Should I Have My Son Repeat Kindergarten or Not?

Repeat kindergarten now when he is still enthusiastic about it. The teacher doesnt want him to repeat probably because it looks bad for her. However she is willing for him to have all kinds of services to bring up to speed. It doesnt really matter to kids at this age, but by second grade they realize that they are the dumb ones that need to go for extra help. And their classmates realize it too. REGARDLESS whether or not it is true. THIS IS WHAT THE KIDS THINK.
I have a son with a December birthday and finally had him 'retained' in 5th grade. He was way behind in emotional development, but average in his grades. None of the teachers would recommend retention until his 5th grade teacher. He repeated and no longer needed services, no longer acted out and fit in nicely with the new students. There was some problems from his former classmates, but I had him point out to them that he had a December birthday and didnt belong in the higher grade. If I had been wiser I would have insisted he repeat kindergarten. Gradually he began to feel good about himself and in High School was getting A' & B's.

Do it. The schools never want to hold back.. but he needs to be. Once he is a little older he will find school easier. Keep teaching him, reading to him at home.. but hold him back now. It's better now than later on. Good luck.

Hi D.,

I have a son that has a late birthday (September), he didn't know all his letters or sounds and I sent him to first grade. My son did need a reading coach in 1st grade but he caught up with reading by 2nd grade. He's now in 4th grade and he's fine. My son was very shy when he started school but started opening up more with each class he was in.

Our daughter sounds exactly like your son, although she was not a premie. She did have numerous ear infections that we found out later caused developmental issues. We did not hold her back, listening to the teachers. Our daughter could do about what your son does. She spent the next 8 years feeling inadequate and having to be tutored to keep up. In high school we were able to put her in a modified curriculum program where she began to improve. We finally gave her a "gap year" between high school and college to pursue an outside interest - what a difference that made! She just finished her freshman year with straight A's and a self-confidence she has never shown before. Listen to your own instincts, not your son's teacher. In hindsight, that is what we should have done.

Hi D.,
I say go with your gut. My son is in first and he is struggling. No One ever mentioned retaining him and maybe i should have last year. This year has been very hard. He is smart but because of being a boy and not wanting to pay attention he has fallen behind in reading. If he payed attention it would be fine but he is having trouble focusing. Now he is in basic skills and the problems will only get harder and harder each year. I dont know the answer for you but I wish i knew more last year.
Good luck!
J.

Hi D.,

I held my son back in kindergarten. He is graduating in a few weeks and super excited about 1st grade. He too would have been ok to go to 1st but would have needed extra everything and would have been frustrated by the faster pace and less play time. They say children decide whether they like school pre-k and kindergarten and it sets a tone through out their academic years. My son hated school last year because he couldn't get what the other kids were doing. He was also a Dec baby so one of the youngest in class. He loves, loves , loves school now. A few months made a huge difference. Go with your gut!!!

Have a great summer. A. B

Did you speak with both the reading &math coaches about their view since they have 1:1 time with him? Generally schools don't like to keep the kids back and they can usually only do it once throughout his school career. If his test scores are high then why keep him back? From a social perspective it would be beneficial to keep him with his peers. Being in a pull out program for intense individualized instruction is not shameful but to his advantage to bring him up to level, if needed. As long as you are not talking about classifying him then accept the help and he may surpass his peers! Many boys his age work better in small groups as they are less distracted. As a parent and teacher from the small amount I know I would move him up.

Hi D.,
I am the mother of three late year birthday children...this is a decision I have had to make three times! In my case, all of my children were reading well and absorbing math concepts easily. The recommendation was they all go into 1st grade. This is what we did and it has worked out just fine.
I think that if your son is already receiving services..this should be your hint. It is fortunate that your school district offers them, but seems a bit early.
Your son will have little or no negative impact from staying back. He will quickly make friends and will have the ease of repeating what came easy to him and more time to catch up on the tougher stuff. He will then go to 1st grade well prepared.
Socially, young can be tough. If you are young in the class and you require more services and have difficulty with the work, this could prove difficult down the road.
The most important thing to keep in mind, keeping him back can't hurt him, pushing ahead may or may not.
Good luck,
M.

before you make your decision, consider how your son will feel ..... 11 years from now. entering 11th or 12th grade. most of the kids feel they just want to be out of there, I believe. I also believe it is better to be challenged then bored. I was myself the youngest in my class and I refused to hold my daughter back. She is finishing 2nd grade right now and doing well. she does seem to have some attention issues - and did 2 and 3 years ago. I think it is mostly personality, not maturity. bottom line is you have to do what you believe is best for your child

Hi D.,

I believe that your instinct to gift that time to your son in knider is a good one. I taught public school and the teachers are looked at in a negative way when the children do not progress. The fact that she is suggesting reading and math help for next year should send a flag up that he is not ready to move on. He may be learning but we all learn at different paces. Plus, that extra time to be a child and learn through play is imperative, especially to those born prematurely and with early birthdays.
As a former public school teacher who does not feel the pressure of the district and the 'no child left behind,' AND a current preschool and homeschool grades teacher, I suggest giving him that gift of time. Go with your gut. Mama always knows what is best for their baby.

OMG- It sounds like you are describing MY son. (Late Sept b'dy, active, smart, outgoing - all boy!) The only difference is that his Pre-K teachers said he should NOT go to K. I was devastated as he is my eldest, and I had no experience in this realm. He is now finishing 3rd grade and it WAS THE BEST THING FOR HIM. If they are recommending coaches, then (in my humble opinion), he doesn't sound completely ready. Wouldn't you rather have your son be COMPLETELY prepared and on target with his peers than having to be pulled out for coaching? Nearly HALF of my son's classmates are on the older side (b'dys in May - Nov). No one will ask why he graduates HS at 18 instead of 17, or college at 22 instead of 21. Do it NOW! Please note: You will still question yourself until he finishes 1st grade, and then you will realize you made the BEST decision for your child. PS. I have a friend who didn't hold her son in K, but 1st, and it was more of an issue for the child. Your son has no issue with it, follow his lead and your original gut.

This is a tough one, not knowing your child I am hesitant to answer but on one hand it sound like he should do another year of kindergarten, but then at the same time teachers are usually pretty good about judging these things. You made a lot of good points about giving him time to mature and I think you should look into and see if the teacher thinks he would need help in a short or long term situation. A reading coach would be fine to help him catch up for half a year or so but if she thought it would be a year to year thing I would give him the extra year to fully mature before putting him in first grade. There's nothing worse than a child who struggles in school solely because they were pushed too fast and with the curriculuums today even elementary school is getting harder and harder. based on everything you say it seems like you think you should put him in kindergarten another year and are just looking for reassurance on this. Just know, that you are the mama, whatever you decide will be the right decision, you control how your son's future will be laid out. Would it be better for him to go into first grade a little behind or wait a year and go in completely ready or even ahead of the class?
Good luck :)

What kid wouldn't want to play with toys at school instead of going into 1st grade? Heck I'd quit my job in a heartbeat and run to enroll in kindergarden if I could.

Go with the teacher's judgement and put him in 1st grade. They'll give him the extra help he needs when he needs it and he'll be fine. Make sure you work with him over the summer on his skills and sight words.

Here's a trick for the sight words that worked out great with my kids: I printed out the list of sight words and cut each one out. Then I taped each word in a random order to one of the sliding glass doors in the house. A couple times a day (for no longer than 5 minutes) we'd go to the slider and I'd point to words and the child shout out the answer or say I don't know. It was not a big deal if they didn't know. I'd just say the word for them. When they had gotten a word correct 3 times in a row that word was moved to the other side of the slider. In a few short weeks the other side had all the words and we had fun learning.

wow such a tough decision. I have been there myself with my daughter. She has an october birthday with Dec.31st cut off. Here were my deciding factors. If I keep her back then she is with girls a year younger then her. As for the boys the parents decide to give them the extra year of pre school if they were born in Oct, Nov, or Dec. Before that they are sent. So the boys in her class some would have been 2 years younger than her. Big issue with me. She tends to like to play with the boys better than the girls.
Another big factor is this. When a child needs special help or have some kind of learning disability, holding them back delays the help they need. That is a whole year that the child could have had some help. After reading your post I would ask his teacher if this is the case. And also ask her if being with younger children will stiffle his maturing.
As a sum up of my daughter, I did send her when she was four she is now in fifth grade and is doing wonderful.
Speak to the teacher again and go from there. Good luck and go with your intuition.

Trust your gut and let your son's reactions lead you. My son turned 5 late July last year and I did NOT want to put him in Kindergarten. Everyone kept telling me I was holding him back but he didn't know all of his letters at the start of K much less any words. My son is also still very much of the "playing" mindset as well.

The teacher said to follow his cue and he was very anxious to go to K so in the end, we sent him. He had to get help where a tutoring teacher takes the kids who are struggling and works with them in smaller groups. He did very well, picked up his letters and words quickly and actually shows more interest in school than my older son whom I DID hold back (Sept. bday though he does do well...just not interested).

My son hasn't needed the tutoring for some time now which he was actually sad to give up but I was thankful he was past it. Like you, I didn't want him to have to keep being removed from class. When my oldest was in first grade last year, there was a mom who was very upset because her son was being pulled out several times a week for math and spelling/reading help. He wasn't really getting the classroom experience, didn't understand how to take tests, nothing because he was barely there! Because my son doesn't still need the help and because he is anxious to go on to 1st grade, I have no concerns. The fact that you do and your son wants to stay in K says volumes to me. If you have the opportunity to have him repeat, I personally would do it. Our school district rarely givest he opportunity until they realize in 3rd to 5th grade the child's foundation is shot. I'd much rather them repeat early on if necessary.

I wish you the best. It is tough making these decisions sometimes because you just want to do what's best. Sometimes it's hard to know what that solution is.

I hope you have him repeat Kindergarten!! The 1st grade teacher gave me the same advice you received.

I have been working w/ children/families for 20 yrs. I knew the teacher had given me the wrong advice. I listened to what everybody had to say. Then, I told them that she would be repeating 1st grade.

...I was repeating my child no matter what the school said.

My child is almost 14. If you could fast forward time and see what goes on in the teenage yrs (social and the academic demands), you'd make your mind up in about 2 seconds.

The school wasn't interested in her well-being. They simply did not want to hold her back.

After reading all that you wrote, I'd go with your own gut feeling. The academics get more and more demanding as the years go by! Give your child the time he needs to get more settled and focused.

If you do push him ahead and he struggles. It will be on your shoulders. The teachers have plans to follow. The academics will not slow down...

Kristen

The same thing happened to my best friend last year. She was on the fence of whether or not to send him on to 1st grade and decided at the last minute to let him go on. He struggled all this year and hated to go to school. She is holding him back now so he will repeat 1st grade. She explained to him that he needs some more time in 1st grade and he is O.K. with it. He knows how much he struggled. She also had a tutor for him after school which did help conciderably. The teacher said that if he continued with the tutor he would be fine in 2nd grade next year. She decided to hold him back anyway. She wants him to enjoy school and if that means holding him back now so he can catch up it is worth it. It sounds like your son has made great progress but if he has to struggle all next year to keep up with everyone else is it worth moving him on?

D.--Follow your own instincts. I worked as a school nurse for years, and sadly, I know that sometimes decisions made by school personnel are made to benefit the school and not the child. If classes are crowded for next year or if the teacher was chastised for her recommendation, it could easily sway the feedback you get. Just do what you feel is best for him--and I think it's significant that he is happy to stay back.

D.,
I have been a special education teacher for 13 years and I have seen it all. For the students who are socially behind as well as educationally behind, I feel that it would be a great benefit to retain students. Your son is active yet very social. Does he share and work well cooperatively with other students, or does he typically tell others what to do and get upset when they don't follow what he says? I ask this question as a way of helping you to judge his maturity level.

On the one hand, if he needs more time to develop his interactive skills then retaining will benefit him while he is also building up his academic abilities. You do risk the chance that he will be bored by the review of material and that he will be bored. It depends on the teacher and the mix of students coming in. Are there some advanced preschoolers coming into the kindergarten next year? He may be able to join up with them. I'd like to see your son, who is not afraid to speak to anyone, develop into a leader and a helper, build upon his self confidence now while he is young.

On the other hand, if he is already a resiliant type with a strong sense of self, then he may benefit from continuing into first grade. He has most of his reading skills down, and just needs some work on his math, if I understand you correctly. I'm sure that there would be other students just like him in the first grade, so he wouldn't feel singled out. I would like to see him do some type of maintenance work over the summer, though. Would you consider having him tutored once or twice a week? I strongly believe that no student, whether they have learning issues or not, should spend an entire summer without some type of review. It makes September so much easier for the kids.

I live in Bridgeport and am available for tutoring, if you choose to do that. I am also the mother of a five year old boy who will be entering kindergarten in the fall. My cell phone number is: ###-###-####
S.

I think you answered your own question, your gut and your heart are telling you to hold him back. You just want to know that it is ok-and it is. He already needs extra help, why push him, and cause him to struggle. The only condition I would not hold him back in is if you immediately got him extra help outside of school. In CT we have a company called Kumon-reading and math enrichment courses for preschool and up. You may have this place or something similar around you. Otherwise, it's kindergarten, better now than later.

I have two fall birthday boys(October). My oldest who is now 8 is in second grade. we had him in a 4 year old program at preschool and the teacher said "He will never make it in Kindergarten"(he was socially immature) I held him back that year and moved him into the 3 year old program. It was the best decision I ever made. I did give him the gift of time and the confidence he needed. You are right if they need to spend that much time in extra help then maybe he is not in the right grade. I personally think that he will gain confidence repeating Kindergarten. Its also easier at this grade level to hold children back oppose to later in life such as 4th & 5th grade when your child has developed some freindships and children are more aware and are prone to teasing. My second son has a completly different personality. I was ready to hold him back as well if neccesary but his preschool teacher said he would be fine and we agreed. OUr school system also offers a T1 so if there is a struggle in Kindergarten they have this program which was comforting to know. He is thriving and will be going into regular 1st grade in the fall.Only you know your child and you do what your heart is telling you to do!

I know that I have responded to this question before, so I'll keep it brief...

Retention will not solve any academic delays that your child may be experiencing. If he needs extra help in first grade, he will need it whether you elect to retain him or not. If your son is noticably immature, short in stature and young retention may help.

I would recommend that you read some of the research out there. There is very little evidence that retention works. Honestly, I have worked with elementary children for over 10 yrs and can think of a handful of cases where the benefits out-weighed the negatives. It sounds like the teacher has some solid reasons for recommending first grade. If your son essentially has mastered Kindergarten material already, he may be bored next year and less interested in the activities b/c he has already done them. I am dealing with a student right now who is refusing to do the work b/c he's already done it and doesn't see the purpose. The parent in this case insisted upon retention despite the recommendations of the school staff. Nothing that you have described about your son sounds like a retention candidate, with the exception of his summer birthday.

I strongly believe that parents know their children far better than we, as educators, will understand them. That being said, as educators we know "students" and "learning" and "child development" better than most parents. Listen to the teacher and balance it with what you think about your son.

If you elect to retain him, please make sure that he is with a different Kindergarten teacher. If you have a half-day Kindergarten make sure that you get him involved in other activities during the day to prepare him for the full day first grade program.

I haven't seen any other responses, so I apologize if I'm repeating anyone.

Someone who has offered me much sage advice told me this (I'm adapting it to your situation): if your son goes into first grade next year and hits bumps in the road, you'll forever wonder if you did the right thing. If he repeats kindergarten and still hits bumps in the road, you'll figure that it's just part of the process.

From personal experience, I skipped kindergarten after three weeks. My mom said that given the chance to do it again, she wouldn't have had me put me ahead.

My middle son is a December baby and in CT, he's eligible for kdgn when he is four. I know he'll be fine academically and probably socially too, but I am going to hold him and start him when he's five.

I say follow your gut. Good luck!

I believe it is better to need a little help than to sit in a classroom and be bored. Enough said!

I have to admit that I can't identify with you, but I do feel you and your son know what is best. It is always best to follow the child's lead, whether they need to be held back or advanced. If your son is comfortable with it, then that might be just what he needs. It will also give you time to take your time in teaching him a little extra that he just doesn't get.

My son is on the complete oposite of the spectrum. He's very advanced, social, and mature for his age. He proves that the old attitude of "boys learn slower than girls" is not acurate. (Look at the 13 year old Indian/American boy that graduated from college. He started college at 9 years old just like my son. Then there's another 11 year old boy going to college too that was currently in the news.) My son missed the cut-off, but the school took him anyway since he was too advanced already. (It's a private school.) Now he's in 5th grade for all classes except math, which is 8th grade honors algebra. The school is planning on having him skip a grade next year, because things are still to easy for him.

The bottom line is it all depends on how the parents and child feel. You really need to follow the child's lead.

I agree with Rhannie. He may need a different type of environment. Funny thing is my mom and i were discussing a similar issue. A family friend's daughter was encouraged to be held back in Kindergarten. My mom, a teacher at that school agreed. The family pulled the girl out of the school and put her in a small school with 6 kids in each class max. Now she's going to HS. She's tested top in math, got a spot into the gifted HS in her area, and just seems to be so lovely and happy. My point, not all kids learn best in the standard public school environment. However, as a community, we just accept the structure of our schools. In fact, i think all kids would benefit from school with class sizes of 10 and under and a focus on the enrichments. Consider this when you are making your decision. Good luck! I know you will decide what is best for your little one!

Was your child in a half day kindergarten or whole day? If he was in a half day, you might consider sending him to a full day program for a year at a private school (or Catholic, even if you are not Catholic - all faiths are welcome and do attend). This would get him up to speed and give him another year to mature. I know several people who have done this and have been very happy, and no regrets at all.

Also consider that boys tend to mature more slowly than girls. He may be able to catch up academically in the next few years, but when he gets to high school, where there is a lot of peer pressure, will he be mature enough to deal with that?

You know your child best. If he is telling others that he is staying in kindergarten, maybe he knows too. I might think that a kindergarten teacher sees a spectrum of kids and is judging on that spectrum.

Also, kintergarten is not just about playing with toys (which is not "just playing" in that setting-- it is also a type of learning, and includes art work).

Also, these days, most kids I know leave kindergarten knowing how to read at least simple sentences and beginner books, but some of them quite well. Our first grade teacher sent home a list of books that the incoming first grade kids were supposed to read over the summer.

If your teacher/school did not do this, why not stop at your local public library. Many have a summer reading shelf for each grade level (depending on where you live). They may be putting this together now or soon. Or you could also ask the children's librarian what kind of books incoming first graders are expected to know how to read (with the realization that not all kids read as well as others). Maybe there are some resources online too.

D., I would go with your intuition about this one if you feel he is not ready for 1st grade then don't send him. I held both of my children back but they are November and December babies so I knew from the moment they were born that they weren't going to kindergarten till they were 5. However I have friends who sent their sons who where 4 and did just fine. So again go with your instinct on this one only you know your child the best. Good luck.

D.,
You know your child! Do what you think is best.

If you sounded as though you wanted to teach him yourself, I would send you in that direction. It sounds though like he enjoys K, and would either enjoy it again, or enjoy 1st grade.

Good luck,
M.

Of course! Remember that your son may not be ready to move up in grade. Don't feel bad. What will happens if he gets to 1st grade? he may not be ready! It better to happen know than later. I was told by my daugther kindergarten teacher that she was not ready. My co-workers gave me advice into helping my child making progress in the areas that she was not doing well and to let her repeat K. I have helped her and I see her progress.

Repeating a grade is a big decision. Look back at the reasons why you sent him to kindergarten this year. Usually when people talk about a "gift of a year" (to play) this means staying in preschool for an extra year to work on the social and interactive skills that play gives you. I disagree that the teacher would put her interests (i.e. not wanting to look bad) ahead of the need of your child. Teachers want students to succeed.

D.,
I have to wonder whether the work is too easy for your son. My own children are like that and when the school system finally started challenging them we saw a marked improvement. If I were you I would not hold your son back and I would work with him over the summer in reading and math as well. I did this and made games out of it which helped a lot. Let me know if I can be of any help.

T.

Hi how are ypu? My sister now 15 had to repeat kingergarden even though she new every thing but it was the best thing for her. She had transferred schools and some schools only require 1/2 schooling and some full day so when she left her original school of 1/2 days to a full days even though she finished the year and was about to start 1st grade they made her stay back. So even if they know what they are required it is all up to you if you think it will benifit him do it. My sister does so well in school.They are to young to understand. Do what you think is right.

"He's an extremly active little boy, full of energy. He is easily distracted, works better in smaller groups and tends to lose focus-this is the feedback from his current kindergarten teacher. "

This seems to be your son's major issue. Having him repeat a year will not help him focus more, nor will is help him to control his energy. He should either move on to the first grade and make use of the support that is available OR look for an alternative hands on schooling option for a "gap year" where he can learn in a more tactile environment. By repeating Kindergarden he will more than likely become bored and disruptive because he will have less need to focus his attention on the lesson.

I think your meeting with the school principal and/or additional support staff at the school will help you answer your questions. You may want to schedule ASAP as the end of the school year tends to get hectic!

A. L
Mother of a 2 year old and Elementary School Counselor

D.,
I am not in position so my advice is not based on anything except my feelings as to how I would deal if i were to be in this situation. I may be as I have twins entering K this year, one of whom is immature compared to her twin.
I am not for skipping grades nor for holding the child back. Reasons being the teacher says he's fine for first grade. Also you have the entire summer to help him in some of the areas he seems to be behind. He may be ok repeating kindergarten and being excited about it, reality is all his friends will move up. Also, if he does repeat kindergarten you have to remember he will be going with younger kids, with behaviors appropriate for 5 years old. And we know how children feed off of each other, so he may intensify his playfulness and all of the things that you mentioned. As for reinforcing what he has already learned or should know for entering first grade, well, again you have the summer to help him out with it. Some kids perform above expectations, some kids perform below, and some are in the middle. Your son seems to be in the middle. Nothing wrong with it. So, I say let him enter first grade. He may surprise you. Maybe he will still be middle of the road child. Nothing wrong with it. But don't give him something that he may be frustrated about in the future. Not if you've already been told by his teacher that he is ready for first grade.

I reget not having my son repeat kindergarten . Good luck . It is a hard decision . What ever you decide is the right decision . Know that the teacher is the expert !

factors: are there more then one kindergarten teacher. is it a half day or full day. he already knows the curriculum. i'd have to go with the teacher on this one.
i am a p/t working mom with a 15 year old born in june and a 9 yr. old born in aug. (our cut off date is oc 31st). i used to work f/t as a teacher and have my teaching cert for k-8 in nj.
when they started kindergarten in our district, the cut off dat was oct 1st. anyway, unless there are major issues with your son (shich there doesn't seem to be) then go with what the teacher is suggesting. move him forward. the time to hold back would really be in pre-k, or if necessary (which is doesn't seem to be) is kindergarten.

Hi, D.. My oldest was born 5 weeks early and he is too very active and he says he wants to learn to read and tell time and I told him he needs to learn his ABCs and numbers and we have been working on it for some time. He'll be 4 1/2 years in about eek and a half. The only thing is that he's having a little difficulty remembering what the letters are. He can write them, he can write BAT and knows how to read that and he can write his name, but he can't tell you what the letters are in his name. So, I want to homeschool him since he can't focus in a large group or with other kids either and he does better with one on one. So, I will not be officially (calling the school district until 2010 that way he gets another year. He was born in December which means he will be 5 1/2 years old when he starts homeschooling. I have no problem because I have read where it says that no parent has regretted having their child start later, but there are parents who regretted starting their child earlier. If you feel that he would benefit from another year in Kindergarten, do it. You (and I) want our children to lve learning and not find schooling a terrible thing and hate it and hate learning. You want to instill love of learning in him and help him and if he needs to repeat, go ahead. Who says that children should keep going forward rather than letting them stay one more year if that would benefit the child? I know that you will do what is best for him and you are a great mom for thinking this through. I pray that God will give you His Wisdom if you ask Him and if you want to talk, you know where I am....here on Mamasource. :) Great job, Mom!

I teach Kdg and know it's a tough decision to make. No one knows your child better than you and if your gut says keep him back, then do it. He is young and displays characteristics of a younger kindergartener. I would ask the teacher to tell you more about his academics...will he be able to go into first grade and do the work? You do have a great school system where you are and extra help is not always as bad thing!
Good luck!

Hello,

I don't agree with you keeping your child back in the kendergarden children progress at there own speed just because he was premature is no excuse to keep him back he is what I suggest If you feel that he is a little behind then demand that the school sends home summer assignments for him to do so that he doesn't forget what he has learned during the school year make sure he does it present it to him where he see it at something fun to do on a daily basis even if its just for 15 minutes a day you will see him pick the more he enjoys it the more he'll want to do it and you will see am improvement and last but not least if you feel he is still not progressing to your satisfaction then I suggest you put him in the special needs class until he pick up his pace those classes are design to catter in smaller session and will help him tremdously now that is my opinion I've been through it with my child who has entered the special needs class in the 1st grade amd os mow moving up to the 6th grade and has migrated to all of the regular classes he has earned satificates for his improved work skills and is not at the top the class so by no means would I agree that he should be kept back he is enjoying it for all the wrong reasons right now and besides that he may later on question why you did that to him and you answer just may be hurtful to him then understood like you entended it to be so again I stress to you to keep him with you own personal summer work I promise you you will see the improvement as he moves up in grades.

Respectfully Submitted
A Friend Indeed
T.