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Where do Gifted Kindergarteners go to School in Fresno?
ggmeade March 28, 2012
Where do the students who attend Manchester GATE schools tend to go for Kindergarten and First Grade? I am moving to Fresno in May and my daughter will be going into Kindergarten. She has tested into the GATE equivalent program in our current city. Here it starts at Kindergarten though. Thanks for any advice!
MagnetMom April 5, 2012
Hi ggmeade,
I'm not in Fresno, but typically in California, the districts test for giftedness in second grade (earlier tests aren't always as reliable, and a young child can have a "bad" day and not be reflective of their true ability). Since students aren't identified before that, they often attend their neighborhood schools.
Contact the Fresno school district, and ask if they will accept your daughter's test from your previous state, and if not, how do you go about having your daughter tested in her new school. Just because the children aren't typically tested until first or second grade, don't worry--teachers are trained to differentiate their curriculum for advanced students.
Good luck!77675
Akc426 June 5, 2012
Manchester Gate is in the Fresno Unified School district, so I would assume you are looking at Kindergartens in that district. Our daughter will be attending Gibson for kindergarten next year and we anticipate she will attend Manchester Gate in second grade. We looked at Malloch, Forkner, and Gibson before deciding, which I would consider the three best in the district. The teachers at Gibson seem very open to deploying to first grade, accelerating the curriculum in the kindergarten classroom, and modifying homework. I felt very comfortable after meeting with them. We also looked into the Dailey charter school and St. Anthony's and Shining Star private schools.78795
clfriday August 5, 2012
I teach in Fresno Unified. Gifted and Talented testing begins in second grade, as MagnetMom mentioned. The district has measures that may be different from the district you came from. In my own experience, as a parent and not yet a teacher, they would not say what measures they used. I sent the district my son's information (he entered in 5th grade) from my district one year before we moved. If you send anything, call periodically to check in. Manchester, where my youngest son attended, is the magnet for the whole district, so you get a wonderful diversity of students. Some gifted and talented students choose to stay at their home elementary schools to maintain friendships, and family connections. Some students feel like a fish out of water in a mixed classroom, and others prefer it. You'll know when you get there! 79818
jcajmom August 6, 2012
I don't think they have a GATE program for Kindergarten or First grade. My son started in the GATE program in 2nd grade. We relocated to Fresno and I automatically thought he would be able to attend since he was already a GATE student. Unfortunately, it didn't work that way. Your child will have to be tested again because each school district is different. He ended up having to finish his 2nd grade in a nearby public school. I called the district to have him tested. They gave me dates and times they were holding the test. I had to take him to another school to test, since he missed the one at his new school. My son passed the test again with flying colors and we were able to get him into Manchester, where he attended all the way through to 6th grade. You will have the option to have your child be a part of a GATE program or to have him/her attend Manchester GATE full time. Manchester is a wonderful school. My son really enjoyed it. He is now starting College.79870
nagasaki September 5, 2012
Unfortunately it is up to good teachers and schools to differentiate their education from k-1. If you suspect your child is gifted or have tested him/her privately, you must look into a school that supports the needs of gifted children. I had a terrible experience with my child's gifted needs not being met in kinder. I wasn't bragging that "my child is gifted" when suggesting his curriculum be differentiated to his then school. I couldn't wait for the district to test my child, and am glad I didn't...I changed schools. There are different levels of giftedness that not educators recognize. Very few educators outside of Manchester Gate differentiate the curriculum for our wonderful outliers...you must find them! Good luck! 80464
CeCewriter January 27, 2013
For excellerated learning in Kindergarten and First Grade, Daily Elementary is the school in our district to look into. It is currently a K-5 and the entire campus is teaching/being taught the IB curriculum. (International Baccaluriate) Next school year (2013-2014), the campus will include 6th grade. Daily serves as a feeder school for Cooper Middle School, which is also an entire IB campus. Your child may then continue on to Fresno High School, which has an IB program. Daily is a charter school and you have to apply to get your child in. It is definitely something to look into. They are getting great results with their students.82267
