Is GDS a fit for a very bright kid with some exec functioning challenges?

[Anonymous]

My kid went to private K-8 - two of his friends who have EF issues got in and are attending and doing well at GDS for HS. One of the two also has ADHD and is medicated so it seems like they are managing it well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:EF challenges during GDS MS can be managed (and supported externally). At the upper school level a student will struggle at GDS. They offer no scaffolding, have hours of homework and the school environment can be described as chaotic. This is not the environment that most bright ADHD students thrive in. OP pick the environment that your adolescent needs to thrive. Set your ego aside.

This is the problem. They say they’re promoting independence but it’s actually just chaos. So disappointing. Wish I knew that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are kids with adhd who are self starters who actually do better in a setting like GDS, with more freedom, than at a school with lots of scaffolding. My adhd kid hates the scaffolding his school provides but does amazingly when given a little more freedom.

Any chance your kid has an Autism PDA profile? That would match this scenario. My AuADHDer wants to leave her Catholic HS to experience the more flexible GDS. We've heard from educational professionals that it doesn't have the supports she needs and also would hate the doubled tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:EF challenges during GDS MS can be managed (and supported externally). At the upper school level a student will struggle at GDS. They offer no scaffolding, have hours of homework and the school environment can be described as chaotic. This is not the environment that most bright ADHD students thrive in. OP pick the environment that your adolescent needs to thrive. Set your ego aside.

This is the problem. They say they’re promoting independence but it’s actually just chaos. So disappointing. Wish I knew that.

Can you elaborate on that? Curious as someone who was considering GDS HS for kiddo

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I’m 19:27 poster, meant to say MS, but would presumably go from MS to HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:EF challenges during GDS MS can be managed (and supported externally). At the upper school level a student will struggle at GDS. They offer no scaffolding, have hours of homework and the school environment can be described as chaotic. This is not the environment that most bright ADHD students thrive in. OP pick the environment that your adolescent needs to thrive. Set your ego aside.

This is the problem. They say they’re promoting independence but it’s actually just chaos. So disappointing. Wish I knew that.

Can you elaborate on that? Curious as someone who was considering GDS HS for kiddo

That has not been our experience in the GDS HS for my ADHD kid. We were lukewarm on the MS, but love the HS. There is lots of support available, but the student has to seek it out. Likewise, teachers are happy to communicate with parents, but expect you to initiate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could apply and see. GDS won’t accept a child if they think they cannot handle the work.

Yes and no. A variety of factors are looked at during the admissions process (legacy, siblings, donations as well as academics and extracurriculars). Many kids are also hypothetically capable of “doing the work” but whether the environment ends up supporting that is nuanced. We certainly know of students who were admitted in earlier grades with EF challenges who have been asked by GDS to complete neuropsychs and then start stimulants when classroom modifications didn’t help.

This is not meant to be a commentary on GDS, but it’s important to acknowledge that kids leave GDS (as well as other schools) because there isn’t alignment academically. They may end up using a variety of modifications to access the curriculum, which parents may not anticipate prior to enrollment.

Progressive schools can be harder for kids without strong EF because rules and expectations are implicit instead of being explicit, which is the case at more traditional schools. For a child without strong EF, bandwidth is then being used to navigate expectations and rules instead of on other tasks requiring EF.

This response closely reflects the experiences of families within our immediate circle, particularly in the Middle School and especially since the change in leadership. Since the arrival of the new principal, the approach toward students with executive-functioning challenges has felt increasingly disciplinary and punitive rather than supportive.

A close friend has struggled tremendously this year because of the lack of support for her daughter, and, based on what I have heard, the experience appears to be even more difficult for boys. Several other parents have shared similar accounts, including examples of students being repeatedly reprimanded for bouncing a leg in class, using a fidget, or having a disorganized desk. These do not appear to be isolated incidents.

Based on what we have observed and heard from other families, I do not believe GDS—particularly the current Middle School environment—is a good fit for a child with executive-functioning challenges. I would recommend exploring other options.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the concerns raised by the previous poster regarding Kelsey Schroeder’s approach. I am aware of a deeply troubling experience in which behaviors commonly associated with ADHD were repeatedly treated as disciplinary infractions rather than as indications that a student needed support. The strong emphasis on the dean of students and formal incident reporting, with limited involvement from school counselors, created an environment that felt highly pressurized, adversarial, and emotionally suffocating for the child. The contrast after the student entered high school was striking, and the situation improved considerably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe lower or middle school would be OK, but I wouldn't recommend GDS high school for a kid with executive functioning challenge. Perhaps more than most other schools, you really have to be a self starter in the high school. The block schedule, the free period, and the open campus can make it hard for those without strong executive functioning. Forgetfulness does not bode well in general. There is absolutely zero hand-holding. My kid really had to adjust.

Agreed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St Johns and St Andrews could be options as well. Maybe Maret.

If your kid can get into SJC Benilde program as a non-athlete, the level of support is incredible for the extra tuition paid. We would have paid a lot more for private coaching/tutoring. That said, it's really tailored toward serious athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe lower or middle school would be OK, but I wouldn't recommend GDS high school for a kid with executive functioning challenge. Perhaps more than most other schools, you really have to be a self starter in the high school. The block schedule, the free period, and the open campus can make it hard for those without strong executive functioning. Forgetfulness does not bode well in general. There is absolutely zero hand-holding. My kid really had to adjust.

Agreed.

Much worse in Middle School (GDS). Zero support.