Lab School

[Anonymous]

I've suspected that the quality of academics at Lab has been in decline over the past year or two. I was hoping it was me and chose to see what I wanted to see, praying Lab would provide a reasonable education. Drives me nuts to realize that a lot of time has been wasted-these kids already have so many obstacles - it is so frustrating that Lab has let us down and wasted more time. Back to square one, testing, consultants and lack of choices. I know four families that left last year- one is successfully homeschooling, the other is in Md public( doing as well there ) and the other two are at other privates. All four families are happy with their choice to leave Lab and they report that their kids are much happier. Looks like we'll be leaving too, before too much time slips by. So unfortunate.

[Anonymous]

We've been at Lab nearly five years, but it sounds like we're in a completely different school than OP and the other saddened, disappointed people. Maybe it's because our kid fits the profile of the current Lab school, which seems less tailored to the gifted artist students of the founder and more focused on creating independent, college-bound learners. One is not better than the other, but they are quite different profiles.

Maybe we've just been lucky, but we've never heard anything like what OP and some PPs have described regarding academics, behavior, communication, or organization. The breadth and depth of content, and high level of expectations are well above the teaching we see at our other child's top-rated public school. Behavior, self-awareness and self-advocacy are much better when compared to our experiences in public and private.

Of course, no school should be considered perfect and student's needs change. It would be helpful to have some more specific examples of problems so that current and prospective parents can ask questions.

TIA

[Anonymous]

I thought Lab was only for children with dyslexia??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Lab was only for children with dyslexia??

language based learning disabilities (which includes dyslexia) and ADHD

[Anonymous]

I think that there are two factors going on here that have not been mentioned. One is the death of Sally Smith 7 years ago. The death of a founder can mean a loss of vision and sense of who owns the vision. No matter how well the succession is handled, it still affects the organization. I have seen organizations do fine for the first few years after the death of a founder, but unless there is someone who can take the reins with the vigor, fortitude and ambition of the founder, it tends to rest on its laurels- which is fine for 3-5 years. The second is that at the same time DSC has gotten its act better together (up to a point) with its special needs populations and it isn't a given that they will fund a student at a private school. This has had to have an effect on the recruitment of students. It makes the schools more beholden to parents and there may be a subtle shift towards lowering/expanding the bar and placating more difficult parents and cases.

[Anonymous]

what schools deal with kids with emotional issues + some LD issues
friend in arlington is looking for a school for her 9th grader. high school is not going well there and he clearly needs a different school. she mentioned lab school as a possibility...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what schools deal with kids with emotional issues + some LD issues
friend in arlington is looking for a school for her 9th grader. high school is not going well there and he clearly needs a different school. she mentioned lab school as a possibility...

In the past, Lab has rejected applicants with emotional or "social issues".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what schools deal with kids with emotional issues + some LD issues
friend in arlington is looking for a school for her 9th grader. high school is not going well there and he clearly needs a different school. she mentioned lab school as a possibility...

You should start a new thread for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what schools deal with kids with emotional issues + some LD issues
friend in arlington is looking for a school for her 9th grader. high school is not going well there and he clearly needs a different school. she mentioned lab school as a possibility...

You should start a new thread for this.

This and here is a list of SN schools in the area:
http://www.exceptionalschoolsfair.com/about-us.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what schools deal with kids with emotional issues + some LD issues
friend in arlington is looking for a school for her 9th grader. high school is not going well there and he clearly needs a different school. she mentioned lab school as a possibility...

In the past, Lab has rejected applicants with emotional or "social issues".

How I wish the above statement was true. What has been happening is that Lab has had a difficult time keeping a balance of males and females. Historically, more boys apply. Boys have a higher likelyhood of having ADD-ADHD or at least their symptoms are more obvious than girls with the same DX. Lab, trying to keep classes even or close to even has looked past some of the female candidates with questionable profiles in an effort to admit more girls. Instead of properly vetting some girls with secondary emotional/social issues, they admit them. Huge mistake. Junior high and high school have some distracting, unfortunate dynamics due to these girls. While I sympathize with these girls and their families, this kind of child has no place in an environment where the kids are easily distracted and already have enough of their own learning differences to overcome. Lab has no been able to manage these issues well. Not only do these issues cause unfair situations for the students, it seems that the administration has had to spend an insane amount of time dealing with the constant crisis. When the administration is constantly pulled away from their typical duties, it puts a strain on what should be a well oiled machine, thus the lack of organization and poor communication that is plaguing the school. Lab DOES state that they are unable to accommodate children with emotional issues and that is why there are a lot of frustrated parents.

[Anonymous]

This is so not true, PP. The girls at Lab have dyslexia and/or ADHD. Your characterization of whom they are accepting to "balance" the numbers is just not true. Shame on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what schools deal with kids with emotional issues + some LD issues
friend in arlington is looking for a school for her 9th grader. high school is not going well there and he clearly needs a different school. she mentioned lab school as a possibility...

In the past, Lab has rejected applicants with emotional or "social issues".

How I wish the above statement was true. What has been happening is that Lab has had a difficult time keeping a balance of males and females. Historically, more boys apply. Boys have a higher likelyhood of having ADD-ADHD or at least their symptoms are more obvious than girls with the same DX. Lab, trying to keep classes even or close to even has looked past some of the female candidates with questionable profiles in an effort to admit more girls. Instead of properly vetting some girls with secondary emotional/social issues, they admit them. Huge mistake. Junior high and high school have some distracting, unfortunate dynamics due to these girls. While I sympathize with these girls and their families, this kind of child has no place in an environment where the kids are easily distracted and already have enough of their own learning differences to overcome. Lab has no been able to manage these issues well. Not only do these issues cause unfair situations for the students, it seems that the administration has had to spend an insane amount of time dealing with the constant crisis. When the administration is constantly pulled away from their typical duties, it puts a strain on what should be a well oiled machine, thus the lack of organization and poor communication that is plaguing the school. Lab DOES state that they are unable to accommodate children with emotional issues and that is why there are a lot of frustrated parents.

This feels a bit like scapegoating. First of all, I think what PP meant by "social issues" is high functioning ASDs. Lab used to include these kids and now doesn't. As for emotional issues, there are kids with such issues at every single school, and at every school there are crises and situations that call for attention. Schools should be equipped with a professional staff that can handle these situations (and I have heard of plenty at non-SN schools). If they can't, its an administrative failure and not a failure of admissions. It would be different if they were letting in kids with aggression and behavioral issues, but that isn't what this sounds like.

[Anonymous]

NP here. I agree with many of the above postings about Lab school's decline. It is wildly amusing how many cool aid drinkers there are at this school. We all want to see the best but I think there are some parents who chose NOT to see what has been happening. It is hard to accept that Lab is not the school it was 5 years ago. The mere thought of having to remove a child from a less than great school is terrifying because you hope you are not jumping from the frying pan to the fire. Looking the other way is never a positive solution.

I wish Lab would spend 1/8 the effort returning my emails or calls that it spends in fundraising. It's February and I've received at least 12 fundraising mailers. Gala, Annual Fund, Capital fund what ever.... it is a fine effort but a turn off. They won't mail our kids report cards in order to be environmentally friendly but they inundate us with heavy card stock fundraising mailers several times a month. Just received another one last night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what schools deal with kids with emotional issues + some LD issues
friend in arlington is looking for a school for her 9th grader. high school is not going well there and he clearly needs a different school. she mentioned lab school as a possibility...

In the past, Lab has rejected applicants with emotional or "social issues".

How I wish the above statement was true. What has been happening is that Lab has had a difficult time keeping a balance of males and females. Historically, more boys apply. Boys have a higher likelyhood of having ADD-ADHD or at least their symptoms are more obvious than girls with the same DX. Lab, trying to keep classes even or close to even has looked past some of the female candidates with questionable profiles in an effort to admit more girls. Instead of properly vetting some girls with secondary emotional/social issues, they admit them. Huge mistake. Junior high and high school have some distracting, unfortunate dynamics due to these girls. While I sympathize with these girls and their families, this kind of child has no place in an environment where the kids are easily distracted and already have enough of their own learning differences to overcome. Lab has no been able to manage these issues well. Not only do these issues cause unfair situations for the students, it seems that the administration has had to spend an insane amount of time dealing with the constant crisis. When the administration is constantly pulled away from their typical duties, it puts a strain on what should be a well oiled machine, thus the lack of organization and poor communication that is plaguing the school. Lab DOES state that they are unable to accommodate children with emotional issues and that is why there are a lot of frustrated parents.

This feels a bit like scapegoating. First of all, I think what PP meant by "social issues" is high functioning ASDs. Lab used to include these kids and now doesn't. As for emotional issues, there are kids with such issues at every single school, and at every school there are crises and situations that call for attention. Schools should be equipped with a professional staff that can handle these situations (and I have heard of plenty at non-SN schools). If they can't, its an administrative failure and not a failure of admissions. It would be different if they were letting in kids with aggression and behavioral issues, but that isn't what this sounds like.

Our DC was rejected by Lab in which they specifically said "social issues". He is an extreme introvert and has since been diagnosed with ADHD, but did nor does not exhibit the behavioral issues associated ADHD (it is more of a 'only so much can get it at a time' thing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. I agree with many of the above postings about Lab school's decline. It is wildly amusing how many cool aid drinkers there are at this school. We all want to see the best but I think there are some parents who chose NOT to see what has been happening. It is hard to accept that Lab is not the school it was 5 years ago. The mere thought of having to remove a child from a less than great school is terrifying because you hope you are not jumping from the frying pan to the fire. Looking the other way is never a positive solution.

I wish Lab would spend 1/8 the effort returning my emails or calls that it spends in fundraising. It's February and I've received at least 12 fundraising mailers. Gala, Annual Fund, Capital fund what ever.... it is a fine effort but a turn off. They won't mail our kids report cards in order to be environmentally friendly but they inundate us with heavy card stock fundraising mailers several times a month. Just received another one last night.

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