One of the most important goals of AGATE of Port Washington is to create a community of parents, educators and students, and we have created this page as a place for our members to share their experiences, struggles and successes. If you have a story to share, please send it to agatepw@gmail.com.

Dear AGATE of Port Washington,

I promised I would let you know what happened to my son, 12 years old, who was painfully bored in 7th grade math in a Long Island district, not Port Washington.

I was very empowered by our discussion and asked our Principal to help my son accelerate in math. Their response was to give my son the Integrated Algebra Regents, a test usually administered at the end of 8th grade. I was worried that they were setting my son up to fail by giving him a test that covered material he had never seen.

He had 4 days to read the Barrons book and to teach himself how to work a graphics calculator. This cram session was in addition to school, homework, and 2 sports! But he said he wanted to do it and I have a lot of faith in his ability!

The school is bumping him up to an 8th grade math class starting on Monday. Not because they want to nurture his talent. Not because he complained he was bored in class. Not because he has been classified as gifted in math. Not because he could get answers to SAT problems faster than his math teacher. And not because his mom put together a whole portfolio of his math accomplishments for the principal, and asked for help and understanding. They are bumping him up because a score of 85 left them no choice!! Was the exam a set up to hold him back? I will never know.

All I know is that the fight was worth it, even though I didn't enjoy having to do it.
The principal asked my son if he was REALLY sure he wanted to make the move up one grade to more difficult math. He answered innocently, "It can't be any harder than trying to learn it all in 4 days!" That's my boy! He and I still laugh about that one!

You really made a difference in helping me to keep the faith and have the confidence to challenge the system. Thank you from both me AND my son.

T.M.