Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP and putting two cents in because my DC has also been at Siena 4th-8th grade, with a similar experience as OP in that DC has not made much academic progress at all. Siena definitely has a great marketing team, they sold us. And they also had a decent reputation, even here on DCUM. Which is why I feel compelled to share our bad experience, because it's important for others to know. Siena is expensive, and while it helped my DC's self esteem for awhile to be around others like them, I think that's about the only advantage. DC has not made much of any progress academically after 4 years, based on testing. And the MS environment is increasingly poor -- definitely worse than our local public MS. I really regret sending my DC to Siena, and now need to figure out how to reverse course.

Can you clarify “based on testing”? Are you getting repeated neuropsychological testing? What tests are you using to measure progress?

I have a kid with reading issues, so I wonder what measuring stick to use for progress.

Yes, based on repeat neuropsych testing

Yes, but I'm asking what tests specifically did you rely on to show no academic progress?

Anonymous wrote:I have to say that Siena has a great marketing admissions team. My kid was behind in almost every subject when they left for high school. They also bugged me that they always canceled reading class for their gender/politics stuff. My kid (a very typical boy) hated the vibe of the school, but hopefully benefited at least a little from being there.

This 💯- not a good place for socially typical boys (especially white ones, and yes I hear how that sounds, but it really is true)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP and putting two cents in because my DC has also been at Siena 4th-8th grade, with a similar experience as OP in that DC has not made much academic progress at all. Siena definitely has a great marketing team, they sold us. And they also had a decent reputation, even here on DCUM. Which is why I feel compelled to share our bad experience, because it's important for others to know. Siena is expensive, and while it helped my DC's self esteem for awhile to be around others like them, I think that's about the only advantage. DC has not made much of any progress academically after 4 years, based on testing. And the MS environment is increasingly poor -- definitely worse than our local public MS. I really regret sending my DC to Siena, and now need to figure out how to reverse course.

Can you clarify “based on testing”? Are you getting repeated neuropsychological testing? What tests are you using to measure progress?

I have a kid with reading issues, so I wonder what measuring stick to use for progress.

Yes, based on repeat neuropsych testing

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Start her on transition services, prepare for trade school.

Could we please stop lowballing disabled kids? There are plenty of dyslexic, dysgraphic, dyscalculic kids who are bright enough for college, and there are a zillion colleges, many of which you can go to without having earned a single A.

The repeated talk about trade school is really not appropriate, unless the kid is organically interested in something trade school teaches.

What an ignorant thing to say. What’s wrong with trade school?

Plus being on your feet more and not at a desk helps many types focus and stay engaged. Nursing, trades, teaching, walking about.

There is nothing wrong with trade school. What I object to is that kids who are not successful academically in HS (as OP described) are immediately directed to trade school without any consideration as to how to adjust the HS accommodations and instruction to improve their ability to perform academically.

I also object to the idea that kids with not great grades shouldn’t go to college. A college degree is still a pre-requisite to many jobs in this country, and there are many, many colleges which accept kids with bad grades. I have a sibling who nearly failed English and got bad grades in anything to do with reading and writing. My parents sent him to college anyway, where he continued to have good grades and bad grades, but he graduated and today he has a technical engineering job in the computer industry and probably pulls 200-250K - he earns more than any of us siblings. He never would have gotten his career start without a college degree.

I also said in my post “….unless the kid is organically interested in trade school”. By all means, kids who are interested in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, etc. or other kinds of certificate or blue or pink collar jobs like police, fire, EMS and nursing, and computers, should go into those jobs if they are interested in them (and I have a kid in one of those careers who got there through a college route although college is unnecessary for it.)

But, immediately telling parents of academically struggling kids that their only options is trade school unnecessarily limits kids.

Anonymous wrote:NP and putting two cents in because my DC has also been at Siena 4th-8th grade, with a similar experience as OP in that DC has not made much academic progress at all. Siena definitely has a great marketing team, they sold us. And they also had a decent reputation, even here on DCUM. Which is why I feel compelled to share our bad experience, because it's important for others to know. Siena is expensive, and while it helped my DC's self esteem for awhile to be around others like them, I think that's about the only advantage. DC has not made much of any progress academically after 4 years, based on testing. And the MS environment is increasingly poor -- definitely worse than our local public MS. I really regret sending my DC to Siena, and now need to figure out how to reverse course.

Can you clarify “based on testing”? Are you getting repeated neuropsychological testing? What tests are you using to measure progress?

I have a kid with reading issues, so I wonder what measuring stick to use for progress.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Start her on transition services, prepare for trade school.

Could we please stop lowballing disabled kids? There are plenty of dyslexic, dysgraphic, dyscalculic kids who are bright enough for college, and there are a zillion colleges, many of which you can go to without having earned a single A.

The repeated talk about trade school is really not appropriate, unless the kid is organically interested in something trade school teaches.

What an ignorant thing to say. What’s wrong with trade school?

Plus being on your feet more and not at a desk helps many types focus and stay engaged. Nursing, trades, teaching, walking about.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Start her on transition services, prepare for trade school.

Could we please stop lowballing disabled kids? There are plenty of dyslexic, dysgraphic, dyscalculic kids who are bright enough for college, and there are a zillion colleges, many of which you can go to without having earned a single A.

The repeated talk about trade school is really not appropriate, unless the kid is organically interested in something trade school teaches.

What an ignorant thing to say. What’s wrong with trade school?

NP here. There is plenty of ability for a parent to 1) respect people who choose trade school and also 2) point out that folks jump to suggesting trade school for dyslexia.

It is imperative that children with learning differences not be labeled as unable to attend college.

NP and putting two cents in because my DC has also been at Siena 4th-8th grade, with a similar experience as OP in that DC has not made much academic progress at all. Siena definitely has a great marketing team, they sold us. And they also had a decent reputation, even here on DCUM. Which is why I feel compelled to share our bad experience, because it's important for others to know. Siena is expensive, and while it helped my DC's self esteem for awhile to be around others like them, I think that's about the only advantage. DC has not made much of any progress academically after 4 years, based on testing. And the MS environment is increasingly poor -- definitely worse than our local public MS. I really regret sending my DC to Siena, and now need to figure out how to reverse course.

Anonymous wrote:Every reading assignment should be modified. That is specialized instruction.

If she is not getting modified content- they are not providing her FAPE.

Idk about your county but in my county they will not modify the general curriculum. Students that require that go on the Occupational track which still leads to a diploma but not college ready.

Do they modify curriculum in your county and students still get a diploma that will lead them to a university?

You're going to have to use supplemental videos at home. We use Crash Course for history, Khan Academy and Organic Chemistry tutor for math. We look over summaries of books and use text to speech.

My kid has ADHD and APD. She's always been in public and I'm a teacher. Scour the internet for the best video resources-TikTok has led me to some really helpful YouTube channels.

My 2 cents.

The first 4-6 weeks is review. Teachers are throwing softballs to get the students in the routine of going back to school, so basically..easy work. second half of first quarter..they start to do real work. 2nd q gets more difficult. 3rd q is the beast. 4th q starts slowing down.

There is no more memorization in high school. It is all application. That is why so many students struggle. They are used to memorizing something and regurgitating it back on a test. Now they have to read, analyze, then apply it to higher level thinking questions.

If your DD is struggling now, it will only get worse.

Not sure what level she is, but you may want to level down so that she gets more specialized instruction. This is NOT dumbing down. It is getting her what she needs.

Resource is a joke. Don't put your eggs in that basket.

I agree with the PP's to keep the sports. It will keep her engaged and find success and acceptance, where she otherwise may not.

The SJC Benilde program allows kids to take one less class during the year (they take history for 6 weeks in the summer). But other than that there isn't much support. The kids do all the same work, and have to ask each teacher for accommodations (which is extended time and use of typing).

Anonymous wrote:You can get support at MCPS. Don’t rule it out.

Look at some of the Catholics. Good Counsel has Ryken program, for instance

I know a kid with language processing issues who moved from Siena to Good Counsel in 9th grade. Mom was in the special ed field and kept very good track of kid's testing, and I remember her saying that it was really interesting that kid's assessment scores in language did objectively improve. Kid had a good experience at Good Counsel, and ultimately went to a small liberal arts college.

SJC also has the Benilde program, although I can't speak to that personally.