Anonymous
05/24/2014 10:32
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
OP is long gone.
Anonymous
05/24/2014 06:56
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
Anonymous wrote:My brother attended this school more than 20 years ago. http://www.littlekeswickschool.net/index.php. At the time he as there, it was a wonderful experience for him and it really seemed to help him a lot. I know it could have gone downhill since then since it has been so many years...but check it out and see. Good luck!
I've heard great things about Little Keswick, and about about Oakland, but both are Jr. Boarding schools, so not appropriate for OP's son. I imagine they would want a place that goes through high school graduation.
Anonymous
05/24/2014 05:00
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
Anonymous wrote:1. What measures have you taken to institute structure at home?
2. How does he respond? And then what happens?
Anonymous
05/23/2014 23:06
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
Hi OP - if you can give us some more facts we might be able to direct you to some other options. I like PPs suggestion of trying public with an IEP. I have no idea how well that works in D.C. but it was a godsend to us in FCPS. ADHD son got far more attention in FCPS than he did in privates.
I've been through all of this with three kids - here's some thoughts which may or may not work well with your son:
a) try the IEP route in public. You will need to get an IEP. Don't let them talk you into a 504. Someone else here in this forum can probably tell you how well a 504 works in the DC school system. It can work well in FCPS.
b) there are several good schools in the D.C. Metro area designed for kids with ADHD and minor issues: The McLean School, Commonwealth Academy, Lab (although your situation doesn't sound like a Lab-school issue, but could be wrong). I've also read about Sienna and The New School here on this forum but don't know anything about those schools.
c) As I said before our private didn't know what to do with an ADHD diagnosis. Some privates have teachers who understand differentiation of learning styles, others don't. Switching to a different private might be the answer. But if you do that listen hard when you ask them about how dedicated they are to teaching the child with your kid's issues. Our private just wasn't interested in even trying although they talked a good line. You must check it out with other parents or repost here, "I'm thinking of X private school for my son. Here's his diagnosis. Any parents at X school can tell me about their experience?"
d) I know a mother who had a son described exactly as you have described your son. She sent him to Episcopal (boarding) in Alexandria. It's an xlnt boarding school plus - she felt - gave her son more structure. She wanted him to mature more before he went off to college. If you can afford it, that's the best of both worlds because you will be close to your son for visits, but he will still be in a boarding school.
e) Which takes me to my next point - whether or not your son succeeds at boarding school will depend on the school, the degree to which the school will accommodate your son's needs, and his own maturity. Another parent I know sent her DC to one of the name boarding schools but it was so far away that the parents didn't realize that DC had gotten in with a bad crowd and was using drugs. He got caught and was expelled. She never saw it coming.
f) the boarding schools will all ask for all your DS's test scores, neuropsych testing, letters from the teachers, etc. Some of these schools are very difficult to get into, especially if you are thinking of doing it now for 10th grade. How does his record look? He will be competing against stellar international students for slots at the good boarding schools.
g) Finally, I just wanted to throw out the concept of military school. We toured Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) and were very impressed with the "makeover" they do on young men. Even our DS wanted to go until he saw the parades on a hot day and decided he really didn't want to do military drills in heavy serge in the southern heat and humidity. But FUMA is less expensive than a lot of the other boarding schools. And they strictly control screen time, study time, bed time, etc., so the exec. functioning and ADHD issues fall out (sometimes) because the cadets are so strictly focused on one subject at a time. I was impressed. In the end we decided not to apply because we had found Commonwealth Academy, but I still recommend it as an option if the young boy needs structure.
h) sit back and ask yourself, "Is my son really ready to leave home and succeed in a boarding school environment?" Some are; some aren't. We thought FUMA was too far away and that turned out to be the right decision.
i) Finally, have you had recent testing done? If you haven't within the past 3 years, do it again to see what's up. Most boarding schools will insist on it anyhow if they are aware he has ADHD. That testing results might send you searching for a different type of school than you are currently thinking about.
Good luck. It's a long road, I know!
I've been through all of this with three kids - here's some thoughts which may or may not work well with your son:
a) try the IEP route in public. You will need to get an IEP. Don't let them talk you into a 504. Someone else here in this forum can probably tell you how well a 504 works in the DC school system. It can work well in FCPS.
b) there are several good schools in the D.C. Metro area designed for kids with ADHD and minor issues: The McLean School, Commonwealth Academy, Lab (although your situation doesn't sound like a Lab-school issue, but could be wrong). I've also read about Sienna and The New School here on this forum but don't know anything about those schools.
c) As I said before our private didn't know what to do with an ADHD diagnosis. Some privates have teachers who understand differentiation of learning styles, others don't. Switching to a different private might be the answer. But if you do that listen hard when you ask them about how dedicated they are to teaching the child with your kid's issues. Our private just wasn't interested in even trying although they talked a good line. You must check it out with other parents or repost here, "I'm thinking of X private school for my son. Here's his diagnosis. Any parents at X school can tell me about their experience?"
d) I know a mother who had a son described exactly as you have described your son. She sent him to Episcopal (boarding) in Alexandria. It's an xlnt boarding school plus - she felt - gave her son more structure. She wanted him to mature more before he went off to college. If you can afford it, that's the best of both worlds because you will be close to your son for visits, but he will still be in a boarding school.
e) Which takes me to my next point - whether or not your son succeeds at boarding school will depend on the school, the degree to which the school will accommodate your son's needs, and his own maturity. Another parent I know sent her DC to one of the name boarding schools but it was so far away that the parents didn't realize that DC had gotten in with a bad crowd and was using drugs. He got caught and was expelled. She never saw it coming.
f) the boarding schools will all ask for all your DS's test scores, neuropsych testing, letters from the teachers, etc. Some of these schools are very difficult to get into, especially if you are thinking of doing it now for 10th grade. How does his record look? He will be competing against stellar international students for slots at the good boarding schools.
g) Finally, I just wanted to throw out the concept of military school. We toured Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) and were very impressed with the "makeover" they do on young men. Even our DS wanted to go until he saw the parades on a hot day and decided he really didn't want to do military drills in heavy serge in the southern heat and humidity. But FUMA is less expensive than a lot of the other boarding schools. And they strictly control screen time, study time, bed time, etc., so the exec. functioning and ADHD issues fall out (sometimes) because the cadets are so strictly focused on one subject at a time. I was impressed. In the end we decided not to apply because we had found Commonwealth Academy, but I still recommend it as an option if the young boy needs structure.
h) sit back and ask yourself, "Is my son really ready to leave home and succeed in a boarding school environment?" Some are; some aren't. We thought FUMA was too far away and that turned out to be the right decision.
i) Finally, have you had recent testing done? If you haven't within the past 3 years, do it again to see what's up. Most boarding schools will insist on it anyhow if they are aware he has ADHD. That testing results might send you searching for a different type of school than you are currently thinking about.
Good luck. It's a long road, I know!
Anonymous
05/23/2014 22:55
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
OP, doesn't your son have a voice? What does he say he wants?
Anonymous
05/23/2014 22:07
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:My brother attended this school more than 20 years ago. http://www.littlekeswickschool.net/index.php. At the time he as there, it was a wonderful experience for him and it really seemed to help him a lot. I know it could have gone downhill since then since it has been so many years...but check it out and see. Good luck!
I've been looking at that school for my son. It looks and sounds wonderful. I'm glad to hear from someone who had a positive personal experience there.
21:59 here. I really think it was life changing for him. He gained quite a few social skills and lots of confidence while there. The best part of all (to me) was how much they genuinely seemed to care about him and how proud they were of him when he graduated. This was a kid who had both major learning and major behavioral issues and who had been basically kicked out of one school after another. They did good things for him. Good luck to you and your son.
Anonymous
05/23/2014 22:02
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
Anonymous wrote:My brother attended this school more than 20 years ago. http://www.littlekeswickschool.net/index.php. At the time he as there, it was a wonderful experience for him and it really seemed to help him a lot. I know it could have gone downhill since then since it has been so many years...but check it out and see. Good luck!
I've been looking at that school for my son. It looks and sounds wonderful. I'm glad to hear from someone who had a positive personal experience there.
Anonymous
05/23/2014 21:59
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
My brother attended this school more than 20 years ago. http://www.littlekeswickschool.net/index.php. At the time he as there, it was a wonderful experience for him and it really seemed to help him a lot. I know it could have gone downhill since then since it has been so many years...but check it out and see. Good luck!
Anonymous
05/23/2014 21:31
Subject: boarding schools for kids with learning differences
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The more you do, the less he needs to do.
Sounds like a very smart kid.
OP here. You are correct. We can't do it for him, but we want him to have the tools for doing it himself.
Yes, exactly. PP is vastly over simplifying.
OP, there are boarding schools for SN kids, e.g.,:
http://www.kildonan.org/page.cfm?p=349
http://www.riverviewschool.org/at-a-glance
http://www.gow.org/
I would consult with a therapist, special ed teacher, or consultant as well as the schools and your son to make sure this would be the right fit for him.