Maddux or McLean for K

[Anonymous]

looking at McLean and Maddux for Kindergarten for that in between child who is on track academically but has some language and attention issues. No behavior issues. Class size is too large in neighborhood school. Both schools are chartered as regular education schools but obviously accommodate some special needs. Thinking that schools with accommodations in a nurturing environment may be a better fit for the next few years and then transition to a more traditional school later. Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of these schools? Does one school do certain things better in some areas? Maddux seems to have more enrollment in K-2, but Mclean's big entry year influx is 3rd? How are behavior issues at these schools? Obviously both schools have structure, but is one more structured than the other? McLean has a really long day, and a busing system which is not a positive, but it also seems to have alot of breaks. Maddux seems to have a shorter day and drop offs. Maddux has both OT and speech therapy pushed in, while McLean's model is optional pull out. group therapy is included in the cost at Maddux, whereas it is an additional cost at McLean. Do people find group therapy useful or do they think individual is better? Any comments would be useful from people who may have considered both schools, and what their experience has been.

[Anonymous]

Very different schools. Maddux is PreS to 2nd. McClean is through HS.

You really should visit them both, first. It would answer a lot of your questions in far more depth than you could ever expect from this forum.

[Anonymous]

Both good schools, but as PP said they are very different. If your child needs OT and ST McLean is more expensive, because those are extra services. The teaching styles were different, but that could just be the result of different personalities, not different schools.

At McLean the kids seemed to be a bit more independent in terms of free play, whereas at Maddux I saw more structered and even directed play and adults taking an active role rather than having the kids play together on their own, but this may just be representative of that moment in time I happened to see.

Maddux seemed like they served kids with a range of language issues. At McLean language issues seemed subtle to me, if a child even had language issues, but it may depend on what you see when you visit and may not be representative of the school. Plus, I am not a speech therapist.

I didn't see behavior issue (other than behavior stuff you'd expect in young children) at either school.

As PP suggested-visiting the schools should answer a lot of your questions. You really get a sense of what the school is all about and whether it's a match for your child.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Consider Harbor School too. SLP available for extra $.

You may have to apply to a few schools b/c sometimes classes fill up.

[Anonymous]

OP, something to also keep in mind, the OT and ST at Maddux is group only. There is no individual therapy, so if your child needs that you will still be doing outside therapies (and therefore paying for those as well).

[Anonymous]

Maddux over Mclean.

Much better teachers and training for language issues.

[Anonymous]

As PP suggests, I think I was told at Maddux the teachers have special ed degrees whereas at McLean most don't have degrees in sped.

[Anonymous]

Also, if you look at sites that give info on all the private schools like the national center for ed stats, Maddux has the smaller student teacher ratio..3:1 as opposed to McLean which is 6:1.

[Anonymous]

I think overall the student teacher ratio is smaller at McLean, although this year there are under 10 kids in McLean K and I believe over 10 in Maddux K.

[Anonymous]

14:34 again, I also think it really depends on the type and amount of help your child needs. You need to look at that when looking at these two schools and what they have to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think overall the student teacher ratio is smaller at McLean, although this year there are under 10 kids in McLean K and I believe over 10 in Maddux K.

I think you mean the student teacher ratio is smaller at Maddux, but it sounds like McLean may not fill up as much in K. I completely agree with PP, it depends on how much your child needs and visiting, talking with admissions and teachers will really help you.

[Anonymous]

The largest class my DC has had at Mclean is 12 kids. At times its been as low 8. They won't go higher than 16.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The largest class my DC has had at Mclean is 12 kids. At times its been as low 8. They won't go higher than 16.

My dc is in a class of 14 with two teachers. But the math and reading groups are smaller. The other homerooms in the grade have fewer kids with one teacher. I also think it matters whether you have a boy or a girl (not sure if you said). McLean doesn't have a lot of girls in the lower years of the lower school. The girls start to really come in 3rd and 4th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think overall the student teacher ratio is smaller at McLean, although this year there are under 10 kids in McLean K and I believe over 10 in Maddux K.

I think you mean the student teacher ratio is smaller at Maddux, but it sounds like McLean may not fill up as much in K. I completely agree with PP, it depends on how much your child needs and visiting, talking with admissions and teachers will really help you.

14:35 again. Yes, I meant for K specifically, and not for the other years b/c at McLean they do get larger.

[Anonymous]

At Maddux, DC's K-1 class has 14 children and 2 teachers, but the reading and math groups are 3 children:1 adult.