Seeking a list of schools appropriate for a child with ADHD who needs small classes

[Anonymous]

I posted this earlier but I think it got lost in the shuffle -- St. Patrick's in DC and St. Andrew's in Potomac.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure about Deiner and Maddox, but Kingsbury has a ton of ED kids now, so maybe your information is outdated? It is even listed as an ED school. (Page 167)

http://www.greatschools.org/res/pdf/DC/DC_School_Chooser_2012-2013.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son has SN not specifically ADHD but I am sure there is some of that in their also. We have a plethora of issues.

After testing the Educational Specialist recommended some schools. They said most all boys schools (Mater Dei, Heights, Landon) have small class size, lots of outdoor learning and boy specific learning.

Crap - I am on page 2 and forget if you have a boy. Anyway...

We did make the switch and our son is having a great experience - after my son was climbing the walls at his more traditional school. After our move I was told that Mercy and St. Elizabeth's are good schools also. But I do not have any experience there.

Also we have been told to look at Bullis, St. John's, Good Counsel and Gonzaga for HS. St. J and GC have specific programs. Bullis and Gonzaga - we have been told - have learning styles and methods good for our specific son. We will be going to Open Houses next year.

I would not recommend anything specific because every child is different. All the schools are very different. I would work with an Educational Specialist and get a full Educational Anaylsis so you know what learning styles are best for your specific child.

We will be retesting this summer to determine if my son's needs have changed/are the same before doing Open Houses.

Good Luck! Your child is lucky to have a mom who is working toward his best interests.

It really depends on the the kid and the level of ADHD. Many boy schools are very traditional types of learning environments. You mentioned Landon as one place and I can tell you from experience that there is very little outdoor learning. There is lots of work, it's a long day and lots of academic and athletic expectations. Yes they understand boys but some teachers can be tough and not all that understanding. Depending on what age, a language requirement also kicks in. There are breaks and having sports as part of the requirement can be great. They do have a learning center in place and will work with kids that need extra time for midterm and final exams.

For my ADHD kid, it really is not the right place.

[Anonymous]

There is a very long thread in the private school forum with a discussion of mainstream schools that have kids with ADHD. From reading the thread, it seems like every school has at least one. However, it sounds like those kids are otherwise socially typical and at most, have a minor learning difference (if at all). Op doesn't have to give out more info about her dc but she/he will know whether the "mainstream" schools are a possibility. If her dc has social issues and/or learning differences, then some of the "special needs" schools could be an option.

[Anonymous]

If you are looking for a school for an ADHD child who needs small classes I also recommend you look at Compass Academy in Halethorpe Maryland. My ADHD son is thriving there!

[Anonymous]

St. Elizabeth does not have small classes - 30+ students in most classes. Not ideal for SN at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To clarify...Deiner, Maddox, and Kingsbury are not schools for kids with ED. They are less mainstream then other schools mentioned in this post but are an excellent fit for many many kids......

They are for LDs and there is nothing wrong with that. EDs vary. If a child has a lot of anxiety sometimes schools like this can be a good match. ADHD is not an ED the way say Conduct Disorder is.

I venture to say EVERY private school in the DC metro area has at least a few kids with ADHD, it's a matter of degree of ADHD.

OP to help we would need to know more. For example at Heights, Landon, etc. kids usually score in the above average on up for IQ scores, though there are kids with average IQ scores. I am not saying I endorse the use of IQ scores, but some kids with ADHD do not do well on them and/or are harder to test than others. Also, most kids at these schools have at least average social skills (some kids with ADHD don't, though some have great social skills).

What class size are you looking for? What are your child's strengths and weaknesses? Are there sensory issues? Is there any comorbid issue such as anxiety or depression or behavioral issues?

[Anonymous]

My ADHD son attended summer camp at Lab. It was the first time I saw him smile at a school pick up. We asked about enrolling (although tuition was too much for our means) and were told our son wouldn't be a good fit. Seems like it was because his ADHD really didn't interfere much with his ability to learn. Good luck! I find the process of finding the right resources maddening.

[Anonymous]

what grade are you looking for?

There is a new charter in DC that launched this year - Creative Minds that has small class size.

You might also want to talk to some of the other charters like Inspired Teaching and CCPCS that use expeditionary learning and have high staff ratios (Teacher and teaching fellow in every class room and an inclusion specialist shared for every 2 classes)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ADHD son attended summer camp at Lab. It was the first time I saw him smile at a school pick up. We asked about enrolling (although tuition was too much for our means) and were told our son wouldn't be a good fit. Seems like it was because his ADHD really didn't interfere much with his ability to learn. Good luck! I find the process of finding the right resources maddening.

have you looked at Auburn? I've heard they have a fantastic scholarship program.

[Anonymous]

Would love an update with current experience of parents with ADD boys in "mainstream" privates. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We are at Maddux with an ADHD kid, and it's phenomenal. There are a variety of kids there, some with more needs than others but most are the kind of kid who would perhaps blend into a typical mainstream environment but wouldn't thrive without the added structure designed to aid executive functioning deficits, which in turn helps reduce anxiety and boost self-esteem. At this point we have plenty of neurotypical peer interactions with friends' kids and other environments. Maddux teaches kids how to interact better and more appropriately with the world around them in spite of their challenges. Not sure where we will go after yet, but many do go on to McLean or other mainstream privates/public schools.

[Anonymous]

I highly recommend Commonwealth Academy (3-12) in N. Alexandria for small classes for students with ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would love an update with current experience of parents with ADD boys in "mainstream" privates. Thanks!

I would search the private school forum under "ADHD."

If you don't think it will work for you, the Exceptional Schools Fair is coming up:
http://www.exceptionalschoolsfair.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP again. I'm aware of McLean, Maddux and Diener and Kingsbury. What mainstream schools are out there in Montgomery County or DC that would be one to look at for an adhd child who needs small class size and structure. I had heard that Bullis can now accomodate children who need more than the average child, but I've only heard this (no real experience myself).

You come off as pretty demanding and lacking grace. I'll tell you how I found the best fit (for this year anyway) for my ADHD child and I will tell you it didn't involved getting someone else to do the work for me. Every ADHD kid is different. There are types of ADHD, and a myriad of factors that impact best fit. You know what I did? I got up off my butt and visited a whole lot of schools multiple times so I could know what fit my child best. I started two years before I needed a school and I visited 20'schools! Yes, 20. Some of them multiple times. Some of them I fled from. I did due diligence because my child's welfare means the world to me. We applied to mainstream and more specialized private and DC was accepted to both. Then we made a decision knowing that we don't have a manic crystal ball. How about doing the same for your own kid?