Hmm, yes. In our district, there's no form. It's a special request to the principal.

Bummer. I was hoping you had some secret mojo I could borrow!

In our school the students' current teachers place the kids into the next year's classes. The teachers have an hour long meeting where it is decided. So I think that in our case, the other route is to make sure that your child's current teacher knows what you want. They can then make sure it happens.

I'm amazed at how transparent the process is for you. I'm guessing there's some sort of meeting--or they just draw kids names out of a hat!--but I went to the PTA meetings, and I still have no real sense of what the process entails.

Grumble, grumble...

Ah, I volunteered in DS's classroom and typed up the lists of which kid was going where the day after the teacher meeting. I got to see exactly where each kid was going and why. That took the mystery out of the process.

It truly helps to be in a poor district where parent volunteers are few and far between. I was there one morning a week for 6 years and they got pretty used to me and treated me like one of the teachers.

When I volunteered in DS6's class, I put dimes in film containers and made photocopies of workbook pages in the office. Nothing at all useful to me, though hopefully it did actually help the class run better.

Grumble, grumble some more...

Hi Jamie --

Ok, here're my thoughts on your situation.

First, don't rule out school just because of a grade skip! I was grade skipped one year and I turned out fine. In fact, I always kind of liked the fact I was grade skipped. Both my older sister and I were grade-skipped one year (we both went from first to third) with no major issues.

Of course, homeschooling might be *exactly* what your dds would thrive on, if you have the time/ability/inclination to do it. But if you don't, don't fret -- a grade skip or two really isn't the end of the world. :-)

Now, on the two dds in the same grade ... I'd hesitate to do it. If I were you, I'd be more worried of the older one being in the younger one's shadow -- she may wonder (now or later) why she wasn't skipped too, given that she's clearly above grade level and very, very bright. On the other hand, they might love it and enjoy being in one another's company.

I'd suggest dropping in a few hints here and there and trying to ferret out their opinions without actually proposing the idea. Does that make sense? Just to see where they sit. One such hint to ds and he was chomping at the bit to be a third-grader -- how optimistic! I was surprised at not bothered he was by the thought.

As for the school that does not skip ... well, the road of advocacy is long and twisted. I've detailed more on this board about my accommodation woes than on the other board, but suffice it to say that I've been working with the school since November and they're *finally* starting to "get" it. They said they couldn't work individual with ds at his level, and I responded that this is why we're looking at a full grade skip -- less work for the school. It's a good point that may not go unnoticed.

Stick around! So glad you decided to come check this board out.

ACS - You've gotten to hand pick every teacher? That in itself is HUGE! Our school has a very strict no requesting a teacher policy. And our school has really heavy parent involvement. I'm sure at least half the parents would request if they allowed that. If we could actually pick our teachers every year, life may be much different for us!

I've noticed that in 2nd grade for instance, right now there is a really stellar teacher and a really terrible teacher. If your child is at all high energy or has any sort of problem, they get the great teacher. All the "go with the flow" kids get the terrible teacher. DS is really not a behavoiral problem at all (but it's tempting to ask him to be one). And they don't cluster the GT kids.

I've gotten to hand pick every teacher too. The school used to allow for requests (and I always got who I requested) and now I work 1 day a week for each of my kid's teachers and they are the ones who decide where my kids go next year. So I have informed them of who I want for each child and I fully expect they will comply with my wishes! :-) Like acs said, it is one of the perks of being around all the time (it's usually more like 3 to 4 days a week I'm up there doing something!)

kim are you sure you can't put a bug in the current teacher's ear about who you'd like for next year? If you can give reasons why you think your child would be a better fit with one teacher rather than the other maybe they'd be receptive? Wouldn't hurt to try anyway! :-)

Now...if only you could pick the teacher AND the classmates, LOL!

I heard that!