Re: I have a dilemna

I have to say, I've never heard of a district having a September cutoff!! Our district is Dec. 31st!! Luckily Cassidy will squeek in with a 12/20 b-day.

I'd push for her to get into the older class. GL

Re: I have a dilemna

I think you have 2 completely different situations here: the preschool issue and the kindergarten issue.

As far as the preschool situation goes, I say fight to get her into the older class. At this age it IS all about friends and socialization, and you know best where she will thrive.

For kindergarten: I am a kindergarten teacher and have been for over 10 years. There is NO WAY to tell how she will do in kindergarten at her age, regardless of her skills and experiences up till this point. My son is a November birthday (and crazy bright I might add! ) but I didn't decide until after his preschool eval and kindergarten screening within the school district (which was just 2 weeks ago) if I would send him or hold him out a year.

Besides that, I can't imagine a public school in NY state bending their cutoff rules without a very unusual circumstance. There have been a few kids in my school who have missed the cutoff and attended private kindergarten and tried to test into first grade the following year. About 50% make it.

Re: I have a dilemna

In a way I know how you feel. My son is a Feb b-day but happens to be one of the older boys in his present class and has always been on the more mature side, or he just seems older maybe. But physically he was well advanced in the play ground, dressing himself, things like that. When he entered his class and all the other kids seemed like such babies to me, and I asked the teacher about it. I was worried he would have noone that he would want to play with. The teacher said that he is the oldest and that is just life sometimes. Well it turns out that he made some wonderful friends in this class full of "more babyish kids" and now, in MAy there nolonger seems to be such a difference among them. They have all matured a lot and a few can even keep up with my son on the playground.

As I already said I would definately consider keeping her in the younger class, it may work out to her favor.

Re: I have a dilemna

Posted by Scotty-CassidysMom

I have to say, I've never heard of a district having a September cutoff!! Our district is Dec. 31st!! Luckily Cassidy will squeek in with a 12/20 b-day.

I'd push for her to get into the older class. GL

Re: I have a dilemna

I was born in dec (dec 1 cutoff). I grew up with 2 girls 3 and 9 months older - my mom had me in nursery school with them. When K time came around, my mom tried to keep me with them, but I sucked my thumb and they said I wasn't mature enough.

I was reading before K and always in my own or the highest reading/math group, onto gifted, honors and AP, but I will say that I was terribly bored with school (but honestly I think most kids are). A PP made a good point though: when I think about my friend in the honors classes with me - we were mostly in the dec-mar range. I did love being able to drive first

So I agree that push for the older preschool class and reevaulate at K time.

Re: I have a dilemna

no help here, DS missed the cutoff by 14 days. But he is the smartest in his class now, so I am trying to see the bright side.