St. Andrew’s for Support?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone share their experience with St. Andrew’s for kids who need extra support with executive functioning and organization? I know it historically had a strong focus on this, but it now seems more like a high-end mainstream school.

We’re currently on the waitlist—St. Andrew’s remains our first choice from everything we've seen, so we’re holding out hope. We loved our tours, and my child absolutely loved his shadow visit this fall. I’d love to hear from families about their experiences! And please send good vibes our way!

[Anonymous]

Our DC with mild support needs was also waitlisted. Good student and well rounded.

[Anonymous]

What grade? Lower school?
We felt that last year in lower school they were waitlisting kids they typically would have accepted with mild learning differences. Although we ended up getting off the WL right before decisions were due. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

It is not a school that will support ld specifically other then your run of the mill ADHD. Many families have tutors and the work is real. It is a college prep school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is not a school that will support ld specifically other then your run of the mill ADHD. Many families have tutors and the work is real. It is a college prep school.

I’m unclear from your post whether St. Andrews in particular does not provide support for kids with LDs, or if you somehow think kids with LDs are all incapable of succeeding in “a college prep school” where “the work is real.”

[Anonymous]

St. Andrews no longer wants kids who need any learning support. They will tell you that upfront. They will only do the bare minimum like extra time.

[Anonymous]

From our experience with the middle school, they offer every little. They have a very small list of accommodations that they will offer, which are published in their student handbook. Ask to see it before signing a contract AND ask to speak to the learning specialist to confirm that the accommodations are still offered. We discovered the handbook has accommodations listed that they were not willing to offer any longer after we signed a few years ago. Outside of those accommodations the only thing they offer is a once a month execution function class that meets for 30mins before school. However, last year this class was lead by an upper school student and not an experienced learning specialist. They have a fair share of kids with learning differences in the middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St. Andrews no longer wants kids who need any learning support. They will tell you that upfront. They will only do the bare minimum like extra time.

I don't think it's true that they want to reject kids with mild learning differences. They can just only offer so many spots for kids with that profile because the pace is fast, and if too many students need a lot of individualized attention during class, it is hard on the teachers and the other students. So - yes, I imagine if they're getting too many applications from kids who need extra support, they're being smart by not admitting more kids than they have the resources for.

I say this as the parent of a child with mild ADHD. He gets extra test time, but that's it so far as accommodations. We hired an executive function coach to help him stay on top of assignments. I do appreciate that the teachers really seem to know his strengths and how to motivate and challenge him.

By the way, we've been a part of several private school communities. ALL the DMV schools have a good number of kids with learning profiles, including the ones that seem to want you think otherwise. Why hide that? It's not stigmatized in any way at St. Andrew's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:St. Andrews no longer wants kids who need any learning support. They will tell you that upfront. They will only do the bare minimum like extra time.

I don't think it's true that they want to reject kids with mild learning differences. They can just only offer so many spots for kids with that profile because the pace is fast, and if too many students need a lot of individualized attention during class, it is hard on the teachers and the other students. So - yes, I imagine if they're getting too many applications from kids who need extra support, they're being smart by not admitting more kids than they have the resources for.

I say this as the parent of a child with mild ADHD. He gets extra test time, but that's it so far as accommodations. We hired an executive function coach to help him stay on top of assignments. I do appreciate that the teachers really seem to know his strengths and how to motivate and challenge him.

By the way, we've been a part of several private school communities. ALL the DMV schools have a good number of kids with learning profiles, including the ones that seem to want you think otherwise. Why hide that? It's not stigmatized in any way at St. Andrew's.



St. Andrew's doesn't know how to handle bright students with ADHD. Their teachers are not equal to those at the top schools. A high achieving student with ADHD would find a better environment at one of the top 10 schools.

[Anonymous]

Like others said...you're probably going to need a tutor or a coach on top of working hard to make sure he gets the basic accommodations. They are lovely, but it's just not going to be embedded support for exec functioning and organization. The expectation is kids can do it themselves, and if they can't, a parent needs to payf or someone who will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:St. Andrews no longer wants kids who need any learning support. They will tell you that upfront. They will only do the bare minimum like extra time.

I don't think it's true that they want to reject kids with mild learning differences. They can just only offer so many spots for kids with that profile because the pace is fast, and if too many students need a lot of individualized attention during class, it is hard on the teachers and the other students. So - yes, I imagine if they're getting too many applications from kids who need extra support, they're being smart by not admitting more kids than they have the resources for.

I say this as the parent of a child with mild ADHD. He gets extra test time, but that's it so far as accommodations. We hired an executive function coach to help him stay on top of assignments. I do appreciate that the teachers really seem to know his strengths and how to motivate and challenge him.

By the way, we've been a part of several private school communities. ALL the DMV schools have a good number of kids with learning profiles, including the ones that seem to want you think otherwise. Why hide that? It's not stigmatized in any way at St. Andrew's.



St. Andrew's doesn't know how to handle bright students with ADHD. Their teachers are not equal to those at the top schools. A high achieving student with ADHD would find a better environment at one of the top 10 schools.

My bright St Andrew's grade with ADHD was well prepared and is currently carrying a 4.0 in a STEM major at a college with a 6% admit rate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:St. Andrews no longer wants kids who need any learning support. They will tell you that upfront. They will only do the bare minimum like extra time.

I don't think it's true that they want to reject kids with mild learning differences. They can just only offer so many spots for kids with that profile because the pace is fast, and if too many students need a lot of individualized attention during class, it is hard on the teachers and the other students. So - yes, I imagine if they're getting too many applications from kids who need extra support, they're being smart by not admitting more kids than they have the resources for.

I say this as the parent of a child with mild ADHD. He gets extra test time, but that's it so far as accommodations. We hired an executive function coach to help him stay on top of assignments. I do appreciate that the teachers really seem to know his strengths and how to motivate and challenge him.

By the way, we've been a part of several private school communities. ALL the DMV schools have a good number of kids with learning profiles, including the ones that seem to want you think otherwise. Why hide that? It's not stigmatized in any way at St. Andrew's.




St. Andrew's doesn't know how to handle bright students with ADHD. Their teachers are not equal to those at the top schools. A high achieving student with ADHD would find a better environment at one of the top 10 schools.

My bright St Andrew's grade with ADHD was well prepared and is currently carrying a 4.0 in a STEM major at a college with a 6% admit rate.

I assume you meant to say grad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is not a school that will support ld specifically other then your run of the mill ADHD. Many families have tutors and the work is real. It is a college prep school.

It has a college prep curriculum, but it is an average school. The Big3 have smart kids with ADHD, but the school knows how to work with then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not a school that will support ld specifically other then your run of the mill ADHD. Many families have tutors and the work is real. It is a college prep school.

It has a college prep curriculum, but it is an average school. The Big3 have smart kids with ADHD, but the school knows how to work with then.

I assume you mean that the Big3 now how to work with the capable ADHD students. SAES teachers have no clue.

[Anonymous]

OP, did you happen to apply to Bullis? I ask only because they have phenomenal support in middle school and high school. I know SAES is your number one, but if you did apply to Bullis, you may want to find out more about that aspect.