Public HS not working out for ADHD kiddo

[Anonymous]

Our 10th grader is struggling in a few subjects.. he failed two classes first semester of current year and hasn’t improved much this semester. He is smart and doing great socially. He actually did very well the first semester of 9th grade (he was very motivated at the point). However, we are pretty sure he has ADHD inattentive type and in a 3000 students HS has basically fallen through the cracks and everything is overwhelming to him. He has had EF coaches, tutors etc and are getting him formally evaluated in a few weeks. People sometimes say “have you considered transferring him to a private HS with smaller classes?” that sounds like it would be a good option but, what private HS would take him with that low of a GPA!? I do hear about kids being transferred to private in the middle of HS but how does that happen!? How to advocate for our kiddo in that regard? The public HS is massive and very few adults there (including the counselor) are truly making true connections with students, let alone with the quiet, shy, inattentive kids :/. This is MCPS.
We aren’t familiar with the private school world so would love some sensitive feedback please. Thank you so much. Crossposted.

[Anonymous]

Schools that specialize in students who struggle may be willing to overlook the poor grades if you can explain why he will do better in the future. Depending on where you live, look at Parkmont, Nora, Howard Gardner, Commonwealth, McLean (in Potomac).

[Anonymous]

Look into summer school redo policies. I've seen different comments about this for MCPS schools. If he can fix his transcript in summer that might be wise.

[Anonymous]

You say you are “pretty sure” he has ADHD…you need to get him evaluated. It would help for public (get him on a 504 or IEP) and private schools are going to want to see it if you give ADHD as the reason for the low grades. It can take a couple months, so that should be a high priority to get done so that you have the information for next year. Especially if accommodations could help him on tests in the run up to college applications. He’s going to be a junior, things are getting serious.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of smaller privates that are not as competitive to get into. If you give us a little information about your location or where you would be willing to commute, people can probably give you some suggestions of places to start looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You say you are “pretty sure” he has ADHD…you need to get him evaluated. It would help for public (get him on a 504 or IEP) and private schools are going to want to see it if you give ADHD as the reason for the low grades. It can take a couple months, so that should be a high priority to get done so that you have the information for next year. Especially if accommodations could help him on tests in the run up to college applications. He’s going to be a junior, things are getting serious.

Thanks. OP here. Yes I did mentioned on my post that we are getting him evaluated. Have an appointment for early June. Say he does turn out to have ADHD, and assuming there is a spot open at a private, how does one go about trying to transfer kiddo there? Explain on admissions application that low grades are due to having been diagnosed yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are lots of smaller privates that are not as competitive to get into. If you give us a little information about your location or where you would be willing to commute, people can probably give you some suggestions of places to start looking.

We are in Rockville and would considered anything 20 mins away or so. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I would look at the McLean School. My friend’s DS who is very bright but struggles with ADHD was having a really tough time in public school. He switched to the McLean School a few years ago and is thriving. I definitely would get your DS evaluated for ADHD ASAP, as a diagnosis will help explain poor grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would look at the McLean School. My friend’s DS who is very bright but struggles with ADHD was having a really tough time in public school. He switched to the McLean School a few years ago and is thriving. I definitely would get your DS evaluated for ADHD ASAP, as a diagnosis will help explain poor grades.

Thanks! Yes. We have a eval date set up.

[Anonymous]

While you wait for the testing results, you could contact any schools you’re interested in to see if they would consider a late application for his grade. If yes, you could explain that you are waiting on testing but will submit the app as soon as you get the results. In the meantime, write the essays and gather the transcripts, etc, to be ready to hit send. I would call Bullis and St Andrews if you’re in Rockville.

[Anonymous]

My kid with ADHD/ASD/low processing speed had an IEP since Kindergarten in MCPS, OP. We paid 3K then 5K for neuropsychological evals at Stixrud's, when he was 10 and 17. He had extended time on tests (50 then 100% extra time), and extra time to hand in assignments, preferential seating, teacher notes, typing accommodations for his dysgraphia. The College Board and the ACT also gave him extra time when I submitted the necessary documentation.

Now he's doing well in college, with extra time for certain exams, but not for routine work.

He's been on Adderall for years, and uses it less now that he's out of the intense high school years.

MCPS is great at helping students with special needs... but you need to do your due diligence early enough for it to not affect college admissions too much.

Privates don't necessarily have to offer services and accommodations to kids with IEPs and 504s, and privates for SN have that connotation for college admissions, so be careful not to think the grass is greener. You'll just end up with expenses you could have avoided, because...

... Many kids in private and public are tutored in high school. It's more a function of family wealth than anything else. Where I live in Bethesda, with a 50/50 mix of private and public families, every kid has a tutor at some point! Do not hesitate to pay for excellent tutors, regardless of whether he has a diagnosis or not.

I can promise that quality individual tutoring will be much more effective, and cheaper in the long run, than paying for private high school. And with the price of college being what it is, money is a consideration for most families.

[Anonymous]

My ADHD child is much younger but when applying to private, we were told to disclose that she would be starting medication (if you plan to do that if he has diagnosis) and that we were supplementing with tutoring, etc. this is for a main stream private, not McLean. No private wants to feel like you’re dumping your underperforming child on them to fix. They look for great parent partners. From your post you sound like you would do whatever you can necessary but just thought I’d mention the feedback we got. My child got into Bullis and St. Andrew’s

[Anonymous]

Please check out McLean! Call them now, in advance of the evaluation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While you wait for the testing results, you could contact any schools you’re interested in to see if they would consider a late application for his grade. If yes, you could explain that you are waiting on testing but will submit the app as soon as you get the results. In the meantime, write the essays and gather the transcripts, etc, to be ready to hit send. I would call Bullis and St Andrews if you’re in Rockville.

Not St Andrew’s. They’re are not good with kids like this. They are not the school they used to be.

[Anonymous]

Get an IEP and have the school do 1-1