Sandy Spring Friends School

[Anonymous]

Wondering if anyone has experience with this school. I have heard from a reliable source that although it is not a special needs school there are some kids there who have special needs (including ADHD and ASD). If you have had a child there, particularly in the upper grades, how has the experience been?

[Anonymous]

I had a particularly bad experience. I approached them about my Aspergers child and they told me to not even apply. So... yes, I hold it against them. Maybe someone else has another perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a particularly bad experience. I approached them about my Aspergers child and they told me to not even apply. So... yes, I hold it against them. Maybe someone else has another perspective.

Oh wow. I know that they do have students with HFA but maybe they were diagnoses later?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a particularly bad experience. I approached them about my Aspergers child and they told me to not even apply. So... yes, I hold it against them. Maybe someone else has another perspective.

Was this for lower or upper school?

[Anonymous]

It was for lower.

[Anonymous]

I would call and talk to them and see if you/your child can visit and if you like it see if child can do a 1/2 there. We ended up for a few years at a school that online had negative reviews about them kicking out SN kids. It turned me off and I almost didn't call. I decided to call and we went for a visit and liked it. They let my child do a 1/2 day and the child really liked it. We were there a few years (it was prek-2nd) and it was a great experience. They were very attentive to my child and they thrived. It may be the particular child's needs. They were not so great with ADHD/behavioral issues and those kids did get get asked to leave it if was stuff the school could not handle. Don't rule it out and call yourself. Every child is different. I called them and I think they were nice, I forget but it was way to far for us.

[Anonymous]

I know a kid who is there with ADHD and learning issues in the lower school.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have experience with a child with ASD at SSFS?

[Anonymous]

My child is in the lower school and has special needs. I know a number of kids with ADHD, and I know at least one kid with ASD. I wouldn’t say the school is especially tailored to kids with learning differences, but rather that they are thoughtful and kind. That goes a long way, but it isn’t the same as having unusual expertise or systems for learning differences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is in the lower school and has special needs. I know a number of kids with ADHD, and I know at least one kid with ASD. I wouldn’t say the school is especially tailored to kids with learning differences, but rather that they are thoughtful and kind. That goes a long way, but it isn’t the same as having unusual expertise or systems for learning differences.

Are you happy overall with the school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is in the lower school and has special needs. I know a number of kids with ADHD, and I know at least one kid with ASD. I wouldn’t say the school is especially tailored to kids with learning differences, but rather that they are thoughtful and kind. That goes a long way, but it isn’t the same as having unusual expertise or systems for learning differences.

Are you happy overall with the school?

Overall, yes. Haven’t been happy every year for one reason or another, but generally it has been a warm and encouraging place for my child.

[Anonymous]

My child attended for 3 years in upper school. While the school does not have specific supports for kids with HFA or ADHD - If your child is able to self regulate and just needs a smaller environment where students and teachers get to know each other and while there is ability to provide a more individualized experience with out of classroom support then SSFS may be a good fit. Go visit and talk to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child attended for 3 years in upper school. While the school does not have specific supports for kids with HFA or ADHD - If your child is able to self regulate and just needs a smaller environment where students and teachers get to know each other and while there is ability to provide a more individualized experience with out of classroom support then SSFS may be a good fit. Go visit and talk to them.

That is the situation we are in. Child is socially awkward, doesn't have formal ASD diagnosis but does have executive functioning deficits. Zero behavior problems. Just wants a nicer, smaller community.

[Anonymous]

In knowing and being a part of the school community, it is a place that truly values the fact that it does not cater to a homogeneous population-neither in gender/gender identification, race, religion, or learning profile/style. Creating a learning and social environment that mirrors the world, diverse in multiple intelligences and the strategies and methods that one needs to function, is a goal of the school. Thoughtfulness and deliberation goes into that...which I appreciate. The caveat to that is instead of saying "yes" we provide a learning and social environment that meets all learners like most independent schools looking for tuition dollars do, SSFS thoroughly looks at assessment data and educational evaluations of students, learning professionals meet and discuss a student's learning profile and its longevity at the school, and make educated and factual determinations about whether particular learning styles can be sustained and will thrive within the school's paradigm.

That is a sound educational environment to me. Many of my friends enter into independent schools with their children, just to be counseled out in a year or so because the school could not service the learning needs of that child. I prefer a pedagogically sound conversation being had like SSFS does...even if at the end of the conversation, the decision is that my child will not be able to reach his or her full potential in that environment. I am sorry to hear about the other person's experience at the school, but I have heard to the contrary about SSFS time and time again.

[Anonymous]

This thread makes me wish we had applied to SSFS for next year. We thought about it and didn't know if the school would even consider our child. Maybe we will go meet with them to discuss.