Gayton Elementary School

Posted October 8, 2009

I agree with the positive comments below. A few comments on the gifted process: Gayton is lucky in that it has a small number of 3rd grade classes (where giftedness is generally honored). This allows the gifted resource teacher to have the time to pull 'identified' kids out of 1st and 2nd grade classes for weekly 'critical thinking' exercises. I wish it were more than once a week but I feel lucky that my son got the option at all in 1st and 2nd grades. I am disapointed by the lack of information released about gifted testing. I think they keep it secret because of the sensitivity around gifted vs not. I've had to do a lot of independent research to know what to expect as opposed to having it offered to me by the school. I imagine most public schools would be this way and its not specific to Gayton
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Posted August 1, 2009

On the last day of kindergarten, my daughter asked me, 'When can I start first grade?' She had a talented teacher and made more progress than I though possible in just one year! I agree with the Dec 2008 post about lunch - I'm in there every week and the kids chatter all the time, not sure where that other parent got their info about silent lunch - HA! The playground rules have more to do with creating enthusiasm about moving up to higher grades with more priveleges - my kids play on all of the equipment after school with no problems. Gayton is a great place to start a child's education, and the community steps up to get involved at every oppotunity. Go Gators!
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Posted December 2, 2008

My son has entered kindergarten. I have been very impressed with the amount of parent/teacher communication. Our teacher has been wonderful with our son. I think their personalities are very complimentary, which is the luck of the draw sometimes. I would like to comment on the May 29, 2008 posting. The teachers and staff do have high expectations for behavior, which I think is wonderful, and it is true that the kindergarten kids face in the same direction at the tables, but this has to do with the age. 5 and 6 year olds are very easily distracted and I think this is just a way of minimizing that. I volunteer as a lunch monitor 3 days a week and it is a complete untruth that those kids are not allowed to speak at lunch. They talk to their hearts content. I know, I'm there. Our experience has been wonderful.
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Posted May 29, 2008

Each teacher my child has had has been wonderful. However I have many other concerns: the office staff is unwilling to help and speaks ill of other parents while others are listening; the sign-in process is a joke; no one is willing to recognize or test for gifted students until 3rd grade; there are ridiculous liability releases and permission forms; younger children are not allowed to play on certain equipment since gasp! someone might get hurt; kindergarteners eat at 10:40 AM because they all have to face the same direction and are not allowed to speak at lunch (my child made no friends that year since they may not speak during lunch, in the halls, or during class); children are not given any personal responsibility; I could go on and on. Basically, the teachers are great, but leadership is lacking.
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