No Longer Class Best at Magnet School

This year my very bright daughter transferred to a magnet school. She is quite unhappy because she is no longer the best in her class like she was in her old school. What can I say to help her handle this situation? -- No Longer the Best
Answer: Many children who attend magnet schools are faced with the same problem -- not that this makes it easier on your daughter. Of course, you can point out that there will always be students who are better than she is. You can go on to say that high-school football stars are not always college stars, nor are college stars always big stars in the pros. While all this is true, it is hardly likely to be a satisfying answer to students of any age. It is very difficult for bright students to accept no longer being the best.
The best approach is to focus on how much she has learned since she started this magnet school. Remind her over and over again how much she is improving from before. Make school more about her personal improvement.
Should the situation get too bad, with your daughter unable to get beyond not being the best student, she could always be removed from the magnet school. This is probably not a good solution, as she will then feel that she has failed. What she needs, of course, is affirmation of her success.