School for a Gifted 7 Year Old?

Hi A.. We have an amazing 4 year old and we've been looking at kindergarten. Here are three amazing independent schools: Fayerweather, Cambridge Friends, and Shady Hill School. They are similar in that they believe in experiential learning and stress creativity and teaching critical thinking skills. Of course, they are all extremely expensive, but we're hoping to be offered a lot of financial aid! There is also a public school option called the Choice Program at Healey School but you have to enter a lottery. Good luck!

A.

Actually, I know some kids who go to Mystic Valley Charter School in Malden. The children in 8th grade are doing Geometry! Students also have a good English Program, especially when they get to the Junior High level. Children get chosen through a lottery, and it can sometimes be difficult to get into. You should really look into it. The website is mvrcs.com. The school is K-12 and every student that has graduated was accepted to college. A good majority have recieved scholarships off of the MCAS exams. Students are placed in classes based on their own ability and can even go to class in another grade! Students wear uniforms and go to school for 200 days/year. It was rated a Bronze metal school by US News and World Report.

A.,
you might want to check out delphi academy in milton, ma. The phone # is ###-###-####. Each child is on their own program...independent study in a group setting. Our son was very bright and our daughter was challenged. They both blossomed there. Our son is now at worcester poly tech. His sat scores were 800 for math, 790 for english and 690 for the new essay section. He graduated from the delphian high school in oregon. Fyi: the boston school was started by 2 women who are scientologists. It is not a scientology school...we are not scientologist and neither are 90% of the families whose children go there, so if that is a concern, please do not let it be. I liked that the school is multiracial and multicultural. If you want to talk on the phone, my number is ###-###-####.

I would check out a charter school, as they are more likely to teach to ability, w/o the cost of a private school. I know there is one in Somerville: Prospect Hill.

Since your son is gifted in the Language Arts, a school with a foreign language program may be of interest. The International School of Boston, ISB, in Cambridge, is close to you. They may not accept a 7 year that is not fluent in French, but, they might! They have some students that speak no English when they stary, they have some kids that have poor French skills, but, by seven, most kids are fluent in French. Definitely worth looking into, since the curriculum is in French & English, he won't get bored.