ADHD- What schools are good?

[Anonymous]

We are in one of the most sought after Charter Schools in DC, and they can't implement a basic behavior chart daily to help my child self-regulate. We are on some waitlists, but I want to hear what schools you all think do a good job with your ADHD kid. We are even willing to move to MD or VA to get this right for him, though I'd rather stay in DC. Our waitlisted schools are Stokes, Two Rivers, Cleveland. We are already in a bilingual program...

Would love feedback

[Anonymous]

Following.

[Anonymous]

Not in public schools in Fairfax. We had some very simple asks for our daughter, but were not even able to get a tap on her shoulder when the recap was over and a new concept was introduced. We also asked for a planner to be used, so that she is aware of transitions and mentally prepares for the switch in unts of study. They are supposed to use planners in 3rd grade anyway. We got nothing.

When I talked to the ombudsman about our recourse, we found no relief, because dd was at grade level. Even though she never learned anything in class -- she's usually at grade because she does a ridiculous amount of independednt study through the summer and after school., to compensate for the fact that she cannot learn in the classroom.

So this year we're n private

[Anonymous]

In our case, it wasn't so much the school as the personnel. We're also at an nearly impossible to get into immersion charter and this grade was the first year DS even needed a behavioral chart.

The first few months were hell bc the Sped teacher came up with a behavioral chart that only made the behaviors worse. It got so bad that the next step was a placement at a private SN school. The school then called in a Functional behavioral analysis and got DS a behavioral plan as a final step before recommending private placement. Lo and behold, ALL the behaviors are gone.

Maybe your child needs more than a basic behavior chart and his teachers need more support and training. Rather than switching schools, try getting a FBA first. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In our case, it wasn't so much the school as the personnel. We're also at an nearly impossible to get into immersion charter and this grade was the first year DS even needed a behavioral chart.

The first few months were hell bc the Sped teacher came up with a behavioral chart that only made the behaviors worse. It got so bad that the next step was a placement at a private SN school. The school then called in a Functional behavioral analysis and got DS a behavioral plan as a final step before recommending private placement. Lo and behold, ALL the behaviors are gone.

Maybe your child needs more than a basic behavior chart and his teachers need more support and training. Rather than switching schools, try getting a FBA first. Good luck!

I bet we are at that same immersion school...

My child response to the chart, they just simply refuse to do it. It "steals time away" from other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In our case, it wasn't so much the school as the personnel. We're also at an nearly impossible to get into immersion charter and this grade was the first year DS even needed a behavioral chart.

The first few months were hell bc the Sped teacher came up with a behavioral chart that only made the behaviors worse. It got so bad that the next step was a placement at a private SN school. The school then called in a Functional behavioral analysis and got DS a behavioral plan as a final step before recommending private placement. Lo and behold, ALL the behaviors are gone.

Maybe your child needs more than a basic behavior chart and his teachers need more support and training. Rather than switching schools, try getting a FBA first. Good luck!

I bet we are at that same immersion school...

My child response to the chart, they just simply refuse to do it. It "steals time away" from other kids.

So they did an FBA and are refusing to follow the plan? If I were you, call for an IEP meeting and put in the behavioral goals. Ask for the school counselor to attend the IEP meeting and to provide support in the classroom. Tell the Sp Ed coordinator that refusing to implement the plan is not acceptable (you can file a complaint with OSSE).

Following the behavioral chart should not "steal time away". DS has a very short meeting <5 minutes with the teacher who goes over the behavior chart in the morning and he picks out his reward when he meets his goal for the day.

[Anonymous]

Also, your child should bring a copy of the behavioral chart home to you every day.

[Anonymous]

Don't know about DC but you should rule out most of the Bethesda schools. Can't them to do a behavior chart either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, your child should bring a copy of the behavioral chart home to you every day.

Want to add that you can ask the school counselor to help your DC with self-regulation techniques. Did Daisy do the FBA?

There are lots of kids in my kid's grade with behavior plans and charts and the teachers in both the English and target language classrooms don't have an issue implementing them.

Keep after them and put the behavior plan and goals into the IEP. The behavior plans makes everyone's life a lot easier so it's puzzling why the teachers are not using it.

[Anonymous]

I'm at Two Rivers. They have been very responsive and creative in finding ways to help my child with ADHD function better in the classroom. I feel very lucky to be there.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous
My child response to the chart, they just simply refuse to do it. It "steals time away" from other kids.

I'm also at an immersion charter. Does your child have an IEP? If so, as PP said, call an IEP mtg. Has your child had an FBA? If not, ask for one.

No IEP? Ask for an eval.

There are steps here before looking for a new school.

[Anonymous]

Can you swing private? If so, then Commonwealth Academy in Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

I second the recommendation for an FBA: the goal of the Functional Behavioral Analysis is to get the teaching team to understand what functions the problematic behaviors serve.

A behavior chart can be very useful, but only if everyone has a good sense of why the behaviors are occurring. And it's also essential that EVERYONE be on the same page with the charts. At my DC's DCPCS, a substitute berated my kid for needing a chart--in front of the whole class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I second the recommendation for an FBA: the goal of the Functional Behavioral Analysis is to get the teaching team to understand what functions the problematic behaviors serve.

A behavior chart can be very useful, but only if everyone has a good sense of why the behaviors are occurring. And it's also essential that EVERYONE be on the same page with the charts. At my DC's DCPCS, a substitute berated my kid for needing a chart--in front of the whole class.

+1000. I kept wondering why it seemed like a behavior chart/contract was the end all be all for OP because for my daughter it didn't work. She felt singled out and as parents we were at a loss as to the desired outcome and how we were supposed to reinforce it at home. When we would try to ask if there were triggers for the behavior, was it certain subjects or settings that were worse than others we could never get any information. I had to look up FBA just now and I said YES, that would have been more effective if that was the first step before she was put on a behavior contract. My frustration was always that I felt my daughter could be motivated to change behaviors if we could tap into what motivated her. Also, the eacher continued using something that wasn't really working six months later. Needless to say, at a private school now.

I think a pp poster that mentioned finding a school that is flexible and willing to try different things is key. What may work for one child may not work for your child and what may work one year for your child may not work the next year.

[Anonymous]

OP here,

a behavioiur chart isn't the end all be all. It does help my child, and is a relatively simply technique. Their is a behavioural goal in the IEP, but they have no strategy or counter proposals ans I simply want them to implement it so we can assess if it works (which it does for my child). If it didn't then we would need to do something else. My problem is that their is no strategy they offer and mine they don't do. We have an FBA. They won't write any strategies into the IEP, just the goals. So he gets pull out services, but doesn't have the structurs and supports he needs in the classrooom...

Also, my questions were about schools that do a good job managing ADHD...which no one has helped to answer.