What to Consider When Choosing a New School for Gifted and 2e Students – Part 4: Choosing a School and Preparing for the Transition

Part 4 of the Davidson Institute series, “What to Consider When Choosing a New School for Gifted and 2e Students”

• Part 1: Myths About Different Schools
• Part 2: Figuring Out What To Look For In a School
• Part 3: How to Find New Schools for Gifted and 2e Students
• Part 4: Choosing a School and Preparing for the Transition

We’ve further narrowed down our list. How do we compare viable options? 

Return to where you began: Your values, your child’s needs, and what the ideal was.

Taking a step back to ground yourself in why you started this process in the first place can help refocus on your top priorities. Pull out that Family Reflection and Needs Assessment Worksheet you might have utilized at the very beginning. Return to the Ideal School Environment that you and your child brainstormed about. Reflect on your family’s non-negotiables.

In taking a step back, it’s also important to remember that the decision you make now doesn’t have to be permanent. As your child grows, their needs may change, and you’ll have the flexibility to reassess and make adjustments. Trust yourself and your judgment.pd and keep in mind that your child’s educational journey is a process that can evolve over time.

Try This: To help make a decision at this juncture, we’ve developed a School Comparison Chart. Utilizing your responses from the Prospective School Interview Tool, this chart guides you as you weigh these important factors and make a decision that aligns with your child’s academic, social, and personal needs. It’s not just about finding a school that challenges your child intellectually; it’s about finding one that also nurtures their overall development and fits into your family’s lifestyle. Ultimately, this chart empowers you to think about the broader picture and feel confident in your decision, knowing that you can revisit it as your child grows and their needs change. Remember, this decision doesn’t have to be final!

Okay, we made the leap. Now what?

Congratulations! That’s a big step that you took. Give yourself time to celebrate and breathe.

And also remember that this is a time of transition. You’re leaving one place and beginning to get to know another place. Consider the following:

• How do you and your student want to say goodbye to the place you’re leaving?
  • If the departure is bittersweet (meaning that there were a lot of good things but you’ve outgrown them or need different things), then your child may want to memorialize this experience in some way. For example, they could create a small memory box with photographs of special people and places around the school. There may be school projects and mementos that they want to save. They may want to write a list of their favorite memories to also include in the memory box.
  • If the departure isn’t so sweet, you may want to think about a way to help your child process the experience and leave behind some of the bad feelings that may have built up. For example, on index cards, may be together you write down some of the bad experiences your child had–one per card. On a separate set of index cards, you could write something that they learned from each of those experiences or a wish they have for the future that corresponds with it. It doesn’t need to be big or profound. For example, may be one card is, “My teacher didn’t understand me,” and the corresponding card is, “I learned to speak up for myself when I needed something.” After talking and reflecting through the index cards, you rip up or burn all the bad memories (along with perhaps the frustrating math worksheets that weren’t at their level or the paper that received a poor grade because you did too much or other bits-and-bobs that you want to purge). And, with that second set of learning moments and wishes, you wrap those up and bring them out later–months from now after the transition to see how far you’ve come.
• How do you and your child want to say hello to the new school?
  • How can you set yourselves up for success? Are there new rhythms or routines that you want to implement? What will keep you grounded as you make this transition?
  • How can you extend yourself and your child grace during this transition? We have found it often takes 6-8 weeks to really get your sea legs in a new situation. During that time, are there other things that can take a backseat so you have more capacity to handle everything that comes with this transition?
  • Are there welcome activities that you can participate in? Have you started building a rapport with the new school and staff?
  • What is your child both excited for and nervous about? What are some things you can do now to scaffold this new experience for them?
• Watch the Davidson Gifted Perspectives video below for some more tips on how to naviage your student through a school transition.

Taking a plunge takes guts, and you’ve got this! The good thing about leaps is that the more you take, the easier they become. This leap might not be everything you hoped for, and that’s valuable information. When you stretch outside of the comfort zone, you learn so much. You’ll be even better equipped to take another leap!

Next Steps and Additional Resources:

• Read Gifted Minds Empowered by Barbara Gilman and explore different programming options for gifted and 2e students. This book also provides a year-by-year planning guide for you to keep your educational plans in one place.
• Read “Choosing the Right School for Your Gifted Child” from the Davidson Academy blog.
• Explore this comparison discussion chart for another way to compare and contrast schools.

Strengthening Support for Gifted Families

The Davidson Young Scholars Program offers flexible, family-centered services that support the intellectual, social, emotional, and academic growth of profoundly gifted students ages 5–18. Families can engage at their own pace through personalized support, an online community, expert webinars, summer events, and more. As your needs evolve, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Permission Statement

This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit www.DavidsonGifted.org.