New private school opening for kids w/ special needs...

[aober]

Hi everyone,

I know this particular forum doesn't get a lot of traffic, but I did want to respond here because I saw the thread about social skills programs and I know there is a crucial need for this in our area.

I am a former FCPS special education teacher now working as a consultant for The Auburn School (www.theauburnschool.org). The Auburn School will open in Northern Virginia in September of 2008.

I've included a little bit about the school below, and you can find more information at the school's website: www.theauburnschool.org.

In a nutshell, The Auburn School will offer a stimulating educational program for intellectually engaged students with challenges in the
areas of communication and socialization, such as Asperger's syndrome and NVLD. Auburn will support development of both social and
academic skills in a small, nurturing school environment.

Students at The Auburn School will be bright students with average to above-average cognitive abilities. They will also have differences
and difficulties in the areas of communication, socialization, language, and organization. Auburn serves students with challenges in
these areas, such as social awkwardness; restricted or unusually intense interests or behavior; atypical speech and language usage;
difficulty sustaining conversations or friendships; and trouble successfully interacting in large group settings.

More information is available on the website(www.theauburnschool.org), including tuition rates and information regarding the financial aid
process. Additionally, there are several upcoming parent information sessions being held in April.

I hope this information is helpful to someone.

Allison Ober
Admissions Consultant
The Auburn School
www.theauburnschool.org

[Anonymous]

I've been making a list of independent schools that address special needs. Please feel free to add to it.

Siena School www.thesienaschool.org 4th-12th
Chelsea School www.chelseaschool.edu 5th-12th
Commonwealth Academy www.commonwealthacademy.org 6th-12th
Diener School www.thedienerschool.org 5 years old by Sept.
Kingsbury Day school www.kingsbury.org 5 years old by Sept.
Lab School www.labschool.org K-12th
Oakwood School www.oakwoodschool.com
Nora School www.nora-school.org 9th-12th
Norbel School www.norbelschool.org 1st-12th
Reginald Lourie Center www.louriecenter.org Age 4+
Ivymount/Maddux www.ivymount.org Age 3+
Katherine Thomas www.ttlc.org Ages 4-5
Auburn School www.theauburnschool.org K-6th

[Anonymous]

thank you so much for posting this information...I've been trying to get a list of schools to look into for my son who will be going to 9th grade next year. This is extremely helpful!

[Anonymous]

Here are a few more I forgot to post initially. I hope people who have familiarity with any of these can indicate for the rest of us!

Dominion School (Springfield VA) (7th–12th)www.thedominionschool.com.

Leary School of Virginia (Alexandria, VA) Ages 6–22. www.learyschool.org

The Jemicy School (Owings Mills and Towson) (1st–12th) www.jemicyschool.org.

Phillips School (Laurel MD) Ages 8-21 www.phillipsprograms.org

Little Keswick School (Keswick VA) Boys ages 10–15 www.littlekeswickschool.net

Oakland School (Keswick VA) Ages 7–14 www.oaklandschool.net

[Anonymous]

Apple Option Program at Apple Montessori in Bethesda has a new program for kids who need a smaller classroom (about 10-12 kids) due to language delays, motor delays, speech delays. They are great, and offer speech/language and OT group therapy as part of their school week. It's a montessori classroom, so ages 3-6 are in one room, but the teacher is SPECTACULAR.

[Anonymous]

I received a letter from Auburn School stating that they would not open in time for the 08-09 school year.

[Anonymous]

I wanted to add one more program for special needs kids. The Jenny Waelder Hall Center for Children is for kids 3-6 years old with social and learning challenges. It is excellent. They also have afternoon social skills groups run by the same great teachers. It's at www.jwhcenter.org, and it's in upper NW DC.