I always found it so strange when private schools said "we don't have the resources." Considering the cost of tuition and other extra fees, it only makes sense to have the best and well-trained teachers available to all. Seriously, does a school really need several directors of admissions or assistant heads, etc.? They could save money and hire an OT or SLP or a Resource Teacher instead.

OP, I too was looking for a nice Jewish K-8 school for my son and unfortunately, Virginia doesn't really offer you any options other than Gesher. Gesher is a nice school but they are not equipped to handle SN children, no matter what their needs are. I recommend to stick with your public school and send him to a Hebrew school through your synagogue.

Most people love Gesher and honestly most kids positively thrive there. However, a child with severe behavioral issues won't do well there. They just don't have the funding or the resources to deal with very difficult children with major behavioral problems. They can deal with minor issues, but in my opinion, not great with major issues.
We left mostly due to financial issues (not Gesher's fault) and we knew we had to eventually move to public anyways. Best of luck.

Anonymous wrote:Hi there,
I am a past Gesher parent. We loved many things about Gesher while our daughter was a student for the past three years. I do not think that a child with severe adhd or dyslexia would do great there. The teachers that she has are better equipped for normal / typical learning. A child with severe behavioral issues will likely not be successful at Gesher. Good luck!

OP here. Thank you for your feedback. May I ask, why you left Gesher?

We would really like to give our child a strong Jewish education but if that school is unable or unwilling to support a bright child with a need, then we'll either go to our public school or look elsewhere.

Hi there,
I am a past Gesher parent. We loved many things about Gesher while our daughter was a student for the past three years. I do not think that a child with severe adhd or dyslexia would do great there. The teachers that she has are better equipped for normal / typical learning. A child with severe behavioral issues will likely not be successful at Gesher. Good luck!

I can't say first hand but I do know a lot of kids that don't fit in the box who are at Gesher. I doubt you'll get much feedback on these boards. Sorry- wish I could be more helpful.

You could also post to the NOVA Jewish listserve- I'm sure you'd get lots of feedback.

What type of accommodations do they have, if any, for children with dyslexia and ADHD? Are their teachers trained to work with SN children?