Lab School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same boat of trying To navigate the least awful option. Our local public is really terrible but shelling out $40K for Lab, which is marginally better, is rough. Lab, on paper is ideal for our child's mild Language based LD but we are not impressed. Hopefully, we'll get one of the few, coveted slots at one of the other schools. Last year we were wait listed, so it was really a matter of high applicant volume.

Is your current public school "truly awful" for everything or just for dealing with mild LDs? We decided to go the public school route because it was the best option for DC's strengths- science and math- which could not be matched in the area private schools. We fought hard for what LD services we could get and then supplemented heavily in the private sector. That was because the public school had something to "offer". However, if the public school couldn't even do that we probably would have chosen to move to one that could as we have another child who would benefit from the move too and two private school tuitions were not in the picture (one was if we got outside help for part).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same boat of trying To navigate the least awful option. Our local public is really terrible but shelling out $40K for Lab, which is marginally better, is rough. Lab, on paper is ideal for our child's mild Language based LD but we are not impressed. Hopefully, we'll get one of the few, coveted slots at one of the other schools. Last year we were wait listed, so it was really a matter of high applicant volume.

Ugh....didn't want to hear this. Do you mind telling us which of the schools have "few, coveted slots...." and where there are currently wait-lists?

This will determine what we do in the Fall. stay at our MoCo public or apply to private - which would mean a lot of emotional investment, not to mention time and money due to having to update educational testing at the rate of $3500!!

TIA!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in the same boat of trying To navigate the least awful option. Our local public is really terrible but shelling out $40K for Lab, which is marginally better, is rough. Lab, on paper is ideal for our child's mild Language based LD but we are not impressed. Hopefully, we'll get one of the few, coveted slots at one of the other schools. Last year we were wait listed, so it was really a matter of high applicant volume.

Ugh....didn't want to hear this. Do you mind telling us which of the schools have "few, coveted slots...." and where there are currently wait-lists?

This will determine what we do in the Fall. stay at our MoCo public or apply to private - which would mean a lot of emotional investment, not to mention time and money due to having to update educational testing at the rate of $3500!!

TIA!

Not PP, but Lab will probably have a wait list. It's tough to get into to, especially the older grades.

If your looking for a school that addresses language based LDs for middle and high school, in addition to Lab, you can apply to Commonwealth (VA) Siena, Jemicy, (MD) or Kingsbury (DC). The Chelsea School is a MS that deals with language based LDs. You could also look at McLean in MD which has a middle and h.s.

Those are pretty much your options and deadlines for most schools are January. If you're in doubt, you can apply and see what the public school will give you in terms of support. But I urge to tour and get your own impressions of the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were not happy at all with the consistent volume of behavioral issues at Lab. All schools have these issues to an extent but Lab had a ridiculous amount of fairly serious problems. It has been consistent for several years. The problems persist because the administration sweeps them under the rug and often looks the other way.

Lab is geared toward kids with LANGUAGE BASED DISABILITIES, so it is concerning they accept kids with emotional issues.
The classes at Lab may only be 8 or so kids in size but when the teachers are constantly putting out fires revolving around one of those eight kids, you may as well be in a class of 25.

Academics at Lab has definaty slipped over the years. My child and his Lab friends actually joke that the main thing they learn at Lab is that there are no consequences for bad choices. Lots of negativity in that building-- fag, queer, homo, N word, slut are just a few vocabulary words that my child and his friends hear on a daily basis. It's to a point where these words no longer evoke no response because they are so frequeby used among Lab's students-- and those are the nicer phrases heard in the halls. The same offenders, time and time again and everyone realizes that these habitual offenders never have to take responsibility for their actions.
We don't expect any school (unless it's a religious school) to be responsible for teaching our kids values or right vs. Wrong but it is helpful for a school to enforce an honor code or at least have some expected standard of conduct.

PP, it's really, really weird that you resurrected a thread from two years ago. I really do not believe you that your kid jokes that he learned that there are no consequences for bad choices. If this is the case, look at your parenting and not just the school.

Not weird, just building her case of the school's decline. And how do you know what her kid thinks? Weird to me you would tell pp what her kid "jokes about." Also "weird" that you ? PP parenting. Just weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were not happy at all with the consistent volume of behavioral issues at Lab. All schools have these issues to an extent but Lab had a ridiculous amount of fairly serious problems. It has been consistent for several years. The problems persist because the administration sweeps them under the rug and often looks the other way.

Lab is geared toward kids with LANGUAGE BASED DISABILITIES, so it is concerning they accept kids with emotional issues.
The classes at Lab may only be 8 or so kids in size but when the teachers are constantly putting out fires revolving around one of those eight kids, you may as well be in a class of 25.

Academics at Lab has definaty slipped over the years. My child and his Lab friends actually joke that the main thing they learn at Lab is that there are no consequences for bad choices. Lots of negativity in that building-- fag, queer, homo, N word, slut are just a few vocabulary words that my child and his friends hear on a daily basis. It's to a point where these words no longer evoke no response because they are so frequeby used among Lab's students-- and those are the nicer phrases heard in the halls. The same offenders, time and time again and everyone realizes that these habitual offenders never have to take responsibility for their actions.
We don't expect any school (unless it's a religious school) to be responsible for teaching our kids values or right vs. Wrong but it is helpful for a school to enforce an honor code or at least have some expected standard of conduct.

PP, it's really, really weird that you resurrected a thread from two years ago. I really do not believe you that your kid jokes that he learned that there are no consequences for bad choices. If this is the case, look at your parenting and not just the school.

Not weird, just building her case of the school's decline. And how do you know what her kid thinks? *Weird to me you would tell pp what her kid "jokes about." **Also "weird" that you ? PP parenting. Just weird.

*I didn't. I said I didn't believe her.
**What does this even mean? It's not a sentence.

[Anonymous]

NP here: Lab has definitely gone down hill. We know many, many unhappy families. Most stay because they can't get in to other schools and many public systems in DC/MD/Va have lousy special Ed programs. Lab Administration is very weak. Some outstanding teachers, some horrible. Too many horrible for the cost. Lot's of disorganization- which never , ever improves.
Lab used to be solid but the decline has been rapid over the past 4 years. You really have to weight whether the tuition ($40K+ /year )is best spent at Lab or go public with heavy tutoring.

[Anonymous]

I toured Lab's 7/8th grade recently and didn't get a good vibe. It was clear that a tour was passing thru the halls and classrooms yet we witnessed the students' being really rude to the teachers and each other. It was surprising how much back talk was tolerated and no common courtesy. None of the obnoxious comments were addressed or inappropriate language corrected.
The other parent that was with us just looked over and gave me "the look". Maybe this is what an ADHD environment looks like but it seemed excessive. I'm hardly a military Sargent when it comes to correcting my own DS, so for me to find the behavior terrible, is noteworthy.
Overall, it seemed like the students were beyond miserable and not engaged in any of the classes we saw.
We visited several other schools (8th grade) where the general feeling was much more positive and teachers had control over their classes. After reading the above posts, I know it wasn't just my perception. Too bad, Lab, logistically would have been easier for us.

[Anonymous]

My kids were accepted to Lab's MS but I got the same feeling as the PP above when I visited. I just did not get a good vibe and my kids did not enjoy their visit. We ultimately decided on another school where they are quite happy and thriving but the comments here sadden me because Lab has had such a wonderful reputation for many years. I hate to hear this commentary.

[Anonymous]

Just curious, for the op that did not like lab, where did you decide to enroll your child?

[Anonymous]

McLean School. It was a better fit for my kids although there will be critics who will soon reign down...

[Anonymous]

I find this thread very surprising. Our kid was at Lab for six years entering in Elementary with significant learning disabilities (but otherwise very intelligent) and leaving recently to go to a regular DC private school. Our Lab School experience was extremely positive and our kid loved the school, really benefited from the specialized education, and is now doing really well academically at the new school. I give Lab a lot of credit for our kid's success with school.

[Anonymous]

I don't know anything about Lab (my kid has social rather than language issues), but on the "is it ever worth paying private tuition as opposed to public with an IEP" front I just wanted to toss in our experience for balance -- which is that we (and DS) have been MUCH happier at Maddux than we were in public school. The various accomodations and pull-out services we could negotiate in public school (after a great, and expensive, private neuropsych eval, and a helpful ed. consultant) were helpful and allowed him to keep his head above water but no comparison to having a significantly smaller class size, teachers who genuinely love this particular population of kids and know what they're doing with them, and (in some ways the most important, for the social-impairment crowd) a peer group in which DS can actually make real friends, not be teased, and not feel weird or inadequate. Just our experience, FWIW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know anything about Lab (my kid has social rather than language issues), but on the "is it ever worth paying private tuition as opposed to public with an IEP" front I just wanted to toss in our experience for balance -- which is that we (and DS) have been MUCH happier at Maddux than we were in public school. The various accomodations and pull-out services we could negotiate in public school (after a great, and expensive, private neuropsych eval, and a helpful ed. consultant) were helpful and allowed him to keep his head above water but no comparison to having a significantly smaller class size, teachers who genuinely love this particular population of kids and know what they're doing with them, and (in some ways the most important, for the social-impairment crowd) a peer group in which DS can actually make real friends, not be teased, and not feel weird or inadequate. Just our experience, FWIW.

Where are you going after Maddux since it only goes to 2nd grade?

[Anonymous]

FYI, not PP, but there are quite a few Maddux grads at Lab.

[Anonymous]

We have no idea what we're going to do after Maddux. I know that some go to Lab, some to Mclean, etc. Of course that is the favorite topic of conversation at any gathering of Maddux parents, but we have no idea yet. It's scary, and I'm sure we'll be asking this forum for any advice when the time comes.