What's the reputation of Diener versus The Auburn School (MD private schools)

[Anonymous]

After six months of a really difficult time in public school we're considering private for our 2nd grader. We've narrowed it down to Diener and Auburn but after tours and calls with admissions having a hard time learning what the reputation is of each, and what kinds of kids gravitate to each...we need the inside scoop. Can anyone weigh in?

[Anonymous]

How do you not know after having visited? Diener takes all kinds of LDs and SNs and Auburn is really more specialized towards ASD/ADHD although there's a pretty diverse group there too.

[Anonymous]

OP here - what we're dealing with is that our child falls in between what it appears both school can offer - he has social emotional needs and not LD or ASD. Diener was pretty clear they don't take kids with social emotional needs, and Auburn seems to be a better fit for that, but they too have been cagey about it... Are we looking in the wrong places? Are there other private schools in MD (or DC near the MD line) that take social emotional needs kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you not know after having visited? Diener takes all kinds of LDs and SNs and Auburn is really more specialized towards ASD/ADHD although there's a pretty diverse group there too.

NP. Eh. I can understand how it’s hard to tell the difference. I toured both but couldn’t figure out the right place for my kid. Above grade level, ASD with aggressive behavior, ADHD, and anxiety. I never know what LD means. Dyslexic, dysgraphia, I understand but I don’t know what any other LDs are. I also don’t know what language based learning disorders means. How does it play out in the classroom. What additional supports are needed for a child with non dyslexic or dysgraphic dx?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what we're dealing with is that our child falls in between what it appears both school can offer - he has social emotional needs and not LD or ASD. Diener was pretty clear they don't take kids with social emotional needs, and Auburn seems to be a better fit for that, but they too have been cagey about it... Are we looking in the wrong places? Are there other private schools in MD (or DC near the MD line) that take social emotional needs kids?

Well, that’s not correct. What do you mean by social emotional needs? They don’t take aggression but nobody does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you not know after having visited? Diener takes all kinds of LDs and SNs and Auburn is really more specialized towards ASD/ADHD although there's a pretty diverse group there too.

NP. Eh. I can understand how it’s hard to tell the difference. I toured both but couldn’t figure out the right place for my kid. Above grade level, ASD with aggressive behavior, ADHD, and anxiety. I never know what LD means. Dyslexic, dysgraphia, I understand but I don’t know what any other LDs are. I also don’t know what language based learning disorders means. How does it play out in the classroom. What additional supports are needed for a child with non dyslexic or dysgraphic dx?

I think you need to read up a bit. Kids with slow processing speed may need visual and oral and tactile directions. Kids with low average IQ need repetition. Kids with fine motor issues need help writing and using hand skills, kids with vision processing issues need accommodations, kids that get overwhelmed with sensory things need quiet and calm and etc etc etc. This is literally why special education exists. To accommodate individual learning issues. Educate yourself a bit. And yes, you’re correct, nobody really does aggression.

[Anonymous]

You should apply to both.

My sense visiting a few years ago (and choosing to attend neither) was that Diener was warmer, more nurturing, and more little kid focused. Auburn's academics were maybe a little higher, although both support a range of academic abilities. Auburn had more explicit teaching around social skills.

What do you mean by social emotional needs? Diener definitely supports kids with anxiety/overwhelm.

[Anonymous]

There are no schools that will take kids with social emotional needs that includes aggression (I know that as it was my child). For my own child, I stuck it out with public but kept fighting LRE arguing that they were not meeting it if they were constantly asking me to pick up my child. He is now thriving at RICA, which is a therapeutic day school paid for by the county. If there is aggression, you will need to stick with public and fight to have your child’s needs met.

[Anonymous]

OP here - what i mean by social emotional is that he has low frustration tolerance and when he gets angered (in the classroom) he will throw things, yell at other kids, elope (the classroom and sometimes the building). So yes, aggression and low frustration coupled with anger. We just started him on Abilify, which seems to be helping a bit. We have IEP meeting tomorrow and will ask for a one on one aid, but we aren't confident MCPS will provide that. If MCPS won't provide the services he needs, and Diener and Auburn don't take aggressive kids, where do we turn? He's only 8.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are no schools that will take kids with social emotional needs that includes aggression (I know that as it was my child). For my own child, I stuck it out with public but kept fighting LRE arguing that they were not meeting it if they were constantly asking me to pick up my child. He is now thriving at RICA, which is a therapeutic day school paid for by the county. If there is aggression, you will need to stick with public and fight to have your child’s needs met.

Similar experience with the private schools. we are not in MCPS so we don't have experience with RICA. Our DC had a couple of incidents of aggression at school that were considered "minor". When we reached out to the Diener school, they indicated it was unlikely that our DC would be accepted and they needed a few additional neuropsychological evaluations which DC had recently completed. We gave up on the private school search. hired an education advocate, got an IEP with additional services and interventions through the public health. This worked out for the best because the tuition at the private school would have been a financial hardship but we were desperate. It's a difficult situation.

[Anonymous]

You are going to have a very tough time finding a private school that accepts that profile, I’m sorry to say. Neither Diener nor Auburn are likely to welcome a student with aggressive behaviors who is throwing things and eloping. Maybe the Lourie Center. Is he in a mainstream class right now? Have you talked with the school about the SESES (used to be called ED) program, or have they brought it up? That is likely to be the next step, not a 1:1 aide. A 1:1 aide is very restrictive and has a lot of downsides in terms of social interaction and dependence. Does he have an FBA/BIP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what i mean by social emotional is that he has low frustration tolerance and when he gets angered (in the classroom) he will throw things, yell at other kids, elope (the classroom and sometimes the building). So yes, aggression and low frustration coupled with anger. We just started him on Abilify, which seems to be helping a bit. We have IEP meeting tomorrow and will ask for a one on one aid, but we aren't confident MCPS will provide that. If MCPS won't provide the services he needs, and Diener and Auburn don't take aggressive kids, where do we turn? He's only 8.

10:38--My kid is also at RICA and thriving. I think it's a county gem. RICA starts in 3rd grade. If your son is 8, then he's either in 2nd or 3rd now. My son started in elem school. I loved that he was in compacted math and ELA. When he was in 6th, they placed him in Algebra. If I were you, I would start by asking for the 1:1 as well as an evaluation by both the Aspergers an SESES programs. Get their evaluations out of the way so you know if your chid can be served by either of those programs if the 1:1 doesn't work. My kid had a 1:1, moved to Asperbers, and then landed at RICA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you not know after having visited? Diener takes all kinds of LDs and SNs and Auburn is really more specialized towards ASD/ADHD although there's a pretty diverse group there too.

NP. Eh. I can understand how it’s hard to tell the difference. I toured both but couldn’t figure out the right place for my kid. Above grade level, ASD with aggressive behavior, ADHD, and anxiety. I never know what LD means. Dyslexic, dysgraphia, I understand but I don’t know what any other LDs are. I also don’t know what language based learning disorders means. How does it play out in the classroom. What additional supports are needed for a child with non dyslexic or dysgraphic dx?

where did your kid end up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what i mean by social emotional is that he has low frustration tolerance and when he gets angered (in the classroom) he will throw things, yell at other kids, elope (the classroom and sometimes the building). So yes, aggression and low frustration coupled with anger. We just started him on Abilify, which seems to be helping a bit. We have IEP meeting tomorrow and will ask for a one on one aid, but we aren't confident MCPS will provide that. If MCPS won't provide the services he needs, and Diener and Auburn don't take aggressive kids, where do we turn? He's only 8.

what’s his actual diagnosis?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you not know after having visited? Diener takes all kinds of LDs and SNs and Auburn is really more specialized towards ASD/ADHD although there's a pretty diverse group there too.

NP. Eh. I can understand how it’s hard to tell the difference. I toured both but couldn’t figure out the right place for my kid. Above grade level, ASD with aggressive behavior, ADHD, and anxiety. I never know what LD means. Dyslexic, dysgraphia, I understand but I don’t know what any other LDs are. I also don’t know what language based learning disorders means. How does it play out in the classroom. What additional supports are needed for a child with non dyslexic or dysgraphic dx?

I think you need to read up a bit. Kids with slow processing speed may need visual and oral and tactile directions. Kids with low average IQ need repetition. Kids with fine motor issues need help writing and using hand skills, kids with vision processing issues need accommodations, kids that get overwhelmed with sensory things need quiet and calm and etc etc etc. This is literally why special education exists. To accommodate individual learning issues. Educate yourself a bit. And yes, you’re correct, nobody really does aggression.

What you wrote is very clear and now I understand. Thank you for explaining it. I suppose "Learning Disabilities" is the generic bucket but each child needs different accommodations based on their profile. It's hard to understand what a school supports when they say they support learning disabilities. I wish they phrased things the way you did....we support students with slow processing speed or we support students with low average IQ. Since most parents that are looking at SN privates have a neuropsych, this would make looking for the right school much easier.