45 Comments Add your own

• 1. melissa richardson  |  May 13, 2009 at 3:36 pm

  I am interested in the upcoming dates and ages for the gifted program.
  Many Thanks

• 2. Mayfair Dad  |  September 21, 2009 at 4:00 pm

  Melissa:

  You will want to keep your eyes open for the Options for Knowledge booklet that appears sometime near Halloween – check at your neighborhood school, library or park district fieldhouse. All of the application forms, due dates, school/program descriptions and other useful information can be found in this booklet. These booklets tend to get snatched up very quickly. The CPS website will also post a .pdf version. Please note: applications are usually due sometime in December, before Christmas break.

• 3. lana berkovich  |  October 30, 2009 at 3:29 pm

  sorry for so many posts – scrap the previous two, the information was a little inaccurate. Here is the correct information:

  The deadline for GEAP application (gifted, classical and other programs) is December 18. There are test dates in November, December, January, February.

  Here is the lowdown on Skinner (they don’t make it easy!) May be worth updating the listing info:
  Skinner West Classical (K-8) in new building, combined with Skinner Magent School, 1260 W. Adams, 773-534-7790. Tour on 11/5/09@10am

  Skinner North Classical (K-3) – 640 W. Scott, 534-8500, located close to, but separate from the CPS “swing” building on Clybourn that currently houses Ogden Elementary (while Ogden awaits construction of its new building on Walton). Skinner North is an offshoot of Skinner West, is its own separate school with a separate principal. They are currently K-3, but are adding a grade every year.

• 4. cpsobsessed  |  October 31, 2009 at 8:21 am

  Thanks Lana – I have updated it above! I appreciate the info!

• 5. George N. Schmidt  |  November 4, 2009 at 12:07 am

  Thanks for correcting when the gifted testing takes place. With the deadline of December 18, any date before that wouldn’t have let families get the children tested after the final deadline for applications.

  Two things.

  First, having navigated one child through CPS ‘gifted’ (Beaubien, class of 2003; Whitney Young, class of 2007; now doing very well at Cal Berkeley College of Engineering) I think CPS should do some truth in advertising and basically state that what CPS calls “gifted” education is really accelerated. With class sizes of 30 or more, the main advantage to the child who really wants the challenge is the fact that the program is basically homogeneous grouping with a lot of speed up along the way. True gifted education would have class sizes half that.

  Second, because CPS is so (multiple choice) test driven, the “gifted” children face some challenges, depending upon the school’s drive to constantly produce “top” test scores. This is particularly damaging in math (although it messes up everything unless you really believe that psychometrically rendered multiple choice machine scored secret tests measure more than the narrowest reality).

  Students who master the “multiple choice math” grand guessing game by the middle grades actually drift away from mastering real math skills.

  BEWARE.

  By the middle grades, I had to help make sure that our eldest actually did math — a great variety — and mastered what are called “math facts”.

  By high school, he realized what I had been talking about obsessively and was ready to continue to do math at the “highest” levels offered in CPS: AP statistics; both levels of calculus. However, we noticed that a large number of 9th graders began to wash out of further math because they had cleverly learned “multiple choice math.”

  Enjoy.

• 6. concerned  |  December 9, 2009 at 9:21 pm

  Keller RGC rocks.

• 7. twodogs  |  March 23, 2010 at 7:33 pm

  FYI – Pritzker School’s website is http://www.pritzkerschool.org.

  As a parent of two young children at the school (one RGC program; one pre-K,) it intrigues me as to the puzzlement over the institution and its direction. I will try to come up with a more articulate statement in the near future, but want to share that we have been very happy with the teachers our kids have had, the support of the administration and the programs offered.

  There is also a lot of ground swell around the Friends of Pritzker (http://friendsofpritzker.org) group which is a neighborhoor org – not affiliated with the school – to raise funds and enrich the schools facilities and programs. Their blog on wordpress uses the same theme as CPSObsessed…so they must be notable…right?

• 8. Steph  |  March 27, 2010 at 10:45 pm

  So, I recieved our letter from CPS placement tests for this upcoming school year. My incoming kindergarten student scored in the 99th percentile for the RGC tests and the 86th percentile for the Classical Schools. However, he did not earn a spot. How can a child placing in the 99th percentile for an incoming crop of kinders not be placed? Any ideas? Perplexing system… What are hte odds that he might get a spot in the upcoming round of selections? Thanks!

• 9. cpsobsessed  |  March 27, 2010 at 11:29 pm

  @Steph – what Tier are you in? I’d think with that 99% you’d have a good chance…

• 10. frustrated dad  |  March 30, 2010 at 6:07 pm

  I can’t make any sense out of the admissions process either — our twins tested in the 99th percentile and neither received a spot in the gifted kindergarden program at Coonley. One is reading at a 3d grade level or better but it wasn’t enough. For now, our only option is our neighborhood school, which gets terrible reviews.

• 11. MDJ  |  April 3, 2010 at 1:35 pm

  I love this blog. You have been a calming influence, well you and a glass of wine, during this entire admissions process. My son currently attends a private academically advanced preschool. He’s been accepted at Carnegie RGC for kdg. My husband and I welcome the break in tuition, but are concerned because there is so little information about the RGCs’ curriculum available. Carnegie is also a neighborhood school so I’m curious as to how the 2 programs mesh. Does anyone know/have an opinion about Carnegie?

• 12. BuenaParkMom  |  June 29, 2010 at 8:29 pm

  Could you please explain the difference between the “Magnet Clusters” and “Magnet” schools? I am very confused since it appears a school can have a “Magnet Cluster” yet have an attendance boundary. For example, Greeley, which is south of me is listed as a “Lakeview North Magnet Cluster” school in the Options for Knowledge Book, however it does not have a lottery and only accepts children outside of the attendance area if they have room. What gives? Is this just a case of confusing labels? Who decides if a school gets to be a “Magnet Cluster” and does it actually mean anything? My local neighborhood school, Brenneman, (feel free to pity me right now) is also listed as a “Magnet Cluster” and given it’s abysmal performance I’m wondering if this is merely a label CPS slaps on all neighborhood schools to make it more confusing. Any illumination you could offer would be appreciated.

• 13. cpsobsessed  |  June 29, 2010 at 8:41 pm

  Hi BuenaParkMom.
  A Magnet Cluster School is neighborhood school that has received special designation for a certain area. There isn’t really anything Magnet about it. For instance a Fine Arts Magnet school proved to CPS that they have a specialty in that area so they get the designation. They get one extra fine arts position funded by CPS (which is a bonus to get ANY extra positions.) From what I’ve read, in theory, the idea is to have a whole area of the city with different schools having different specializations. But as you point out, it’s not like you can just decide to send your child to the school of your choice!
  So what happens is that neighborhood schools (some of them) end up with a special focus. So my neighborhood school is a Fine Arts Magnet Cluster school and has an awesome Fine Arts department, but in theory, what if my kid doesn’t care about art? What if I’d rather have a Match focus? I guess maybe you plan ahead before you buy a home?
  So the Magnet label doesn’t mean anything in terms of other academics, performance, etc.
  The school my son attends (part neighborhood/part gifted) has chosen not to try for a Magnet Cluster status and focus on a more well-rounded education, but part of me thinks they’re crazy not to angle for an extra teaching position.
  Hope that helps! But you’re right. The names don’t make sense and are confusing.

• 14. Lindsay  |  September 1, 2010 at 2:31 pm

  I am new to this whole process (I have a 3yo) and I’m wondering about Disney II. Is it a magnet? Are they adding grades? Thanks for any help you can give!

• 15. grace  |  January 6, 2011 at 12:40 pm

  @5 I agree with you, George, about the focus on test scores and the drop in math curriculum. How did you compensate? Did you get your child tutoring?

• 16. david  |  March 21, 2011 at 4:39 pm

  any feedback on southside school?

• 17. pamina  |  March 23, 2011 at 5:35 pm

  Can anyone give me some info on South Loop Elementary RGC? Thanks!

• 18. jg10  |  March 28, 2011 at 1:09 pm

  I am also looking for information on South Loop RGC if anyone has feedback. Thanks

• 19. ss  |  May 24, 2011 at 9:01 am

  I am looking for feedback on South Loop RGC and also the neighborhood program. One of my twins was acceted at RGC yesterday and I am trying to weigh in on whether it’ll be good for my other twin to join the neighborhood program. Both have admissions at their neighborhood school – Pulaski in Wicker Park. Does anyone know whether my kids will be able to benefit from the magent program at South Loop at all. IThanks.

• 20. lawmom  |  June 28, 2011 at 9:06 pm

  We completed our first year in the “gifted” program at Pritzker. This school is 3 in one. Pritzker is a neighborhood school, a magnet school and has a “gifted/choice” program. I have high praise for our teacher this year. However, the administration is lacking. The Principal and Vice Principal have one foot in the “pension plan” and while their hearts may be in the right place, their administrative skills are not.

  On day one at this new school, there was no paraprofessional hired for our son as required under his IEP even though we had attempted through email and by phone all summer to communicate with the principal about hiring a paraprofessional. Further, our son, late in the year, was suspended for 3 days because of benign behavior (verbalizing, no threats) due to his diagnosis. I had to call in CPS for training for staff about Autism. In addition, our son was bullied early on in the year and I had to micromanage this process as well. His first paraprofessional (whom I liked) was fired (not because of any complaints by us but due to prinicpal’s observations) and we were given another paraprofessional without prior notice. This paraprofessional was not trained, lackidasical and under her watch, the suspension happened, among other incidences and she never “seemed to be around” when our son “got reprimanded”. Quite honestly, I heard that this paraprofessional couldn’t manage another child, was given office work and then “needed a place to land” and was assigned to our son. Our son achieved straight A’s 2 out of 4 quarters and is not a pariah at school.

  Additionally, I brought in a 3K dollar donation for the library and did I receive a thank you either verbally or in writing from either Friends of Pritzker or the Administration? No. I am still waiting although I did a little “PR” blurb for the school newspaper and Friends of Pritzker website. At our former school, Nettelhorst — we would have been graciously acknowledged. Further, the donating school, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School (my daughter’s school) also received no public acknowledgement (which was included in the blurb).

  While the curriculum was great, I feel we traded curriculum for staff. I am not supporting this administration for contract renewal. They do not understand kids who are gifted but who have special needs. Further, if they want to keep the affluent parents involved, Pritzker needs to acknowledge their involvement and make them feel part of the team. Nettelhorst has learned this, Pritzker has not. The Administration is not used to parent involvement on the level that Hawthorne, LaSalle, Nettelhorst etc. are used to and that needs to happen if they are going to retain mover and shaker parents that will bring them to the next level.

• 21. Pointofview  |  June 28, 2011 at 9:49 pm

  My son attended South Loop RGC and had a good experience there. The gifted classes are not as diverse as the neighborhood program. The gifted program teachers are smart, care about the kids, and foster a love of learning. The neighborhood program from what I can tell has it’s share of kids who cause discipline problems…and when teachers are dealing with discipline, no learning is taking place.

• 22. B. Lou  |  July 28, 2011 at 10:21 am

  Can anyone give me some info on Lenart? Thanks!

• 23. mary  |  September 8, 2011 at 6:28 pm

  is south loop a great school for kindergarten?

• 24. vlv  |  September 21, 2011 at 5:34 pm

  How strong are kids in South loop middle school( gifted classes)?
  90 % in math and reading doesn’t look so great to get in( it is B for private school).
  My little one get scored in math and reading 98-99%.

• 25. mm  |  October 3, 2011 at 11:40 am

  I have a kid in 3rd grade gifted and 4th grade neighborhood program in South Loop. Both programs are wonderful, I could not be happier with the school and the staff. Yes, neighborhood classes have to take in kids with learning disabilities and other problems, but they have special ed and personal assistants, these kids are considered as a valuable part of our diverse neighborhood. They are not the problem, in fact quite the opposite.

  To my understanding the discipline issues rise from the fact that class sizes on lower grades are too big, because everybody want’s to get in and kids are pouring in. The principal is working around the clock get this ‘positive problem’ solved.

  I do agree that lowering the grade scale is a bummer, but they just started it this fall (fall 2011) so all the scores you see are based on the old grading scale (93% and up =A).

• 26. Melissa Howard  |  November 2, 2011 at 10:26 am

  Can someone comment on Skinner West. I’ve been told that its test in only but many real estate listings indicate that properties are zoned in to this school. Is it a neighborhood school with a separate test in program? Also, does Ogden have a test in gifted program for those not zoned in?

• 27. CPSDepressed  |  November 2, 2011 at 11:03 am

  Do not ever trust a real estate agent to give you school boundaries. Do not.

• 28. daddio  |  November 2, 2011 at 11:22 am

  Skinner West has both a neighborhood program, and a completely separate, test-in only Classical program within the same building.

• 29. lawmom  |  November 2, 2011 at 12:31 pm

  I want to give an update about AN Pritzker from my post in June, 2011. My son is now in the 5th grade gifted classroom.

  There is one gifted classroom per grade at Pritzker. This can be a “mixed” blessing, as your child will be with the same children throughout the years. The students mix with other students during gym, art and music. I can say the “gifted” teachers have been excellent and my son is challenged and likes the curriculum.

  The principal is very devoted to the students. The school has a wonderful music program and operates a branch of the Chicago Children’s Choir out of the school. In addition, the school puts on two musicals per year. There are also a nice selection of after school programs available and an active parent group. Fundraising is not as “rich” as many other schools, but it is gaining momentum.

  I think the principal has “heard” the plea — at least from me. At the beginning of this school year, the principal had “her ducks in a row”, which was impressive. This was not so much the case last year. There have been many physical improvements to the school physical plant. They are growing the library, have refurbished the science lab and are also upgrading the auditorium.

  The school is a very diverse community, as it is a neighborhood school in Wicker Park, as well as a magnet school. The socioeconomic diversity is huge. However, the rules at the school are strict and feels perfectly safe there. The three new families who joined last year have remained and our children seem happy and challenged there.

  I think this school will continue to improve as parents become more actively engaged. All of the students will benefit from this. My guess is that in a few years, this school won’t be “under the radar” much any more.

• 30. pamina  |  November 4, 2011 at 7:44 am

  Mamas and Papas,

  Looks like that time of the year is upon as again. Last year when I started the process I knew nothing, We were planning on moving to Chicago, so I cast my net in all directions and applied to a wide range of schools. Logistically SL seemed a good choice given my work situation, and we were really lucky when my daughter was given a first choice acceptance to the South Loop RGC program as a third grader.

  One year later, I have mixed reviews. The RGC class is academically appropriate and rigorous. Best of all, the peer group of bright kids excited about learning is a huge benefit. The program is not “gifted” as our previous school’s ,which emphasized citical thinking, logic, and creative problem solving, but rather just accelerated. The after school program is awesome and the parents are very involved and committed to the school.

  However, the school seems extremely strict. Students have homework every night and it is not accepted more than one day late. There are no holiday parties (Halloweeen was not aknowledged) or birthday celebrations. The class and the school are permeated with rules and my daughter lives in fear of not getting an assignment in, receiving a B, or going on “yellow” for being out of her seat. As you may have heard SL is also removing the RGC for the incoming K class. As I have only one child, this will not impact my family, but I am concerned about how it will impact the general culture of the school and its funding.

  As the application deadline approaches, I want to know if this is a CPS wide phenomenon or whether this is the culture of the school. I want to stay in a Gifted and Classical school, and I am wondering if any of you could please weigh in on the following questions from other selective enrollment schools on the North and Northwest side:
  Are all schools as strict?
  Do they have parties?
  Are parents allowed easy access to teachers?
  Is the afministration approachable?
  Are any of these “gifted schools” actually focused on a curriculum as it is describediin the CPS websites or are they all just accelerated programs?

  I would greatly appreciate any feedback as I make the decision of how to rank my schools on the selective enrollment application,

  Thanks!

• 31. CPSDepressed  |  November 4, 2011 at 8:01 am

  We’re at Blaine. Under the former principal, it was very strict, but my kid needed that structure. (Some kids do, some don’t.) They didn’t have birthday parties, but they did have some holiday parties. The teachers are approachable, the former principal was not.

  There’s a new principal there, though, so who knows what will happen? So far, so good.

  My impression is that the regional gifted programs are accelerated and for truly gifted kids, and that the comprehensive gifted programs are designed to let parents who give money tell everyone that their kid is gifted. It’s just tracking, nothing more.

  As for creative problem solving, etc., the reality is that with a 5 3/4 hour day, you’re going to have to supplement if you care about your kid’s education. Some schools make it easy with good after-school programs that include art, music, language, etc. As usual in CPS, the kids who need a good public education the most get screwed because the schools don’t have time to provide them in a regular day.

• 32. nonplussed  |  November 20, 2011 at 10:33 am

  Was at testing yesterday – we are the first group to be tested. All the moms I talked to had their kids in either private or Montessori. Not one in CPS (these are kindergartners going into 1st) Their were alot of competitive moms. Although 2 confessed they’d be surprised if their kid knew their phone number (not that that is required but I was a little surprised to hear that) The staff were very nice to the kids – although some kids were uset and crying which I felt they shouldn’t be there if it was stressing them out that much. As for the test my 6 yr old said she couldn’t recall the questions – or didn’t wanna talk about it. But she seemed happy enough after it. She did say they did puzzles though – don’t know if that is jig saws or what ..And that they did not repeat the questions so if u missed it u missed it.

• 33. wren  |  November 20, 2011 at 12:51 pm

  Pamina, from what I’ve read here and what I hear from other parents, most CPS gifted programs are that way. The homework only increases, BTW. Many parents wouldn’t have it any other way.

  I was really disappointed when my kids got into an RGC and were simply working one year ahead. I eventually took my older child out and found a magnet school where I believe that the learning is “deeper” and there is more opportunity for critical thinking and problem solving. My kid is much happier too, even with a longer school day and a similar homework load. Differentiated learning in the classroom allows for challenging the kids who are ahead.

• 34. Beth  |  December 3, 2011 at 10:47 am

  I have noticed in some of the comments that these schools are all about acceleration. It’s pretty common knowledge that gifted kids face a lot of emotional sensitivities as well. How well do these schools address the social and emotional aspects of giftedness? Our child is already smart — he teaches himself math, science, reading — we would like a truly well-rounded education including social and emotional learning. It seems the suburbs, Glencoe and Hinsdale, are doing the right thing. Do any of these schools in CPS fit the bill aside from homework and accelerated curriculum? Thank you!

• 35. mama  |  December 3, 2011 at 5:28 pm

  @34 Beth

  Apart from teaching one grade above, Skinner North also uses this approach to develop the child emotionally and socially. So far it has been a very well rounded learning experience for our kindergarten daughter.

  http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/

• 36. Meme  |  December 14, 2011 at 7:06 pm

  I believe that you should have more resources about levels k-8

• 37. Michelle  |  December 16, 2011 at 12:24 am

  Lenart offers a wonderful learning envirionment. The kids are great. The families are wonderful. The teachers are knowledgeable and caring. My daughter graduate from Lenart two years ago. She now attends a private boarding school and is doing very well. Students study french and latin. They have historically had a very strong music program. The curriculum is rigorous, but for a child that is bright the load is manageable.

• 38. EDB  |  December 21, 2011 at 10:33 am

  @30, Pamina
  Edison RCG (K):
  Are all schools as strict? No
  Do they have parties? Yes, frequently. Birthdays, holidays, etc.
  Are parents allowed easy access to teachers? Yes, via email or phone.
  Is the afministration approachable? Very
  Are any of these “gifted schools” actually focused on a curriculum as it is describediin the CPS websites or are they all just accelerated programs? Mostly accelerated, though there are some aspects that seem to be more in line with the true “gifed” curriculum.

• 39. Jessica Green  |  February 20, 2012 at 12:16 am

  Someone touched on the difference between regional gifted centers and comprehensive gifted programs, but I wonder if anyone could elaborate. Is one recommended over another? Like others have voiced, I’d choose intellectually, emotionally and socially appropriate over simply “accelerated.” Does either one of these options use this approach?

• 40. Mayfair Dad where are you  |  February 20, 2012 at 8:49 am

  Jessica, unfortunately all CPS gifted programs are basically just accelerated.

• 41. CPSDepressed  |  February 20, 2012 at 9:05 am

  “Comprehensive gifted” is the classroom for the whatever percent of students with the highest scores. So, if a school has three classes per grade, the top third are “comprehensive gifted.” At my kid’s school, it’s the top half – which means it ain’t exactly gifted.

• 42. PTA Southside Mom  |  March 7, 2012 at 4:38 pm

  Some SES schools offer SENG(social emotional needs for gited children) groups BUT parental participation was very low. I’m sure if parents want to start the groups up again, the principals would be more than happy to accommodate. My daughter attends Lenart and I can’t see her anywhere else. Most teachers get to know the child’s personality and quirks to help them overcome their issues.

• 43. RGCFAN  |  March 22, 2012 at 11:05 pm

  my daughter just started at a RCG and loves it. she goes so much faster: 1 unit a week! she tried for South Loop, Keller and Lenart. She got in SL and really enjoys it. Anyways, if your child complains about being bored try RGC.

• 44. Southside mom  |  April 4, 2012 at 9:32 pm

  PLEASE give more info about the S.S. schools. Northside schools are not an option. We’re far, far southside.

• 45. KeithH  |  May 2, 2012 at 8:54 pm

  This is good information! Will you be updating the South Side schools w/info as well? That would be very helpful for me and my wife. Thanks again!!

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