Anonymous
Post 03/06/2025 07:38     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:Bumping. Anyone have any feedback on this program? How hard is it to get placed there?


It depends on the IEP. What are your student's needs? Are they not being served appropriately in their current school? You would need to make changes to the IEP that make it so it can be implemented in the program at WJ.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2025 20:40     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Bumping. Anyone have any feedback on this program? How hard is it to get placed there?
Anonymous
Post 03/02/2025 17:34     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Bumping this old thread to ask about the WJ Asperger's program. How hard would it be to get placed there as a senior, with the right IEP? How is the program today?

We are not that far, but not in the school zone.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2021 20:26     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:Thanks so much. My DC is at the program in MS and it’s amazing, but she’s a huge theater and art person and so the inability to take electives has been difficult. So glad to hear it will be different in HS.

The WJ program was a step down from Tilden's "amazing" but still good for my kid.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2021 19:43     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:DS is there now. Our experience has been good, tailored to our student, and I agree with a pp that Ms. Onley is wonderful!

In addition to resource period (DS used it to organize workload and extra time if needed from a quiz or exam that day), he's had a mix of honors and regular courses (the latter had an asst. teacher in the full classroom), an AP course, and self-contained English. There are so many electives, that there should not be an issue scheduling one or more that your DC is interested in.

Whole school lunchtime can be daunting. There are lots of student clubs and groups at WJ, that meet in classrooms at lunchtime nearly every day of the week, so a big school can become smaller. There also was a daily lunch meet-up of kids in the prgm I believe in a same classroom each day.


Thanks so much. My DC is at the program in MS and it’s amazing, but she’s a huge theater and art person and so the inability to take electives has been difficult. So glad to hear it will be different in HS.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2021 16:15     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
DS is there now. Our experience has been good, tailored to our student, and I agree with a pp that Ms. Onley is wonderful!

In addition to resource period (DS used it to organize workload and extra time if needed from a quiz or exam that day), he's had a mix of honors and regular courses (the latter had an asst. teacher in the full classroom), an AP course, and self-contained English. There are so many electives, that there should not be an issue scheduling one or more that your DC is interested in.

Whole school lunchtime can be daunting. There are lots of student clubs and groups at WJ, that meet in classrooms at lunchtime nearly every day of the week, so a big school can become smaller. There also was a daily lunch meet-up of kids in the prgm I believe in a same classroom each day.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2021 10:58     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
We are also teetering on the edge of high school and decisions. My understanding is that they have two resource classes in the first year, then they reevaluate. But they have to electives to graduate. Because PE is only required for 1 year and health for 1/2 year, there is more flexibility in the schedule, even in their first year.

I worry about the support. My child received a lot of support when we were doing in person learning and I am concerned that with a post covid transition and a high school transition, more support might be needed. I am not concerned about the ability to learn the material in high school, but I am concerned about the social parts and the availability to learn due to social and sensory issues.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2021 08:13     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:OP here: this is a very different story than PP’s. This is similar to what they get at the middle school level. But are electives an option in HS? They can’t do any electives (music, art, theater) in MS because it conflicts with the resource class. Hoping HS is different.

My kid took electives in WJ's aspergers program. Some Spanish, a couple engineering/design classes, a piano class - I'm blanking on the other ones. Also ran cross country as well as indoor and outdoor track - we were close enough to make that possible.

It was a long bus ride for some of the kids and a couple dropped out as a result. It was really good for my kid.
Anonymous
Post 01/28/2021 07:43     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone had kids in the Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson HS? Is it similar to the program at Tilden and Diamond where the kids have prescribed inclusion and special Ed classes and a resource period, or is it more flexible? Just wondering if kids have more choice of classes (including electives) or not once they enter high school. Any information from those whose kids are there, or have gone through the program, would be great.


It's been a couple years, but my kid was in it. Didn't have any special ed classes other than resource (where Ms Onley in particular was fab!). Highly recommended.


How does the program help them? Just that one resource class?

That and a strong IEP with its accommodations, active case management helping with teachers, and co-teaching in every academic class. It helped to manage the workload and keep a fairly even keel.

We supplemented with other supports outside school as needed.


OP here: this is a very different story than PP’s. This is similar to what they get at the middle school level. But are electives an option in HS? They can’t do any electives (music, art, theater) in MS because it conflicts with the resource class. Hoping HS is different.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2021 19:57     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone had kids in the Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson HS? Is it similar to the program at Tilden and Diamond where the kids have prescribed inclusion and special Ed classes and a resource period, or is it more flexible? Just wondering if kids have more choice of classes (including electives) or not once they enter high school. Any information from those whose kids are there, or have gone through the program, would be great.


It's been a couple years, but my kid was in it. Didn't have any special ed classes other than resource (where Ms Onley in particular was fab!). Highly recommended.


How does the program help them? Just that one resource class?

That and a strong IEP with its accommodations, active case management helping with teachers, and co-teaching in every academic class. It helped to manage the workload and keep a fairly even keel.

We supplemented with other supports outside school as needed.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2021 17:49     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone had kids in the Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson HS? Is it similar to the program at Tilden and Diamond where the kids have prescribed inclusion and special Ed classes and a resource period, or is it more flexible? Just wondering if kids have more choice of classes (including electives) or not once they enter high school. Any information from those whose kids are there, or have gone through the program, would be great.


It's been a couple years, but my kid was in it. Didn't have any special ed classes other than resource (where Ms Onley in particular was fab!). Highly recommended.


How does the program help them? Just that one resource class?
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2021 14:43     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:Wow, that is significantly less support than my kiddo now gets in the middle school program. They have a social skills class, a resource class, and two co-taught classes. No electives. I’m wondering if it’s more tailored to the individual at WJ, and how it works. Anyone with different/current or more recent experience?

Tilden was much more secluded, yes. My kid's friends in the program had about the same experience as my kid. Very together in MS, less so in HS.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2021 14:19     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Wow, that is significantly less support than my kiddo now gets in the middle school program. They have a social skills class, a resource class, and two co-taught classes. No electives. I’m wondering if it’s more tailored to the individual at WJ, and how it works. Anyone with different/current or more recent experience?
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2021 13:10     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone had kids in the Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson HS? Is it similar to the program at Tilden and Diamond where the kids have prescribed inclusion and special Ed classes and a resource period, or is it more flexible? Just wondering if kids have more choice of classes (including electives) or not once they enter high school. Any information from those whose kids are there, or have gone through the program, would be great.


It's been a couple years, but my kid was in it. Didn't have any special ed classes other than resource (where Ms Onley in particular was fab!). Highly recommended.
Anonymous
Post 01/27/2021 07:48     Subject: Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson
Has anyone had kids in the Asperger’s program at Walter Johnson HS? Is it similar to the program at Tilden and Diamond where the kids have prescribed inclusion and special Ed classes and a resource period, or is it more flexible? Just wondering if kids have more choice of classes (including electives) or not once they enter high school. Any information from those whose kids are there, or have gone through the program, would be great.