ASD and Lab, Mclean and Sienna

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Siena only wants kids with dyslexia but as a parent with a kid there now, I can attest there are plenty of kids there with behavioral challenges. Whether it’s formal ASD, I don’t know, but we can’t wait to leave. Siena is going to have to do something soon to address its issues in this regard. They’ve grown and grown bringing in tuition money, but they need to start bringing in more staff who know how to manage the behavior and stop it, before it starts affecting the school’s reputation.

PP, if you see this, can you tell us more about Siena? For example, how many kids in your child's grade exhibit the marks of other co-existing diagnoses? How do you find classroom management, and is your child learning irrespective of others' behaviour?

We are considering moving our middle schooler who has dyslexia but no other diagnoses. We looked seriously at Lab last year, but I got gun shy at the idea of 50-60% of the class having other diagnoses, many involving behavioral challenges. Lots of love and respect to those kids and parents, but my mind went to the other 40% who are there solely for dyslexia and wondered about their experiences and classroom management.

[Anonymous]

Why are your singling out those three? It is very common for private schools to ban kids with diagnosed ASD.

[Anonymous]

My assumption is that Lab, Siena and McLean are full of disruptive ADHD kids. The kids I know who attend there are not able to keep themselves organized, aren't terrific with emotional regulation, and are lacking in social skills. Such schools, who seem to cater to ADHD/Dyslexia, might not be the best fit for a high functioning, quiet ASD kid who is on track academically, even if they did admit ASD kids, which it sounds like they don't.

[Anonymous]

I'm a current Lab parent with a kid who has both autism and ADHD - yes there are lots of kids at these schools with ASD and ADHD, etc. but they are at Lab because their primary issue is with language (dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc.). And many of these kids do really well at Lab, especially with the extra support that comes with a school like this. But Lab isn't the right school for a kid that's just ADHD or autistic. For the application process, focus on the dyslexia or other language issue. There's a lot of overlap between different diagnosis and the school gets that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are your singling out those three? It is very common for private schools to ban kids with diagnosed ASD.

Yes it is. Meanwhile, every school has many undiagnosed or recently diagnosed autistic students whose issues are more severe than those who apply who disclosing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are your singling out those three? It is very common for private schools to ban kids with diagnosed ASD.

Yes it is. Meanwhile, every school has many undiagnosed or recently diagnosed autistic students whose issues are more severe than those who apply who disclosing.

+1
Families who disclose during the application process are punished for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are your singling out those three? It is very common for private schools to ban kids with diagnosed ASD.

Yes it is. Meanwhile, every school has many undiagnosed or recently diagnosed autistic students whose issues are more severe than those who apply who disclosing.

+1
Families who disclose during the application process are punished for it.

Regardless, you need to disclose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are your singling out those three? It is very common for private schools to ban kids with diagnosed ASD.

Yes it is. Meanwhile, every school has many undiagnosed or recently diagnosed autistic students whose issues are more severe than those who apply who disclosing.

+1
Families who disclose during the application process are punished for it.

Regardless, you need to disclose.

I wouldn’t think of disclosing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are your singling out those three? It is very common for private schools to ban kids with diagnosed ASD.

Yes it is. Meanwhile, every school has many undiagnosed or recently diagnosed autistic students whose issues are more severe than those who apply who disclosing.

+1
Families who disclose during the application process are punished for it.

Regardless, you need to disclose.

I wouldn’t think of disclosing.

BTDT, and did not work for us.
We ended up being counseled out by the first semester.
It was a very traumatic experience for DC and the whole family.

[Anonymous]

Lab definitely rejects kids who disclose autism in application process. There are likely many HFA ASD kids there, just diagnosed later or undiagnosed. Heard from a school consultant that McLean is same and not to bother applying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lab definitely rejects kids who disclose autism in application process. There are likely many HFA ASD kids there, just diagnosed later or undiagnosed. Heard from a school consultant that McLean is same and not to bother applying.

This is precisely why I wouldn’t disclose. We all know that there are plenty of students at all these schools (and at non-SN private schools too) with ASD who do just fine. When schools discriminate on the basis of a label without bothering to dig any deeper to figure out whether the student can be successful, they are asking for the omission. As parents, it’s important that we be honest with ourselves about the type of environments in which our kids can be successful. But I sure as hell wouldn’t trust a school to care enough to make that call when it’s so much easier for them just to reject.