Silver Creek Middle School for ADHD kid

[Anonymous]

I have a 6th grader in private school right now with ADHD, on grade level for everything, who we are thinking about bringing back to our home school for a larger peer set. He is a pretty classic ADHD kid, which for him means that even on medication he has verbal diarrhea and misses social cues . Kids can find him annoying though he’s a sweet kid at heart (and I don’t blame him - having no filter isn’t great for a middle school boy). That said he’s never disruptive in class and doesn’t have any behavior issues. People have suggested that at a bigger school, he might find a peer set more like him. And it would be great for him to have friends in the neighborhood.

My worries - academic - a little. He rushes and work quality isn’t great on first pass - he has benefited from teachers who make him redo stuff with better quality. That dynamic may be less possible with larger class sizes. We are absolutely willing to try and work with a homework tutor or executive function coach for homework, studying etc. we’d hope he would qualify for a 504 or IEP - we have external testing he just had done.

Socially - more worried. If he comes off abrasive with his lack of filter, will he be bullied? Is the administration paying attention to kids that might struggle socially to make sure they are not getting targeted? My sense is that he is a kid who may have few friends as he matures through middle school, but I don’t want him to be in a situation where bullying could leave lasting psychological scars.

Any insight from Silver Creek families would be so appreciated. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I didn’t have a good experience but my kid was there during the pandemic and diagnosed at the same time. Being a girl the school was also not picking up on stuff. I’d say keep him in private until high school but others may feel differently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t have a good experience but my kid was there during the pandemic and diagnosed at the same time. Being a girl the school was also not picking up on stuff. I’d say keep him in private until high school but others may feel differently.

Social stuff? Or academic needs?

[Anonymous]

Middle school is the weakest part of MCPS. I’d keep him in private and then move for B-CC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle school is the weakest part of MCPS. I’d keep him in private and then move for B-CC.

Why would BCC be better then middle school?

[Anonymous]

Current Silver Creek family. I think your child will do really well there from what you‘ve described. It’s one of the smaller middle schools in MCPS and we have found it to be very nurturing. The guidance counseling staff is very strong and the principal is warm and well-liked (and a mom of a 6th grader herself so she gets the parent perspective). Academically there isn’t a ton of homework or studying, but they offer free tutoring three days a week after school with teachers in all subjects if you need support. Teachers are flexible, energetic and responsive. Plenty of ADHD boys (as you will find at all schools). I can’t speak for others but I don’t get the sense that there is much bullying going on. The kids seem very open minded toward peers of all different types.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! That last post made me feel optimistic. Maybe we will set up a meeting with the counselor and principal before we move him just to get a sense of the school.

[Anonymous]

I have a current 7th grade boy at SCMS. He claims that there is no bullying at the school. Fwiw, I have been a teacher for 20 years and have been extremely impressed by the school these past two years.

[Anonymous]

I have a 6th grade DD at SCMS. She has ADHD and LD. We have found the school to be very nurturing and accommodating and she is doing well. She has a quirky personality but has made a few close friends and has never complained of bullying. Op, I think you should talk with the school about a 504 plan just in case your DC needs a few accommodations. They’ll be receptive if my experience is any guide.

[Anonymous]

I have an ADHD senior in an MCPS high school in Bethesda (not Silver Creek/BCC), and I just want to point out that the private-public transition will go more smoothly if you do it now in middle school, than in 9th grade when there is no more room for error. When your kid applies to college, admissions officers will see the first 3 years of high school and summers, and then first semester grades of senior year. High school is enough of a transition already, you want your kid to know the ropes, be used to MCPS, have the 8th grade counselors present their 9th grade options to them, etc, enroll in 9th grade classes early in the winter of 8th grade with the rest of their peers, etc.

My senior has severe inattentive ADHD, so not the same symptoms, but I have to say, MCPS is well-versed in ADHD! It's very common, and teachers know the symptoms. However, it's also public school, and their hands are tied if there are no formal accommodations. So the first order of business is getting that 504. According to your description, it does not sound like your child is severely impacted enough to get an IEP, but you can always ask the psychologist who evaluated him, if they're worth their salt, they will know.
You must contact the school, ask for a meeting to determine eligibility for an IEP, present your documents, and hopefully come out with a 504 with preferential seating, repeated directions, frequent breaks, possibly extended time if your kid needs it, or a resource class instead of an elective (pro: additional time with teacher to organize work, con: can be loud and full of behaviorally challenged students). The main point of the 504 for mildly affected kids is to flag the student to their teachers as having a legitimate need instead of being willfully rude. MCPS is GREAT (read - way too lenient) about letting kids do make-ups for tests, so your kid can take full advantage of that. Mine does! He's going to have a rude awakening in college!

Social skills are not taught in MCPS for such students, OP, so you'll have to work on that on your own. Several psychologists' practice in the area have social skills groups, but we've had mixed results with them - success is highly dependent on the particular group of students they can bring together, and you can't control that.

Academics: MCPS middle school is the ramping up to get to high school readiness, where students are tracked in math, and start foreign languages. If you harbor any ambition at all when it comes to colleges, be aware that the middle school track your child is placed into will determine what math courses (and then science courses, because there are prerequisites) they can access in high school. Make sure your child has rock-solid math, reading comprehension and writing skills, and tutor if necessary. In MCPS, with grade inflation and no - or +, anything less than an A means the student may not have entirely understood the material, which may pose problems later since many topics, particularly math and languages, build on the previous year.

[Anonymous]

It’s impossible to predict what the future will hold at any school. Get yourself an advocate and get the IEP process started now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an ADHD senior in an MCPS high school in Bethesda (not Silver Creek/BCC), and I just want to point out that the private-public transition will go more smoothly if you do it now in middle school, than in 9th grade when there is no more room for error. When your kid applies to college, admissions officers will see the first 3 years of high school and summers, and then first semester grades of senior year. High school is enough of a transition already, you want your kid to know the ropes, be used to MCPS, have the 8th grade counselors present their 9th grade options to them, etc, enroll in 9th grade classes early in the winter of 8th grade with the rest of their peers, etc.

My senior has severe inattentive ADHD, so not the same symptoms, but I have to say, MCPS is well-versed in ADHD! It's very common, and teachers know the symptoms. However, it's also public school, and their hands are tied if there are no formal accommodations. So the first order of business is getting that 504. According to your description, it does not sound like your child is severely impacted enough to get an IEP, but you can always ask the psychologist who evaluated him, if they're worth their salt, they will know.
You must contact the school, ask for a meeting to determine eligibility for an IEP, present your documents, and hopefully come out with a 504 with preferential seating, repeated directions, frequent breaks, possibly extended time if your kid needs it, or a resource class instead of an elective (pro: additional time with teacher to organize work, con: can be loud and full of behaviorally challenged students). The main point of the 504 for mildly affected kids is to flag the student to their teachers as having a legitimate need instead of being willfully rude. MCPS is GREAT (read - way too lenient) about letting kids do make-ups for tests, so your kid can take full advantage of that. Mine does! He's going to have a rude awakening in college!

Social skills are not taught in MCPS for such students, OP, so you'll have to work on that on your own. Several psychologists' practice in the area have social skills groups, but we've had mixed results with them - success is highly dependent on the particular group of students they can bring together, and you can't control that.

Academics: MCPS middle school is the ramping up to get to high school readiness, where students are tracked in math, and start foreign languages. If you harbor any ambition at all when it comes to colleges, be aware that the middle school track your child is placed into will determine what math courses (and then science courses, because there are prerequisites) they can access in high school. Make sure your child has rock-solid math, reading comprehension and writing skills, and tutor if necessary. In MCPS, with grade inflation and no - or +, anything less than an A means the student may not have entirely understood the material, which may pose problems later since many topics, particularly math and languages, build on the previous year.

Social skills can be written into IEPs. I’ve worked in more than one school where specific social skills classes were formed to accommodate the needs of several children.

[Anonymous]

^ Right, but OP's kid probably doesn't demonstrate that level of need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a current 7th grade boy at SCMS. He claims that there is no bullying at the school. Fwiw, I have been a teacher for 20 years and have been extremely impressed by the school these past two years.

I've also got a 7th grade boy and there totally is bullying. Kids do seem to have calmed down a little this year but it's been a mess in the past for some of my kid's friends and others he's seen.

But - there are a lot of different social groups and your kid will probably find some kids to hang out with. For lots of assignments/quizzes, they seem to accept redoing work - especially math, usually english/writing.

[Anonymous]

My DS will be a 6th grader next year at Silver Creek. He’s not ADHD but quite verbose and misses social cues. He’s also incredibly kind. Perhaps they can find each other at recess or after school activities.