Anonymous wrote:We pulled both of our DC's from SSSAS because it was absolutely horrible for the twice exceptional student. Awful!

Independent schools are limited in their resources and will offer very little in services outside the core competencies of most students. Our DC's regularly challenged this system by too advanced in several subjects and teachers would literally call us asking us to "hold Larla" back a bit because "Larla" was too far ahead the rest of the class. Adding to this problem, both DC's are slow processors and poor self advocates, which led to bullying that the school was painfully slow to address, and other daily annoyances.

We considered transferring our DC's to Potomac, until we met an administrator at a cocktail party a couple of years ago who told us that they offer no services for kids like ours, especially for the one who has a bit of auditory processing issues.

Your best bet is consider Commonwealth Academy, Maret, LAB, or go public based on my personal knowledge -- however, I think Flint Hill has gotten good reviews on DCUM.

GDS is a good fit too. They don't have a lot of truly gifted students, but they do focus on accommodating LDs and the whole place is just different from the elite privates.

There is a fair coming up with so
E of the more specialized schools there....

http://www.exceptionalschoolsfair.com

We love Flint Hill. It is a very supportive environment that meets the needs both of SN and of gifted, which can be very hard to find.

Another vote here for Commonwealth. They are amazing over there. Great for twice exceptional kids.

FYI - OP, Flint Hill School has a bus from the Huntington Metro in Alexandria.

I posted about NSVA but after reading where you are the commute doesn't work. I don't know about SSSAS and ADHD. It may be worth checking out.

FH has buses from Alexandria so it may be worth a look. Potomac may too far and is pretty intense which may be good for giftedness but not sure about ADHD.

I have also heard good things about the New school but if the commute doesn't work for you then that isn't going to work

All private schools are regularly beaten up on this forum. And told to go to public. But a private school is a better place for someone with situations such as your student. Flint Hill school is not a school that is so very easy and non accommodating for a gifted student as this forum would lead you to believe. I don't know how severe yr DC issue is but if not too severe FHS could be just right. We love it for our gifted students

megleyb@yahoo.com wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe New School? They could give support and differentiate for her?

I never heard of New School. Where are they? Thanks!

OP - I'm one of the Commonwealth parents above (very happy - and they do handled gifted and exec. function very very well). I believe New School is at Little River Turnpike and the Beltway - so would be an awful commute for you, as would McLean School. I have read good things about the New School (it is relatively "new" so search archives) but have never been on campus). I think of it as a more exploratory progressive school that is good with LDs but not as a school for the gifted with ADHD, which C/A is. But by all means, search the archives and go and visit. You would probably access it from the Beltway coming north from Alexandria. I had one child at The McLean School but left for public with an IEP after middle school years. To the best of my knowledge it is not a good set-up for gifted kids. But the classes are small, especially at the high school level and some parents who stayed were very pleased (but their children had hearing issues or were legally blind - they were not seeking pull-outs for giftedness). I think you would find the commute horrendous even if you used one of McLean's bus services. The other gifted schools that I am aware of - Edlin and Nysmith - have repeatedly been beaten up by parents on this forum. Check the archives. I had one child accepted to Edlin but wisely went another direction. Both would be nightmare commutes for you, as well. Hope that is helpful. Of course you have ST. Stephens/ST. Agnes in your backyard but I don't know how that school deals with ADHD/Exec. functioning. There is also the boarding school, Episcopal High School, which I've heard good things about, especially with regard to handling ADHD,but have never been on campus. Best of luck!.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe New School? They could give support and differentiate for her?

I never heard of New School. Where are they? Thanks!

Maybe New School? They could give support and differentiate for her?

Yet another vote for Commonwealth Academy. I have a 2e kid there now who is having a great experience - after having a poor one at one of the other schools you mentioned.

Unfortunately, the mainstream privates are just not set up to handle the kids whose abilities are so far outside the mainstream. They are probably excellent for kids whose entire ability profile fits within the 50th to 75th percentiles, but for kids like ours who have strengths above that limit and weaknesses below it, these schools just aren't the right match.

McLean school is also a good possibility for your kid, but the commute would be horrendous. They do not have a GT program per se, but will do ability-based placements. I believe that Lab's ability to accelerate is very limited and therefore also would not be appropriate.

I agree with your psychologist that letting your child go unchallenged is a terrible idea. I have two kids who fit this profile and the few times they have had to do that have been disastrous.