Anyone at DCI (DC International PCS)?

[Anonymous]

But you really, really need to visit all of these during the day and see what you think. Especially DCI since you may consider giving up your guaranteed seat.

[Anonymous]

Sure...was hoping someone on this board might be at DCI. Not so far, it seems!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what other schools are you considering?

We are currently at a SN school often mentioned here and I am not particularly impressed by the academics nor surprisingly the supports he is receiving. To be honest, I think our feeder did a better job with a better, more experienced staff. Certainly not worth the $$$$$ in tuition.

I think my kid would do better at a smaller school such as Inspired Teaching or CMI. Both seem to have food special ed teams from what I have heard. But this would leave us without an optionfor high school (at least, nothing by right as our in boundary high school is definitely not an option).

Kid is in mainstream classes except for OT, counseling so I had not considered a special needs school. But middle school will be much harder with all the big classes, high number of teachers etc.

What kind of supports is your kid lacking at SN school?! That is kind of shocking. I suppose maybe academics may not be up to par because other stuff is emphasized?

DS was fully mainstreamed from pre-K-5 and did well academically and socially but his neuropsych and teachers thought a smaller school was a better option. They also did not think the IB model was a good fit for DS’s learning style.

The SN school is small, very small, with nice kids but DS misses his friends. DS had a solid group of friends at the feeder and he was never bullied or picked on. In fact, he and his group were at the top of the social ladder there. DS’s social issues are mainly with adults not his peers. He has had no problems making friends at his new school but his relations with his new teachers are not great - some of them don’t seem to know how to deal with a kid with Aspergers specifically, do not engage in debating with DS

Academically, he is above grade level across the board even though he has a diagnosed learning disability in written expression but his feeder was very good about giving him support in this area.

The SN school is a disappointment. DS started the school yr not on ADHD medication due to unacceptable side effects: DS went off the rails before his psych found a combo that works well for him during which time I kept getting emails, phone calls,... lots of complaints from the school. I never got this in the entire time DS was in public school with IEP and while I may have gotten a similar reaction from DCI at least I am not paying them tuition for a specialized program. Also, the BCBAs and school counselor at our feeder are light yrs ahead of the current ones.

So if I could do it again, I wish we had at least tried DCI first. It would have saved a lot of money. Oh well. It’s just middle school and we will be moving out of the area soon. Our plan is for DS to attend mainstream private schools although we may give public with IEP another try for 1 more year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure...was hoping someone on this board might be at DCI. Not so far, it seems!

I know several kids with ASD or ADHD at DCI. They are happy there. Supports through their IEP/529s are well done according to their parents. No complaints.

[Anonymous]

21:54, in my experience stressful situations and big transitions can bring out the anxiety and thus the challenging behavior etc. New school, move etc, are sure to make things worse for kids like ours, at least in my limited experience. I’m sure I won’t like DCI or any feeder as well as our feeder, which feels warm and personal.

The more I think about it the more I think that we will give DCI a try. I don’t want kid to lose the friends they have made over the course of elementary school. That would also increase stress.

Good luck with your move or school or houses or both...I know mine would seriously object to a long distance move!