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Force of Nature (1/2)

"Commander McGarrett, Lieutenant Rollins, thanks for making time to see me today." Dr. Ami Baxter, the school superintendent, smiled warmly at them as she rounded her desk and extended her hand. "Please pardon the mess." She indicated the piles of paper perched on every surface in her office. "Planning for the next school year is already in full swing."

"It's not a problem." Catherine said sincerely. "You should see my office the week before a vote."

"Or mine pretty much any day." Steve chuckled. "I'm not a big fan of paperwork."

"I'm with you there." Dr. Baxter moved back behind her desk. "Please, make yourselves comfortable." She pointed to the visitors' chairs.

Steve and Catherine shared a look as they sat down. They had been surprised a day earlier when an email from the school superintendent arrived requesting an in person meeting. Both DJ and Angie had finished the year with glowing reports from their teachers.

"I know you're both very busy so I'll get right to the point." The superintendent smiled at them warmly. "First, I wanted to mention that I've been following DJ's progress since he came back to school after joining your family and I'm so happy to see that he's thriving."

"Thank you," Catherine said. "We're very proud of him."

"For good reason." Dr. Baxter nodded. "The horrible things he went through at such a young age, not to mention the interruption to his in person learning, could have easily derailed him. But in fact, quite the opposite has happened. He's an excellent student and an exceptional young essay about your family was an amazing piece of work."

"We're very proud of him," Steve said. "He's worked very hard."

"And clearly gets the support he needs at home," Dr. Baxter said. "But he's not the reason I asked to meet with you today. I wanted to talk about Angie."

"We aren't aware of any issues with Angie," Catherine said, her jaw tightening slightly.

"No, it's not that," the superintendent assured them. "Angie is an exceptional student. Mr. Seftas couldn't speak more highly of her. It's the same with every teacher and staff member she comes in contact with. She embraces school with an enthusiasm that, quite honestly, we rarely see."

Steve smiled proudly. "That's the way she embraces life."

Ami Baxter took a few seconds to gather her thoughts. "I want you to know I don't take what I'm about to suggest lightly. It's something I've only proposed for a handful of other students over the course of my career." She took a beat then continued. "I think Angie is ready to be more challenged by school. I'd like to consider moving her directly into the second grade next year."

Catherine looked at Steve then back at Dr. Baxter. "Skip first grade altogether?"

"Yes." The superintendent clasped her hands on the desk in front of her. "Please let me explain. I know you're both familiar with our gifted program since DJ participates at his grade level."

Steve and Catherine nodded.

"Next school year we've decided to expand the program to include second grade students. Research shows very clearly that the best time to identify gifted students is between the ages of four and eight. Angie's test scores, and the quality of her school work, certainly indicate she may be on the path to the gifted program."

"Thank you." Catherine smiled. "But is it necessary to skip a grade?" Her brain was whirling. They hadn't had an indication this was even being considered. "Couldn't she join the program when she gets to second grade?"

"Absolutely," Dr. Baxter assured them. "She can be evaluated for the program in whatever time frame you decide. This isn't a decision the school district would make. No one knows what's better for Angie than the two of you. "

"I'm just not sure," Steve said hesitantly. "This isn't something we ever thought about."

"As I said, it isn't something I suggest often. Mostly because there are a lot of factors to consider. Even if a child is ready for more challenging work on an intellectual level, sometimes we don't feel they'd have the social skills to take on a grade change. I don't think that would be a problem with Angie. We believe she would be able to integrate nicely into a new grade level."

"She's like her great grandmother." Catherine smiled. "She's never met a stranger."

"Even in my limited interactions with her, I can tell she is a force of nature." Dr. Baxter said. "In all the best possible ways. Of course, there's no way to predict with 100% certainty how any child will react when moved into a new situation, but I'm confident Angie would be able to handle it. Plus, this would put us in a position to begin offering her intellectual challenges that she's clearly ready for."

Steve looked at Catherine unsurely. "We'll need some time to think about this. We'd like to talk to some other people before we make the decision."

"I understand." Dr. Baxter smiled. "I'll be honest with you. The decision to make this offer to you was not unanimous. Educators have many differing opinions on the issue of accelerated advancement for their students. Please feel free to listen to all sides. I'm excited to offer Angie this opportunity because I think she'd thrive in the second grade environment. Others are less enthusiastic about the prospect. No one is going to be in trouble for sharing their opinion on this issue with you. We all want what's best for Angie."

"Thank you." Steve stood. "You've definitely given us a lot to think about. We'll be in touch soon."

"Excellent." The superintendent shook both their hands. "Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions."

"That was not what I was expecting to hear," Steve said as they headed back to their cars, still trying to process Superintendent Baxter's suggestion. "I mean … it never even crossed my mind."

"Mine either." Catherine shifted seamlessly into strategy mode. "I have a lot of research to do. I'll call Mr. Seftas. We definitely need to get his opinion on this."

"I really want to hear what your mom thinks of the idea," Steve said. "She can see it from both sides. A teacher and a grandma."

Catherine nodded, creating a mental list of people to talk to. "I can get us some time with someone from the Department of Education. Get their input."

"Good idea," Steve said. "I think it's a good idea to talk to experts in the field but also people who know Angie well like Danny and Carrie."

"Exactly." Catherine took his hand and squeezed it. "We'll talk to as many people as necessary to be sure we make the right decision for Angie."

"Absolutely." Steve leaned over and kissed her cheek. "We got this, Lieutenant."

TBC

Stay tuned for part 2 on Friday.


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