magna? We were at Open House as well. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:54 PM Flag
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yes! her kid has been at bhms for a few years now [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:59 PM Flag
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Glad it worked out for her, great kid. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:00 PM Flag
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np: i'm posting way late, but it's not white flight you see...it's that us gentrifiers don't really have kids that old yet. wait a few years, and you will see how the tide will change. there are SO many kids of yuppies/hipsters/artists in the zone that are under 4. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 09:45 PM Flag
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btw, 'white flight' is zip's term. and it's pretty common in many publics that middle class parents transfer out at that grade to get into private middle schools. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:36 PM Flag
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OP (can't seem to reply to you): Until recently, it's been white flight. Several of my son's friends from preschool have older siblings - all going to privates because of "discipline problems" etc. Some real, a lot fearfully imagined. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 09:59 PM Flag
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What private? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:53 PM Flag
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would rather not say. ask me anything else. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 06:55 PM Flag
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yay! we're ignoring placement results and going with 261! you have no idea how happy your post just made me!! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:52 PM Flag
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That's great. We really love the teachers and the great education approach. I can't help but feel all the people still fleeing are missing out. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:56 PM Flag
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I have been so impressed by what I've seen so far. What are the older grades like? What kinds of discipline issues are there? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 08:10 PM Flag
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^^^and how does Zipp handle? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 08:11 PM Flag
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Zipp is both loving and stern. She's amazing in that she really knows all the kids, she remembers the parents, etc. To be honest, I have witnessed a few scary upper-grade moments (including two kids in her office because they were threatening to sodomize each other in ugly language - a girl and a boy). But frankly, there are fewer and fewer variance kids and more and more involved parents in each grade. If people don't panic, I don't think there will be as many discipline problems in the future. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 08:53 PM Flag
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i'm the poster who is transferring out after k. when i looked at the kids in her class who were behavior problems now, i really wondered what they would be like when they hit the older grades. and in k we had assistants. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:42 PM Flag
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