separating for K

I swear a few years ago I remember reading about a law being past that allows parents to be part of the decision rather than allowing schools to just arbitrarily say together or not. Of course at the time it was so far away I didn't read it very closely! Now it's almost time to register my babies for K. Can anybody point me in the right direction?

 

Those laws are passed on a state by state basis. Honestly, most schools will work with you in the best interest of the individual child. I know my school district will separate twins in general. But if you request that they be together, they will generally honor that request. The request will only get overruled when it becomes a problem in the classroom for the children to be together, in much the same way that best friends get split up if they get too buddy buddy in a class or cause disruptions.

 

We had a choice here. I chose to separate them. Paige mother's Zack so it was better for him to be on his own. I was really worried at first, but found out that I was worried about the wrong one!!!

 

Thanks ladies. Registration is coming in a few weeks and I'm trying to decide if I should go in and talk to the principle first or register them, write my wishes on the forms and see what happens. My only problem with that is they don't mail out teacher assignments until about 10 days before school starts. I'd like to know well before that if they'll be together or not so we can be talking about what to expect over the summer. Aaron's K teachers are wonderful this year...maybe I'll go talk to them first! I thought since the twins are numbers 4 and 5 that sending them to K would be no big deal. I'm having issues with what will be best for everybody. Again, the twin thing throws a wrench into everything!

 

Talking with the teachers or principal is a good idea. If nothing else it lets you know where they stand on the issue. It also can give you an idea of what kind of experience with twins together or separated the school has. Do you know of any other twins in the area? Sometimes talking with a mom of twins who has been in the school prior to yours attending can give some good advice specifically for your school. I have a friend with 15 year old twins who are a lot like mine, and she said the best thing she did for them was to separate them as soon as she could. Neither of us could do it in kindergarten because of the number of classes, but she kept them together for first and wished she hadn't. She not only knew my kids, she knew the school, and was probably the best advice I got on the subject.

 

I think S.Carolina passed a bill allowing the parents to chose. I found the bill online, but I had a hard time finding proof that it was passed. It's Bill 641 and I think it was voted on in April 2008.

Good luck! I'm going to try to keep mine together unless it becomes an issue where they are hindering each others progress. They have been in the same pre-k class for the past 2 years and there haven't been any issues yet.

 

In our district it's actually the counselor's who make the class assignments. They had a place on the registration forms for us to write whatever we thought they needed to know. Our district wants them apart by 3rd grade. But if their are circumstances that warrant it, they will keep them together longer or separate sooner. Our counselor was pretty wonderful about everything.

Marissa

 

My state does not have that law. In our district, each principal decides for his/her school. Our current pricipal will not let the girls be together. Our previous vice-principal would have let them be together but he left before the girls started there.

Good luck.

 

It might be worth chatting with the principal to get their take on things, and whether they have a general preference. In my boys school, the old principal was very opposed to twins being in the same class. Some friends with twins were upset that their requests for their twins to share the same class were ignored. This year (my boys are in K) we got a new principal. I requested they be kept together because I really love one particular Kindergarten teacher and I couldn't stand the thought of one or the other of my boys not having her. LOL! This new principal honored my request for them to be in the same class and they are with the teacher I prefer. They have had a great year in the same class. Their teacher says they don't interact like brothers in her class - no fighting or clinging to each other. They are doing different things and playing with different children, etc.... It hasn't been a problem, at all. I do think that for first grade I will separate them. My only problem with them sharing a teacher is that they are compared to each other more than non-siblings in the class. Both of my boys are doing very well and testing at above grade level - by a lot. During the parent/teacher conference, my boys were compared to each other and that bothered me. I want to just know that they are doing very well and performing above grade level - not that Drew can say 86 letter sounds in a minute, but Nate can only say 45 - when the goal is 18! KWIM?

 

We were lucky that we didn't face this challenge. Our boys attend a Spanish immersion school with half the day in English and half in Spanish. They have the same teachers, but on opposite schedules. Jacob starts the day in English, then moves to Spanish after lunch. Aaron starts in Spanish, and then moves to English. They have the same homework, same field trips and same lessons everyday. It's really an ideal solution that we are so grateful for.

 

I was asked when I took the K tour that our school offers to rising K'ers in the spring. The principal and guidance counselor seemed a little surprised that I was so sure about separating them, but I think it was because they had just had a discussion with a parent of older twins (the school misunderstood the parent, and the twins ended up in the same class after having done well in separate classes the prior year) It's always good to have it cleared up asap, IMHO. GL!

 

I found it! At the bottom it says "This act takes effect July 1, 2007". I'm going to hunt a little more because it looks like there are ammendments or something but this is a great start. Thank you!

 

OUr school is small enough that they only have one k teacher, so, the only option I had was am/pm and there was no way I was going to have one am and the other pm. That would have been logistical nightmare! Their K teacher asked me the other day what I planned on next year. I am not sure, I think she may take their being sibs into account more than they or the other students do. But not in an compare/contrast but more in a "fairness" way. One getting a gotcha and the other being upset if he did not. THis has happened a couple of times and we just point out how even though they are twins they are different people. My only concern is if one is not being recognised for fear of upsetting the other...

Not sure what we will do in first. good luck. I would go to the principle. I also know that at our school they did not post the classes until just before school starts but, I went in when they returned and asked and was told.

 

I think if you know what you want, go ahead & contact them

 

I just asked my older son's teacher (4th grade) She said that here in MO they let multiples be in the same class for K and they separate after that.

 

The twins have an older brother, so the principal knew I had twins coming up to the age of K. So he asked me what I wanted, and I turned it around and asked his opinion as an educator, after giving him my opinion (I was leaning toward sep. them).
He agreed with me, but he also asked other principals in the school district to see which situation worked better. He told me that the reviews were half and half for and against separating twins (the variables are many, and change yearly.)
I was pleased that he'd given the issue extra thought, and wanted to take my opinion into consideration.
He asks me every year if the boys should still be in different classes for the next year (they are now in 4th grade).

 

Our girls were in the same K class last year and this year got seperated. I was concerned about it at first but am happy they did it as are the girls. I think they like being Individuals now as well as having their own friends and time. There are times where at their school they break out for math and reading and swap classes so they do see each other then as well as during recess.

 

I have 2 sets of twins. We have no law in our state, and in our school district, it is up to the individual principals as to their practice for keeping twins together or separating them.

I had asked that my fraternal boys be together in Kindergarten, and then found out 1 day before the start of school that they would be separated. They later told me it was an adminstrative error and they normally would honor the wishes of the parents.

For that reason, I would go ahead and contact the school. In fact, I would recommend that you write a letter to give them explaining your position. If you can include several reasons to support your position -- even better.

At third grade, my boys were accepted into a program for highly capable students. The program was not at our home school, so I also decided to waiver my identical girls to the new school. The girls were going to be in first grade. The new school had a practice to separate twins, so I had to really go to bat to get them together. At that time, I did quite a bit of research on the subject and later wrote a blog series on it. I think the series of articles can give you some good things to think about in making your decision (to keep them together or separate them) as well as giving some helpful tips on dealing with the school on the issue. Please come visit and read the series, Twins in School - Together or Separate?

Kat

 

Good luck, we went through this for this school year. I talked to the boys preschool teachers, and they said that they see no issue with them being in the same class, as they are not dependent on each other, etc. We felt pretty strongly about keeping them together for K, and I talked with the principle about it a few times at the end of school last year, and he was on board. The I found out 3 days before school started, that they separated. It turned out that there is 1 K teacher who has been at the school since it opened 35 years ago and she does not believe twins should be in the same class. I then found out other things that I had been told were not true about their placement and about times they would be together, so we did some research and presented the principle with a stack of research articles supporting twins being together and the parents right to choose at the K parent meeting on the first day (unfortunately California does not have a twin law passed yet). We had a meeting with the principle, the boys 2 teachers and the old K teacher and the principle said it was our call and if we wanted them together then they could. The boys were put together 2 days later. The teacher that ended up with both of them told my after the first day of having both of them, she could not believe how much happier my son who had been in her class initially was.

I do not know how long we will try to keep them together, but it has been the right decision for us to have them together. I work a lot, but since they are in the same class, I am able to go in and help out fair frequently when the teacher needs help (actually I am the only parent who really helps in the classroom). If the boys were in different classes, there is no way that I would be able to help out, because how do I choose which class I help in?

Good luck!

 

Not so hard, one time you go to one class, and the next time you go to the other.

 

Ditto that, for anyone who is worried. The only think I wish I'd known/done going into orientation is be ready to alternate activities - I was doing that alone and missed out on the opportunity to sign up for things in one class. It's all worked out fine since there have been other opportunities thru the year to do things in the classrooms to even it out a bit.

I hope everyone gets as lucky as we did with our classroom setup (connecting doors) and close-working teachers with similar styles and a sensitivity to making it work for all of us. Good luck!

 

I just picked up our K registration papers last week. The school secretary informed me that I need to write a letter to principal if I am requesting to keep them together for K (which I am).

My concern is the amount of time they'll be in school. Right now, they go MWF for 3 hours. Kindergarten is 5 full days! It is going to be a huge transition and I think keeping them together will help with that.

 

We have our appointment on the 9th. I think that they will be staying together for K. It's my understanding that they have two K classrooms, one full day (at a cost) and one half day. So unless I want one to go in the AM and the other in the PM, they will be together.

 

I could have written this last part - mine had only done 3 days for 3 hours in prek and were still big nappers. They have done remarkably well, so I'll hope the same for you. We don't have much time for other activities, but they are adjusting to the schedule change pretty well. GL to all of you - it's a really exciting time :woohoo: