Your true thoughts about the Newton School

[Anonymous]

I'm a current Newton parent that hasn't lost sight of TJ as an option for my son. It is my knowledge that at least one current upper school student just recently took the TJ exam or is preparing. There are Newton kids who are super smart, working way above grade level and Newton is meeting them there and keeping their kid on an advanced track. I really don’t know if TJ discriminates based on a child coming from a school like Newton or not. That is not on my list of concerns about my son getting in, really. It seems to me that if he passes all the tests and other criteria, coming from Newton shouldn’t be that big of a detriment. Maybe I’m being foolish here.

I too have had hopes that TJ could be great for my son from the time he was very young. He taught himself how to read by the time he turned four. He counted by tens and doubled numbers out loud (up to the thousands) from his carseat on the way to preschool. He knew his multiplication tables entering first grade. I frequently had people stop me in public and tell me how impressive his speech and vocabulary were. But the fact is, NONE of his intellectual ability matters if his lack of executive function keeps him from actually completing all his work, or following through on tasks. Or if his lack of social awareness keeps him excluded from groups and activities, or developing genuine and positive relationships. He’ll just end up still pretty damn smart, but lonely and without a good job or the best possible avenue to exercise that intellect. And NOW is the time to try and better these things.

I read recently (on a DCUM Forum) that TJ kids (like nearly the whole school) is super competitive (and that is fine, really) but it is not unheard of for kids to stay up until midnight doing all their homework. Maybe this is more doable in the latter high school years, but right now, I know my kid REALLY needs his sleep. Consistently needs his sleep. So, on that note alone, I’m making TJ a less critical end game for where I hope my son attends high school. We can still test and attempt to get in. And even if he is so lucky as to get accepted, it doesn’t mean it is where he will be best served. I'll know better when we are closer to having to make that choice.

[Anonymous]

I can also add that my son tested off the charts for giftedness in public school, but his inability to stay regulated during the school day left him unable to access those abilities with 30 plus kids around him. Now, he gets one on one academic attention and is working one, sometimes two grades ahead of what he would be doing in AAP in public school. It's like having the attention of homeschooling with the social structure of a school. You just can't find that combination of training anywhere. If my son continues on this path, I could easily see him as a solid candidate for certain magnet schools. It will really come down to ability and performance and the best chance of bringing that out is in finding the appropriate learning environment. For us, that definitely was Newton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello,

I am a Newton School Mom and I have been over the moon about the results with the school. We are finishing up our 3rd and final year. I placed him there in 6th grade (wish I had done it a year earlier). My son was in a wonderful public school with a great teaching staff. My older son sailed through this school but my younger son started presenting with social challenges in the 3rd grade. By the beginning of 5th grade he was totally miserable and I knew I needed to make a change.

When I started looking for schools I came across Newton. His first year there was difficult in some ways and totally wonderful in other ways. He really loved that he could actually participate in class and not have to sit quietly all day. He also is an accelerated learner and they were really able to challenge him in all subject areas - which he loved (after having been bored in school for many years). He really embraced their style of classroom learning and discussion. The more difficult part was his social growth. In the beginning he had a difficult time embracing the social coaching that goes on at Newton. As I look back on it now - I see that I now consider his first year as year of 'detoxification' from the very negative experiences he had in public school. All of the defense mechanisms I had helped him put into place in public school - just to help him survive the day - really weren't going to be beneficial to him in the long run. And Newton recognized this and was wanting to help him grow in this year. So that first year was a lot of simply 'undoing' old habits.

Make no mistake - growing socially is WORK for these kids - it doesn't come easily. There is no silver bullet. But Newton has an excellent program to teach the kids these skills. By the second year he really started to blossom. And now in his 3rd year I'm happy to say that he is ready to be mainstreamed again. I can't even tell you the number of family and friends who have commented on his maturation and growth over these last 3 years. He even has applied to TJ - still waiting for the results.

Newton is a place where I have felt my son was totally safe - emotionally - and that has been a load off my mind. He has told me that the thing he will miss the most next year is that he has felt like Newton has been a 'Family' to him. That just warmed my heart!

Please feel free to ask any questions - or call the school owner and have her let you talk to some parents - or meet them and their children. Also, a visit day is good too - because every school is different and not every place is a good fit for every child.

Regards

I am glad that your child has thrived in this school. I have a 5 year old that I have some concerns about. Do schools like TJ discriminate against kids that come from special needs schools? (In sense that the kid will not be accepted admission?)

I don't know the specific answer to you question, but I worried about similar things when enrolling my child in a different SN school. But what I can tell you is that if you get your 5 year old the help they need now, he will be in a much better place to take advantage of any subsequent schools. If you don't give him the help he needs, there might not be the "SN school stigma" but e also won't be thriving.

I don't know if TJ will discriminate against him. But here is what I did find - when he was 10 and I was looking for private schools - SEVERAL of them did discriminate against him. And I found several schools that accepted him - such as Netwon. Looking back - those school that pretty much blew us off - he really would not have been happy attending. But I didn't see that at the time.

I do agree w/the comment made about getting your child the help them need now. My son is so much more mature and able to integrate w/mainstream kids now - he has applied to High Schools he has been accepted to all of the schools so far, including a Prep school. There are some good alternative HS options in this area if you don't want your child in a 3,000 population HS (which is the size of our local HS) - and these schools are all looking for kids that fit their environment. I did not get a sense that they discriminate - but they do look for a good fit. Numerous of these schools even have special programs or classes to address weak executive functioning and academic skills.

I am re-reading some great books - and the one message that is repeated is - Get your child help early and often as that will give them the best chance of having a successful future. My son has changed so very much since he was 5 and even 10 years old. The supports we have put in place, including Newton, have helped him grow significantly. I guess what I'm trying to say (in my typical wordy manner is...) the future for your child at 5 is so very uncertain - but the more help he gets now to learn how to address his challenges - then the higher your odds that this type of concern will dissipate.

As a side note - every summer after starting Newton School - I have mainstreamed him for summer camps. This was my litmus test to see how he was doing in a mainstream environment. Every year going to these camps got easier and easier - and he was even starting to make friends at these camps!! This past summer he went to a typical sleep away camp for a week. Something I did w/my older son w/o even batting an eyelash - that I never thought this son would be able to do successfully - and it worked out great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a former Newton parent who has only positive things to say about the school, AA, the faculty and the students (all amazing kids). The kids are all smart, bright and will have great futures. But I can tell you with (almost) absolute certainty that the majority of parents aren't looking to get their kids into TJ. Call AA to discuss your concerns further but you probably won't be a good fit at any special needs school if that is your ultimate goal, sorry.

I totally agree with that!

My son wanted to apply, and he met the criteria, so I allowed it. He made it through the first round which is the SHSAT test. Then he took the second round, which is the SIS and Essay questions. So, even if he does get in - it's possible he may not go - but he and I agreed that he would apply and then we at least had the option. And that will give him bragging rights - which is 'cool' for a 14yr old boy. Newton has been amazing about accommodating his abilities. Right now he is taking an 11th grade level math class (Algebra 2) while also remaining challenged in other academic areas. The one thing I do love about Newton is that they make sure the kids do plenty of writing. And they learn how to edit their work too - not just write and turn it in then move on. They actually learn that writing is a process, not an event.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello,

I am a Newton School Mom and I have been over the moon about the results with the school. We are finishing up our 3rd and final year. I placed him there in 6th grade (wish I had done it a year earlier). My son was in a wonderful public school with a great teaching staff. My older son sailed through this school but my younger son started presenting with social challenges in the 3rd grade. By the beginning of 5th grade he was totally miserable and I knew I needed to make a change.

When I started looking for schools I came across Newton. His first year there was difficult in some ways and totally wonderful in other ways. He really loved that he could actually participate in class and not have to sit quietly all day. He also is an accelerated learner and they were really able to challenge him in all subject areas - which he loved (after having been bored in school for many years). He really embraced their style of classroom learning and discussion. The more difficult part was his social growth. In the beginning he had a difficult time embracing the social coaching that goes on at Newton. As I look back on it now - I see that I now consider his first year as year of 'detoxification' from the very negative experiences he had in public school. All of the defense mechanisms I had helped him put into place in public school - just to help him survive the day - really weren't going to be beneficial to him in the long run. And Newton recognized this and was wanting to help him grow in this year. So that first year was a lot of simply 'undoing' old habits.

Make no mistake - growing socially is WORK for these kids - it doesn't come easily. There is no silver bullet. But Newton has an excellent program to teach the kids these skills. By the second year he really started to blossom. And now in his 3rd year I'm happy to say that he is ready to be mainstreamed again. I can't even tell you the number of family and friends who have commented on his maturation and growth over these last 3 years. He even has applied to TJ - still waiting for the results.

Newton is a place where I have felt my son was totally safe - emotionally - and that has been a load off my mind. He has told me that the thing he will miss the most next year is that he has felt like Newton has been a 'Family' to him. That just warmed my heart!

Please feel free to ask any questions - or call the school owner and have her let you talk to some parents - or meet them and their children. Also, a visit day is good too - because every school is different and not every place is a good fit for every child.

Regards

I am glad that your child has thrived in this school. I have a 5 year old that I have some concerns about. Do schools like TJ discriminate against kids that come from special needs schools? (In sense that the kid will not be accepted admission?)

I don't know the specific answer to you question, but I worried about similar things when enrolling my child in a different SN school. But what I can tell you is that if you get your 5 year old the help they need now, he will be in a much better place to take advantage of any subsequent schools. If you don't give him the help he needs, there might not be the "SN school stigma" but e also won't be thriving.

I don't know if TJ will discriminate against him. But here is what I did find - when he was 10 and I was looking for private schools - SEVERAL of them did discriminate against him. And I found several schools that accepted him - such as Netwon. Looking back - those school that pretty much blew us off - he really would not have been happy attending. But I didn't see that at the time.

I do agree w/the comment made about getting your child the help them need now. My son is so much more mature and able to integrate w/mainstream kids now - he has applied to High Schools he has been accepted to all of the schools so far, including a Prep school. There are some good alternative HS options in this area if you don't want your child in a 3,000 population HS (which is the size of our local HS) - and these schools are all looking for kids that fit their environment. I did not get a sense that they discriminate - but they do look for a good fit. Numerous of these schools even have special programs or classes to address weak executive functioning and academic skills.

I am re-reading some great books - and the one message that is repeated is - Get your child help early and often as that will give them the best chance of having a successful future. My son has changed so very much since he was 5 and even 10 years old. The supports we have put in place, including Newton, have helped him grow significantly. I guess what I'm trying to say (in my typical wordy manner is...) the future for your child at 5 is so very uncertain - but the more help he gets now to learn how to address his challenges - then the higher your odds that this type of concern will dissipate.

As a side note - every summer after starting Newton School - I have mainstreamed him for summer camps. This was my litmus test to see how he was doing in a mainstream environment. Every year going to these camps got easier and easier - and he was even starting to make friends at these camps!! This past summer he went to a typical sleep away camp for a week. Something I did w/my older son w/o even batting an eyelash - that I never thought this son would be able to do successfully - and it worked out great!


What are the names of these high schools in our area?

[Anonymous]

Ugh! So disappointed with how this thread went. Success in life is so more than "TJ". I dont even know what that stands for.

I have adhd, and got full scholarship to state school. But I lacked a lot completely unrelated to academics.

If I were to do it again, I'd go to my local community college and 1/2 work, 1/2 classes. Or maybe not. But the pressure was horrible!!

Dh stayed home w/ parents until he was 33! He's got his phd now.

I just feel like the culture pushes us to compete w/ "the jones"

I want my kid to enjoy being a kid and be self sufficient emotionally and life wise. I wouldn't say "academically" b/c what I really want is for him to be self aware to say "I need help here and here, how can I solve this problem?" "Who can I ask?" W/o his self worth attached to the ups and downs of academics or other similar endeavors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello,

I am a Newton School Mom and I have been over the moon about the results with the school. We are finishing up our 3rd and final year. I placed him there in 6th grade (wish I had done it a year earlier). My son was in a wonderful public school with a great teaching staff. My older son sailed through this school but my younger son started presenting with social challenges in the 3rd grade. By the beginning of 5th grade he was totally miserable and I knew I needed to make a change.

When I started looking for schools I came across Newton. His first year there was difficult in some ways and totally wonderful in other ways. He really loved that he could actually participate in class and not have to sit quietly all day. He also is an accelerated learner and they were really able to challenge him in all subject areas - which he loved (after having been bored in school for many years). He really embraced their style of classroom learning and discussion. The more difficult part was his social growth. In the beginning he had a difficult time embracing the social coaching that goes on at Newton. As I look back on it now - I see that I now consider his first year as year of 'detoxification' from the very negative experiences he had in public school. All of the defense mechanisms I had helped him put into place in public school - just to help him survive the day - really weren't going to be beneficial to him in the long run. And Newton recognized this and was wanting to help him grow in this year. So that first year was a lot of simply 'undoing' old habits.

Make no mistake - growing socially is WORK for these kids - it doesn't come easily. There is no silver bullet. But Newton has an excellent program to teach the kids these skills. By the second year he really started to blossom. And now in his 3rd year I'm happy to say that he is ready to be mainstreamed again. I can't even tell you the number of family and friends who have commented on his maturation and growth over these last 3 years. He even has applied to TJ - still waiting for the results.

Newton is a place where I have felt my son was totally safe - emotionally - and that has been a load off my mind. He has told me that the thing he will miss the most next year is that he has felt like Newton has been a 'Family' to him. That just warmed my heart!

Please feel free to ask any questions - or call the school owner and have her let you talk to some parents - or meet them and their children. Also, a visit day is good too - because every school is different and not every place is a good fit for every child.

Regards

I am glad that your child has thrived in this school. I have a 5 year old that I have some concerns about. Do schools like TJ discriminate against kids that come from special needs schools? (In sense that the kid will not be accepted admission?)

I don't know the specific answer to you question, but I worried about similar things when enrolling my child in a different SN school. But what I can tell you is that if you get your 5 year old the help they need now, he will be in a much better place to take advantage of any subsequent schools. If you don't give him the help he needs, there might not be the "SN school stigma" but e also won't be thriving.

I apologize, 've been trying to respond to the other questions - but for some reason I keep messing up.

I did come across discrimination when I was looking at elementary schools for my son. But looking back those schools really would NOT have met his needs anyway. But for the High Schools we have been visiting - I have not felt any discrimination. But then again, I'm not looking at the very top private prep schools in the area (which tend to be very picky and selective about their student body). We've been looking at smaller private schools - which seem to accommodate and welcome a very large selection of students with wide ranging capabilities. Some schools even have classes or specific supports for executive functioning challenges. I'm happy to say there are H.S. options out there if you don't choose the 3000 student mainstream public H.S.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh! So disappointed with how this thread went. Success in life is so more than "TJ". I dont even know what that stands for.

I have adhd, and got full scholarship to state school. But I lacked a lot completely unrelated to academics.

If I were to do it again, I'd go to my local community college and 1/2 work, 1/2 classes. Or maybe not. But the pressure was horrible!!

Dh stayed home w/ parents until he was 33! He's got his phd now.

I just feel like the culture pushes us to compete w/ "the jones"

I want my kid to enjoy being a kid and be self sufficient emotionally and life wise. I wouldn't say "academically" b/c what I really want is for him to be self aware to say "I need help here and here, how can I solve this problem?" "Who can I ask?" W/o his self worth attached to the ups and downs of academics or other similar endeavors.

My son has applied to TJ - but I totally agree that success is more than TJ. However, if you are a person who has strength in math and science and wants to get into some very intense science projects -and intense math topics - then TJ (Thomas Jefferson Science and Technology HS) is the best public school in this area to obtain that education. It just gives these kids essentially a start on these topics before college. In fact, a person that works for me went to TJ, he is now about 23 yrs old. One thing he did say is that TJ provided him with the opportunity to be much more prepared for college then his friends that went to his local public school. All of that said, EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT - and not every learning environment is right for every child. TJ is great. So are lots of other public and private schools in this area. Point in fact, it's FREE - where as the private schools can be quite costly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello,

I am a Newton School Mom and I have been over the moon about the results with the school. We are finishing up our 3rd and final year. I placed him there in 6th grade (wish I had done it a year earlier). My son was in a wonderful public school with a great teaching staff. My older son sailed through this school but my younger son started presenting with social challenges in the 3rd grade. By the beginning of 5th grade he was totally miserable and I knew I needed to make a change.

When I started looking for schools I came across Newton. His first year there was difficult in some ways and totally wonderful in other ways. He really loved that he could actually participate in class and not have to sit quietly all day. He also is an accelerated learner and they were really able to challenge him in all subject areas - which he loved (after having been bored in school for many years). He really embraced their style of classroom learning and discussion. The more difficult part was his social growth. In the beginning he had a difficult time embracing the social coaching that goes on at Newton. As I look back on it now - I see that I now consider his first year as year of 'detoxification' from the very negative experiences he had in public school. All of the defense mechanisms I had helped him put into place in public school - just to help him survive the day - really weren't going to be beneficial to him in the long run. And Newton recognized this and was wanting to help him grow in this year. So that first year was a lot of simply 'undoing' old habits.

Make no mistake - growing socially is WORK for these kids - it doesn't come easily. There is no silver bullet. But Newton has an excellent program to teach the kids these skills. By the second year he really started to blossom. And now in his 3rd year I'm happy to say that he is ready to be mainstreamed again. I can't even tell you the number of family and friends who have commented on his maturation and growth over these last 3 years. He even has applied to TJ - still waiting for the results.

Newton is a place where I have felt my son was totally safe - emotionally - and that has been a load off my mind. He has told me that the thing he will miss the most next year is that he has felt like Newton has been a 'Family' to him. That just warmed my heart!

Please feel free to ask any questions - or call the school owner and have her let you talk to some parents - or meet them and their children. Also, a visit day is good too - because every school is different and not every place is a good fit for every child.

Regards

I am glad that your child has thrived in this school. I have a 5 year old that I have some concerns about. Do schools like TJ discriminate against kids that come from special needs schools? (In sense that the kid will not be accepted admission?)

I don't know the specific answer to you question, but I worried about similar things when enrolling my child in a different SN school. But what I can tell you is that if you get your 5 year old the help they need now, he will be in a much better place to take advantage of any subsequent schools. If you don't give him the help he needs, there might not be the "SN school stigma" but e also won't be thriving.

I don't know if TJ will discriminate against him. But here is what I did find - when he was 10 and I was looking for private schools - SEVERAL of them did discriminate against him. And I found several schools that accepted him - such as Netwon. Looking back - those school that pretty much blew us off - he really would not have been happy attending. But I didn't see that at the time.

I do agree w/the comment made about getting your child the help them need now. My son is so much more mature and able to integrate w/mainstream kids now - he has applied to High Schools he has been accepted to all of the schools so far, including a Prep school. There are some good alternative HS options in this area if you don't want your child in a 3,000 population HS (which is the size of our local HS) - and these schools are all looking for kids that fit their environment. I did not get a sense that they discriminate - but they do look for a good fit. Numerous of these schools even have special programs or classes to address weak executive functioning and academic skills.

I am re-reading some great books - and the one message that is repeated is - Get your child help early and often as that will give them the best chance of having a successful future. My son has changed so very much since he was 5 and even 10 years old. The supports we have put in place, including Newton, have helped him grow significantly. I guess what I'm trying to say (in my typical wordy manner is...) the future for your child at 5 is so very uncertain - but the more help he gets now to learn how to address his challenges - then the higher your odds that this type of concern will dissipate.

As a side note - every summer after starting Newton School - I have mainstreamed him for summer camps. This was my litmus test to see how he was doing in a mainstream environment. Every year going to these camps got easier and easier - and he was even starting to make friends at these camps!! This past summer he went to a typical sleep away camp for a week. Something I did w/my older son w/o even batting an eyelash - that I never thought this son would be able to do successfully - and it worked out great!


What are the names of these high schools in our area?

Some of the private H.S. in this area that we seriously considered before applying to 4 of them include:

GW Community
New School
Middleburg Academy
Flint Hill
PVI
Field School
Loudoun Gifted School
Highland

Most, if not all of these, do have supports in place for kids that may need some extra help w/executive functioning. Again, before we entered Newton I had NO CLUE what I would do for him when it came to H.S. But as things have unfolded at Newton, and I've watched him grow, he (and in fact some of his fellow 8th grade peers at the school) are now ready to spread their wings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh! So disappointed with how this thread went. Success in life is so more than "TJ". I dont even know what that stands for.

I have adhd, and got full scholarship to state school. But I lacked a lot completely unrelated to academics.

If I were to do it again, I'd go to my local community college and 1/2 work, 1/2 classes. Or maybe not. But the pressure was horrible!!

Dh stayed home w/ parents until he was 33! He's got his phd now.

I just feel like the culture pushes us to compete w/ "the jones"

I want my kid to enjoy being a kid and be self sufficient emotionally and life wise. I wouldn't say "academically" b/c what I really want is for him to be self aware to say "I need help here and here, how can I solve this problem?" "Who can I ask?" W/o his self worth attached to the ups and downs of academics or other similar endeavors.

My son has applied to TJ - but I totally agree that success is more than TJ. However, if you are a person who has strength in math and science and wants to get into some very intense science projects -and intense math topics - then TJ (Thomas Jefferson Science and Technology HS) is the best public school in this area to obtain that education. It just gives these kids essentially a start on these topics before college. In fact, a person that works for me went to TJ, he is now about 23 yrs old. One thing he did say is that TJ provided him with the opportunity to be much more prepared for college then his friends that went to his local public school. All of that said, EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT - and not every learning environment is right for every child. TJ is great. So are lots of other public and private schools in this area. Point in fact, it's FREE - where as the private schools can be quite costly.

Oh. Well, the pressure when I went to a similar magnet program back in the stone ages was high but you could choose how much college courses you wanted to take. I am grateful for the free magnet program I went to and grateful for the scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Is there any chance Newton will open a campus further east? I would love to send DD there but a 45 min drive each way is not plausible

[Anonymous]

Wow, this school sounds just like what my son needs. I am moving to the area next year and have been doing some preliminary investigation into schools. I checked out the website and it looks great. But I can't find any info on tuition. Can someone give me a ballpark figure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know but I'm curious as well. Do you think Fairfax mighty for the private placement?

Highly unlikely.

OP would have to jump thru all the hoops to prove that FCPS can't provide basic learning in its regular schools - only when you get to that stage will FCPS even begin to talk to you about paying for private SN school or an institution. But certainly worth exploring. But be prepared to have to litigate to get it.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Can you all tell me exacty HOW your children improved? What was actually done to help with the improvement?

For example, if your child improved socially, how so? What was your child's initial dx? And how did the school achieve the improvement?

And if your child has rigidity issues, how did the school help your child to overcome them?

[Anonymous]

Newton school is wonderful. We have only gone there for summer camps, but it has been great. Alison Abraham is a wonderful director. She has a big gym at the facility so the kids can run and play and get their energy out. We are on a special diet and she is good with that too. She gets all of our kids! She is a parent of a SN child. My child is 7 y.o., with ASD and ADD. Again we were just there for summer camp, b/c the school is very $$. But she is prompt about getting back to you, she gets the concerns, and she makes it really fun. It is the only camp my DC does not mind attending.