Anonymous wrote:I have a high schooler here. The school is still so new and small that there is not much of a sample size, but I believe that the graduates have done pretty well in college admissions. Next year's senior class will be the largest at around ten. It will be interesting to see how it goes.

There is definitely a precedent for students from mastery-based schools applying to colleges. Thee school does seem very invested in helping students find the right fit for them and in supporting them through the application process.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent of a current student and agree with the above posters that fit is everything so I’ll start with my child’s profile. DC is 2e with moderate ADHD and dyslexia. He can comprehend above grade level but spells on a 3rd grade level. His reading is very slow but on grade level otherwise. I met with the HOS twice: Once before applying to tell her the challenges and what I learned about how he thrives. Once, with him, to specifically discuss his fit, have him understand the school, and that’s pretty much it.

Before application, I sent the IEP to the school (“good” robust, 20+hour IEP; they do exist!). Most of it was around executive function and since the school is built around building those skills anyway, they were not the challenge. He has reading accommodation like access to audio versions of the curriculum. Since he will live with dyslexia his entire life, the LA teacher is introducing possible accommodations to him as they try to figure out the best mix. He is medicated.

Here’s the thing, he LOVES school.

This kid had a disastrous first 4 years in ES and the last two were hard b/c the school was bringing him up to grade level after the other one failed to do that. Mentally he is healthier than he’s been in the last 4 years. Socially, he has a lot of friends which is great for a small school. Intellectually, he’s engaged with and interested in learning and the school has fostered his love of learning and supports his intellectual curiosity. For example, he was studying something and packed a related science experiment in his bag. I warned him that “the school might not allow that” like the Es…Wrong. DC did the experiment. Teacher used it as a jumping point for the day’s lesson and I felt like I got my money’s worth at that moment. Minor versions of that type of thing have happened regularly.

At the school, DC is friends with a child with ASD that expresses like severe ADHD. (mom offered dx). Two kids have emotional support dogs; one’s pink.

Happy to answer additional questions.

This is amazing and sounds exactly like what we want. So bummed that it is too difficult for us to get there! It's just too far away from MD.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent of a current student and agree with the above posters that fit is everything so I’ll start with my child’s profile. DC is 2e with moderate ADHD and dyslexia. He can comprehend above grade level but spells on a 3rd grade level. His reading is very slow but on grade level otherwise. I met with the HOS twice: Once before applying to tell her the challenges and what I learned about how he thrives. Once, with him, to specifically discuss his fit, have him understand the school, and that’s pretty much it.

Before application, I sent the IEP to the school (“good” robust, 20+hour IEP; they do exist!). Most of it was around executive function and since the school is built around building those skills anyway, they were not the challenge. He has reading accommodation like access to audio versions of the curriculum. Since he will live with dyslexia his entire life, the LA teacher is introducing possible accommodations to him as they try to figure out the best mix. He is medicated.

Here’s the thing, he LOVES school.

This kid had a disastrous first 4 years in ES and the last two were hard b/c the school was bringing him up to grade level after the other one failed to do that. Mentally he is healthier than he’s been in the last 4 years. Socially, he has a lot of friends which is great for a small school. Intellectually, he’s engaged with and interested in learning and the school has fostered his love of learning and supports his intellectual curiosity. For example, he was studying something and packed a related science experiment in his bag. I warned him that “the school might not allow that” like the Es…Wrong. DC did the experiment. Teacher used it as a jumping point for the day’s lesson and I felt like I got my money’s worth at that moment. Minor versions of that type of thing have happened regularly.

At the school, DC is friends with a child with ASD that expresses like severe ADHD. (mom offered dx). Two kids have emotional support dogs; one’s pink.

Happy to answer additional questions.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a parent of a current student and agree with the above posters that fit is everything so I’ll start with my child’s profile. DC is 2e with moderate ADHD and dyslexia. He can comprehend above grade level but spells on a 3rd grade level. His reading is very slow but on grade level otherwise. I met with the HOS twice: Once before applying to tell her the challenges and what I learned about how he thrives. Once, with him, to specifically discuss his fit, have him understand the school, and that’s pretty much it.

Before application, I sent the IEP to the school (“good” robust, 20+hour IEP; they do exist!). Most of it was around executive function and since the school is built around building those skills anyway, they were not the challenge. He has reading accommodation like access to audio versions of the curriculum. Since he will live with dyslexia his entire life, the LA teacher is introducing possible accommodations to him as they try to figure out the best mix. He is medicated.

Here’s the thing, he LOVES school.

This kid had a disastrous first 4 years in ES and the last two were hard b/c the school was bringing him up to grade level after the other one failed to do that. Mentally he is healthier than he’s been in the last 4 years. Socially, he has a lot of friends which is great for a small school. Intellectually, he’s engaged with and interested in learning and the school has fostered his love of learning and supports his intellectual curiosity. For example, he was studying something and packed a related science experiment in his bag. I warned him that “the school might not allow that” like the Es…Wrong. DC did the experiment. Teacher used it as a jumping point for the day’s lesson and I felt like I got my money’s worth at that moment. Minor versions of that type of thing have happened regularly.

At the school, DC is friends with a child with ASD that expresses like severe ADHD. (mom offered dx). Two kids have emotional support dogs; one’s pink.

Happy to answer additional questions.

Anonymous wrote:I am a current parent and I don't want to speak for the school, but this is how I see it. Sycamore is warm, accepting, supportive, knowledgeable and organized but NOT a special needs school. So, it is not so much what specific challenge profile the school is willing to accept as how much specialized instruction your child needs. I think the school will accommodate and support a wide variety of profiles but cannot take the place of a school like Lab or Siena for a child who needs specialized instruction in order to acquire certain skills.

I say this partly based on my experience, and from observing kids (the children of friends and my child's classmates) who have either loved the school, opted not to come and chosen more specialized options, or attended only briefly. There are plenty of kids with language-based learning differences for example, but (from my limited observation) they are not at the stage of their development where they need the kind of full-time instruction they would get at one of aforementioned schools.

I realize that what I wrote could be roughly translated as 504 vs IEP and I am sure that is not really the breakdown. The school definitely specializes in working on executive functions and I think is exceptionally strong for kids with anxiety who might not be able to succeed elsewhere. Though I don't ever hear it promoted this way, in my observation of several kids, Sycamore is also great place for 2E kids.

Anonymous wrote:What range of challenges/profiles are there? I know there is an emphasis on social-emotional and executive function. Is it limited to ADHD or are there kids with profiles closer to very mild ASD?