Lab summer school in middle school is not really academic, it's more arts focused. I feel you on the difficulty of summer programming... we considered ASDEC's middle school program, but it is far from us & only went 9:30 to 11:30 or noon.

Our daughter did Lab summer school two summers, and by the last year of lower school program, felt the reading instruction was below where she was... and she was testing a little below 25 percentile on MAP type tests.

Siena Virginia campus, Oakwood and Linda Mood Bell (sp?) are all possibly closer to you?

I’m not sure exactly what you’re looking for, but the LAB summer program does not offer 1:1 instruction—everything is done in small groups.


The Upper School morning program also doesn’t focus on reading.

If your priority is reading and spelling instruction, I really believe that 1:1 sessions with a CALT are the better option.


If you’re looking for more of a summer activity where your teen can spend time with other kids who have learning differences—without expecting measurable improvement in reading or spelling—then LAB can be a good fit.

If you can’t make the camp work you could probably find a CALT who would work with your child intensively over the summer instead, coming to your house. At 8th grade I assume you aren’t having her be in full time camps anyway?

We could never make half day camps work either.

OP you might also ask Lab about carpool options

In previous years they had an aftercare component for an additional fee if that helps.

SN are expensive. You hire a college student to pick her up and drive her home. Or you jury rig some kind of work flexibility where you can pick her up and work from home the rest of the day. Or take annual leave and work 6 hr weeks all summer to do the pick up then return to the office.

The times when this sort of thing worked the best for us, ex DH and I alternated drop-offs so we could stay at work later on alternating days. Then a babysitter picked DS up.

Considering the summer program for a rising 8tj grader with mild to moderate dyslexia. She attends FCPS during the school year

Also how on earth do working parents do it? Program starts at 8:30 and it only goes to midday… how can we juggle that schedule with two working parents?