Navigating GT/LD in school

[Anonymous]

Our DC just had a neuro psych evaluation for ADHD. He tested highly gifted/gifted in several areas and struggles in a couple areas. He’s currently in a Montessori school but that school goes to 3rd grade. The school has been perfect for him.

We are completely lost as to what to do next as for schooling. We are considering a public school but want to ensure it has the necessary infrastructure to support him via the twice exceptional program (or GT/LD).

We would consider private but $$ is a factor and I’m not sure if they have the resources to provide special education services.

Anyone have a good online resource to help me navigate this? Appreciate any help.

[Anonymous]

MCPS has many GT/LD programs https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/gtld/

Our kids went to a Montessori upcounty and we had neighbors also at same Montessori and elementary. Their DC was diagnosed GT/LD in 5th and went to a MS and then HS GT/LD program that was a great fit.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thank you! If you don’t mind me asking - which Montessori? Butler? Which HS did they end up going to?

[Anonymous]

MCPS gt/ld - well like MCPS itself - is a shadow of itself. Under resourced in a place where dropping 6 grand on a Promethean board was no issue. I think the word is mirage. Try just a smaller county if you can and will be cheaper. A house in WJ is approaching 2 mil. (The only way to guarantee a spot in gt/ld program since that school is where program is hosted)

[Anonymous]

If Montessori is working, why switch? Oneness Family goes all the way to HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you! If you don’t mind me asking - which Montessori? Butler? Which HS did they end up going to?

Montgomery Village Montessori.

At the time the GT/LD program they chose was Roberto Clemente MS and Watkins Mill HS. DC took science and math classes with the magnet program students in MS and had a resource class to work on executive functioning skills. At Watkins Mill they took assorted IB classes as best fit their interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Montessori is working, why switch? Oneness Family goes all the way to HS.

Very few Montessori programs go past MS.

[Anonymous]

In order to get support from a public school, you will need an IEP (if specialized instruction is appropriate) or a 504 (if he only needs accommodations). The vast majority of students with disabilities are served in mainstream classes in their home schools. What supports does your son need?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you! If you don’t mind me asking - which Montessori? Butler? Which HS did they end up going to?

Montgomery Village Montessori.

At the time the GT/LD program they chose was Roberto Clemente MS and Watkins Mill HS. DC took science and math classes with the magnet program students in MS and had a resource class to work on executive functioning skills. At Watkins Mill they took assorted IB classes as best fit their interests.

I don't know where you live OP but being allowed to take magnet programs not being in the magnet in middle school is not typical practice. This is the first I've heard of anyone being allowed unless was your child admitted to the Clemente magnet but opted to be in the GT/LD program instead of the magnet so they made an exception?

[Anonymous]

Parent of a Montessori gifted/LD kid who is now in college. Be careful: in many ways Montessori is great and allows gifted kids to learn deeply in areas of strength. But, for my DC, the Montessori principle about letting kids choose their own work meant that he did not choose areas of weakness to work on. He had language processing disabilities and he really would have been better served in a
public school or by layering a tutor on top of Montessori.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - thank you! If you don’t mind me asking - which Montessori? Butler? Which HS did they end up going to?

Montgomery Village Montessori.

At the time the GT/LD program they chose was Roberto Clemente MS and Watkins Mill HS. DC took science and math classes with the magnet program students in MS and had a resource class to work on executive functioning skills. At Watkins Mill they took assorted IB classes as best fit their interests.

I don't know where you live OP but being allowed to take magnet programs not being in the magnet in middle school is not typical practice. This is the first I've heard of anyone being allowed unless was your child admitted to the Clemente magnet but opted to be in the GT/LD program instead of the magnet so they made an exception?

I’m not sure why you would think you would know exactly what classes students with IEPs are taking. The student that I’m referring to was not accepted to the magnet program, but was taking the same science and math classes as the Humanities magnet students. (That was when both upcounty programs were at Clemente, and because of scheduling the magnet kids were still cohorted together for their “non-magnet” classes.)

[Anonymous]

There are magnet directories and other parents have asked this question and told it is not allowed. Why would you think others would not know?
I don’t know about your specific case but a kid not in the magnet but taking classes at DC’s school would certainly be know.

[Anonymous]

What is the LD, besides ADHD? Or is ADHD the main thing?

A lot people are wary of medication for little kids, but age 9 is a common age to start ADHD medication that makes a lot of kids feel and perform better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are magnet directories and other parents have asked this question and told it is not allowed. Why would you think others would not know?
I don’t know about your specific case but a kid not in the magnet but taking classes at DC’s school would certainly be know.

Are there magnet programs for MS? Thought it was only for HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are magnet directories and other parents have asked this question and told it is not allowed. Why would you think others would not know?
I don’t know about your specific case but a kid not in the magnet but taking classes at DC’s school would certainly be know.

Are there magnet programs for MS? Thought it was only for HS

Yes - humanities and STEM, one up county and one down. So four programs total that are test-in. (Three others that are lottery only for OOB but offer special programs.)