sycamore school

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have kids at the Sycamore School in Arlington or know anything about it? Their website says good things about executive function and social skills, but is oddly silent about curriculum and academics.

[Anonymous]

Bump... Anyone?

[Anonymous]

I have never heard of it and I have been posting here for years.

[Anonymous]

I know someone with two kids there. They are very happy. The school is VERY small, so I doubt you will find too many people on here who go there.

The kids I know who are there are dyslexic and weren't getting the help they needed from APS.

[Anonymous]

I considered it but ultimately decided to keep my child at his current school. It was highly recommended by a friend whose son attends. The family loves it. Their son has adhd but is very smart and apparently very happy there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know someone with two kids there. They are very happy. The school is VERY small, so I doubt you will find too many people on here who go there.

The kids I know who are there are dyslexic and weren't getting the help they needed from APS.

I know a family with a similar profile and they are very happy there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of it and I have been posting here for years.

And your point is that you are uninformed?

It's a fairly new school and small.

[Anonymous]

What is your child’s learning profile/needs?
I suggest you visit and ask VERY specific questions about if and how your child’s needs may get met there. Ask to speak with the teachers, get specific.
If you mutually decide it could be a good fit, have a formal meeting, get any agreements about accommodations, etc in writing. Id also suggest not attending that meeting alone. If you enroll, check in with teachers - NOT HOS - on regular basis using agreement. Get an OK for that in advance.
I have no doubt the school works for some kids, however it is NOT a school for all types learners as they claim and the staff absolutely does not understand the details of learning differences or have the ability to or interest in consistently implementing appropriate accommodations or supports, despite their claims.
If questioned, the HOS is known to blame the child’s anxiety, for example, and become extremely defensive. The HOS has her hand in everything, including playing therapist, even though she has a F/T counselor, to the detriment of the entire school, especially vulnerable kids.
A mostly quiet, largely independent kid who needs minor social supports, a kid who simply needs a smaller setting might be kids who are well served there. Theres another kind of kid who might do ok there - but at a high cost - a kid who is vulnerable to needing/wanting connection with a HOS who sees herself as the heart and soul and LEADER of all things. Think cult of personality.
So, in short, I do NOT recommend. Proceed carefully. And yes, we pulled our kid out, feeling completely betrayed and shocked about many troubling practices, including documented deception and manipulation. Thankfully we had highly respected professionals involved who would have never believed it if they hadn’t seen it themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of it and I have been posting here for years.

And your point is that you are uninformed?

It's a fairly new school and small.

Lol, I guess! Thought I knew all the private special ed schools around here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of it and I have been posting here for years.

And your point is that you are uninformed?

It's a fairly new school and small.

Lol, I guess! Thought I knew all the private special ed schools around here.

It's not a special ed school. But some students with less significant support needs have gone there.

[Anonymous]

Ah ok Usually a school mentioning executive function and social skills on their website is a special ed school.

[Anonymous]

I have a child at Sycamore. I am very sorry to hear about PP's negative experience. I don't relate at all, though. My experience is that the school was totally upfront about what support they could and couldn't provide. A friend of mine decided on a special needs school because her child requires serious intervention for a language based learning difference that Sycamore doesn't provide--nor did it claim to. My child, on the other hand, is thriving at Sycamore. It is true that he does not need not a significant amount of support but he really benefits from the executive function help as well as the incredible warmth from the teachers and the community. My kid who used to hate school loves it.

To answer OP's question, the school practices "mastery-based" learning so students can spend as little or as much time as needed on a new skill. Kids are taught in mixed age groups. It reminds me a lot of our Montessori experience. This works extremely well for my child, who hates pressure but is pretty strong academically. The "report cards"/feedback are very specific and detailed and totally individualized. They assess what the student has done and establish a path for growth that isn't based on what an X grader should or shouldn't be able to do based on the Standards of Learning but rather on where the student is currently in any subject.

I think it is a great place that fills a need in the area. The kids I know well who attend are very bright and tend to have executive function issues or some anxiety. In my experience, the school is absolutely able to support these issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a child at Sycamore. I am very sorry to hear about PP's negative experience. I don't relate at all, though. My experience is that the school was totally upfront about what support they could and couldn't provide. A friend of mine decided on a special needs school because her child requires serious intervention for a language based learning difference that Sycamore doesn't provide--nor did it claim to. My child, on the other hand, is thriving at Sycamore. It is true that he does not need not a significant amount of support but he really benefits from the executive function help as well as the incredible warmth from the teachers and the community. My kid who used to hate school loves it.

To answer OP's question, the school practices "mastery-based" learning so students can spend as little or as much time as needed on a new skill. Kids are taught in mixed age groups. It reminds me a lot of our Montessori experience. This works extremely well for my child, who hates pressure but is pretty strong academically. The "report cards"/feedback are very specific and detailed and totally individualized. They assess what the student has done and establish a path for growth that isn't based on what an X grader should or shouldn't be able to do based on the Standards of Learning but rather on where the student is currently in any subject.

I think it is a great place that fills a need in the area. The kids I know well who attend are very bright and tend to have executive function issues or some anxiety. In my experience, the school is absolutely able to support these issues.

I’m so glad your child is thriving...as I said, I’m sure there are certain kids with certain profiles who can and do. Regarding warmth: that is reserved for children and families who fit the box that they claimed they can manage. Question, complain, ask for a meeting, etc not only is there a lack of warmth, there is a mean tone bordering on cruelty AND a singling out of the child who before that setting had NEVER been labeled a problem. And for clarity, my kid didnt need major accommodations, he couldnt be independent because they didnt provide them and we didnt find out until the end of 1st quarter. So again, very again, so glad your child is doing well AND I maintain I do not recommend with the exception of a very limited type of kid.

[Anonymous]

NP here. Bringing back this thread because we are interested in the Sycamore School. Anyone have recent experiences or perspectives on it? Also wondering how you got your kid there. It's not super convenient unless you are taking the Metro to Ballston for work (which we would not be).

[Anonymous]

We toured it and liked it alot. I think they have a great philosophy and the kids who are there seem to really like it. I liked the focus on SEL and overall just seemed like a nurturing environment. We are keeping it in our back pocket, but staying with the status quo for now. I'll be watching this thread to see if any current parents respond too.