@gardenstategal thank you for recommending Hun and Pennington. I looked at both schools. I’m concerned that both are more day than boarding. And those kids that are boarding are mostly international kids. He’s really sensitive and would be homesick and we’d rather it was more boarding because we think that he would be less homesick if he saw mostly same set of kids every day of the week.
I think we’ve narrowed it down to Gow and Eagle Hill. We decided no to Forman and Landmark because he needs more support. If neither of those schools work we’d circle back and look at Dublin. That looks like a sweet school, I’m surprised that it isn’t more popular. Beautiful campus, has its own little ski hill,great support (it’s really expensive, if you can max out all the support they offer it would be at least another $20k, which makes LD school less expensive, LOL) and technology looked good. They have the best (IMO) mission statement: Truth and courage. Simple, yet true. Our biggest obstacle for them is the SSAT. He qualifies for 2x time and other accommodations but he has severe test anxiety and we would rather not put him through that. He took the PSAT last October and it was too upsetting and too long for him. I think he’d do well enough to get in but if Gow or Eagle Hill could work that would be fine. Unless Dublin could accept all his current tests and waive SSAT.
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Agreed that “fit” always wins. If he is a Davidson Young Scholar, your counselor might be able to object you with other DYS families who have attended some of the schools you are considering. good luck!
@vegas1 you know what’s been weird is the lack of connection between Davidson and the local area unless you have a sibling there. So I didn’t know they could do that. I’ve called about my son and the phone greeting states clearly they will not dispense advise for non-students. I assumed that was the only avenue to talk to them. We live 45 min away and we live in same town as the Davidsons, who founded the Davidson Academy. And the only thing I hear is that the school is like the holy grail for a lot of families. It wasn’t until we toured that I realized families were moving from around the country to bring their kids there. Not a lot of personal recommendations about DYS or the Davidson gifted institute. I’ve lived here for 4 years.
I think if we don’t come up with anything after school tours I will try DYS as you suggested.
@libaya for PG kids- Davidson Young scholars offers a lot of great services and ability to join a PG community. Might be worthwhile to apply regardless of tours. Davidson academy was not a fit for our kids either- but seems like a great option for some. We were NV residents up until a few years ago. Free tuition would have been nice.
http://www.davidsongifted.org/Young-Scholars
We are on a similar journey with Chimneykid2. What kind of technology do you need? Both of our daughters are 2e but with mild NVLD and slightly slower processing speeds. Oldest did not require any support outside of tutor for algebra. Younger is applying this cycle to some of the schools you mention and needs minimal support (1or 2x a week would be enough). Our consultant tells us that with kids like ours, the AOs look much more closely at the psycho-educational testing than at the SSAT scores as it is considered more relevant.
I would add Proctor and Berkshire to your list if you find them supportive enough - both have a daily support option, skiing, a cool kid vibe and the ability to accelerate as needed.
Berkshire has a great academic support program which I myself use. I’m a current student so if you have any questions feel free to pm me:) Best of luck!
@cabebe97 @chemmchimney We are concerned that he won’t get enough support at those schools. Berkshire is really appealing, we considered it for older child.
This may be a two-step process depending on how this child responds to dyslexia school. We’ve basically gotten two responses, either it is that he has too many LD that we have not properly dealt with yet at schools with great learning centers, otherwise they would be interested or his academic needs are too high to meet at schools for dyslexics who already have gifted kids.
Technology. I think what is normally offered at schools who are more up to date on technology like audiobooks, LiveScribe pen, Dragon dictaphone, note taking apps. Overcoming Dyslexia talks about other ones too. I think those are the ones he will use if we can get him to faculty that will remind him to use.
He has never received any support at school. My husband and I went over everything again yesterday and I think we want to have heavy support for him first then we will check in periodically to see where our son is at, whichever school he is in. We are concerned about academic needs but the LD needs have to be met first.
@chemmchimney I will PM you later, I have specific question for you, if you don’t mind.
@libaya Feel free to PM me. :)]
Proctor has a very active and large LD support that mostly concentrates on dyslexia. My D graduated last year and several of her friends are dyslexic and they went on to highly selective colleges.
@Momof7thgrader thank you for input!
We just visited Proctor, Forman and Brewster for our daughter who is also twice exceptional but not as high cog as your son. I’ve been resistant to an LD school but we are very interested in Forman because our goal is to prepare for college with study skills, writing skills and assistive tech that will be needed in a more traditional and less supportive environment. She attends a rigorous private day school and it’s hurting her self esteem. All of these schools are very different and all were impressive for different reasons. It is about fit and even having visited we are torn. Forman is about a 60/40 Boy/Girl split so that is a concern for her - you want to have a social group and with only a small percentage of girls you may or may not find that right group. Proctor was impressive but we need to go back while school is in session to clarify the “fit”. Could be too “outdoorsy” for her? She is a rec skier and plays lacrosse but not at a competitive varsity level. Proctor admissions certainly understands what we are looking for and the academic fit sounded good/looks good on paper. Brewster is very competitive in sports and has amazing facilities, a bit larger, more even boy/girl ratio and a tiered support structure. Less activities/arts than other schools so I worry sports may be too much of the focus to be the right “fit”. Having researched LD schools, it seems Forman is at the top of college prep. If you have any other info to share, I’d love to hear it. Very overwhelming!
Pennington was also recommended and looks great but we also decided that a higher percentage of boarding is important to the culture of the school if you are a boarder who is far away from home. We are also looking at percentage of local students. If everyone is from NJ for instance, you might not fit in if you are from California. Something to think about and it’s ruled out several schools for us.
@highschoolparent1 thanks for info about proctor, Brewster and Forman. Does you son have same LDs as mine? I’m only looking at dyslexia schools. I’m concerned that Forman doesn’t have enough support for my kid. There’s multiple types of support. Academic, extracurriuclars, dorm life, evening homework. We are also concerned about separation between lower classmen and upperclassmen. My son presents very young and innocent. I have read and re-read his psych evaluation so many times. i also started filling out Gow and Eagle Hill applications. Answering the parent questions is helping me solidify what we want for him. Same thing happened when I did parent statements for my other kid who is applying to some of the HADES schools. We went from 8 to 4 schools. We don’t feel that kid#1 has to go to boarding school. Have you looked at Dublin? I liked it but I don’t want to put him through stress of taking SSAT. But I might add Dublin anyway and see if they will take his PSAT. But we would take all available support which would end up costing more than LD specific schools. Suffield didn’t look like it had enough support. I don’t remember why I didn’t like Proctor, I usually take notes and can’t find it. I sent Kildonan his WISC last Thursday and still haven’t heard back from them but I know they received it. So that indicates to me that they are either not interested or disorganized. I’m traveling right now and there are 2 other pieces of info that I need to look up that you might find helpful. Are you going to have your kid enter in the fall? We are thinking if there is space and they accept us, we may start ASAP.
Did all the schools do assessments on your kid when you toured? What tests did they administer?
A friend has a son at Middlebridge if you need information. He’s doing well and it’s very supportive. The needs are different than some of the other schools but I know she also looked at Landmark & Eagle Hill. I’m curious to know what you thought Forman would not support? Just curious since it’s on our short list. Make sure Eagle Hill requires the educational testing. That was something that turned my friend off, they seemed willing to accept her son without enough inquiry into his needs and she was really looking for specific support. I would be hesitant with a school that looks too much at SSAT or PSAT with kids that have learning needs since these tests don’t always accurately represent abilities and are only a snapshot of one day in time.
@highschoolparent1 Eagle Hill (EHS) only asked for his psych-educational. My experience with AO at Gow and EHS has only been great. Again my son has multiple LDs. EHS seems to have the history of being able to address 4 of them and is comfortable with his IQ. When I spoke with Forman, they didn’t talk about his profile fluidly enough for me to feel re-assured. He needs adults who have confidence in him. Can he get that from a school that are halting in their own confidence in their abilities to give him support? I suspect it is his multiple LDs. I have other notes but I can’t access them right now. Middlebridge wasn’t comfortable with his IQ. Two weeks ago, they were going to circulate his report to all the academic deans and I haven’t heard from them. I do have other questions for EHS, but our options are limited at this point.
I was told Dublin would give more weight to evaluation.
I have already contacted the test evaluator and they are putting me in contact with an evaluator who will look at my son’s raw scores to help me out and make sure we ask for the right help.
I have a friend who’s son was happy at Proctor for 11th and 12h grade. He is 2e also, but I don’t know all the specifics about his learning issues, but he did have an IEP at LPS in HS.
I also want to clarify that Proctor is not an LD school. It’s a typical boarding school with a Learning Skills department. I think between 30-40% of the kids use Learning Skills (which is what it is called) and they have several levels of help depending on the need. There is zero stigma to it and kids who are in LS have to same LS teacher for their 4 years. Some kids might start off in Gr 9 with the full complement of learning skills and then move to less and less. It IS very sporty and outdoors however I can say that my kid 100% is not sporty or outdoorsy and she was very happy there involved in theater and art. Languages tend to be harder for dyslexic kids so Proctor has immersive programs like Proctor in Spain or a program in Costa Rica to help with foreign language requirements. The faculty is amazing and very flexible. Kids are really allowed to make their own path and faculty will support them. As for Dublin my experience is 5 years out of date but our consultant discouraged us for from applying due to lack of rigor. That may be completely different now.
@Momof7thgrader We do have academic rigor as a requirement as parents and in my son’s psych-educational report it says he needs to be challenged academically at his level or he will get bored and lose interest. Our consultant recommended it. My whole family thought it looked appealing. Even my older son looked through the view book and said he would go there. But, I think we all liked it because it’s picturesque and has many activities that we all like.
@highschoolparent1 I also looked at Hun and Pennington and took them out for the same reasons of percentage of boarders.
Millermom.proboards.com has comments on Eagle Hill, Brewster and other schools we are discussing on this thread.
Content below is from millermom.proboards.com that I have found helpful. I’m also posting here because I think it would be helpful to anybody else that was like me and had no clue what these schools were in the first place. I had to post in two parts because of character length.
Part 1: from greenwood.org
Options for Students with LD
Is your child struggling in school, or has he or she been diagnosed with a learning disability? While initially this may be difficult to accept, it is imperative that—as a parent—you reach an understanding of your child’s academic needs. This will help you ensure that the current school is offering your son or daughter the best opportunity for success. However, should you begin to question the current school’s ability to help your child reach his or her true potential, it may be time to consider other alternatives.
With so many different options available, identifying the best educational environment for a student who has a learning disability can be a daunting task. Thorough testing that assesses cognitive potential and achievement in skill areas is an invaluable tool that will clarify an individual’s distinct learning needs and style while specifying accommodations he or she will need to be successful. Once the student’s strengths and weaknesses are delineated, there are many resources available (see resource list below) to help parents find a school that will best meet their child’s unique needs. While it is valuable to research many programs, one option that should be carefully considered is a school that works exclusively with students who have learning disabilities.
Schools that focus on an LD population have many benefits. By offering integrated programs that consistently meet students’ specific needs, and creating an environment where weaknesses do not overshadow strengths, these schools empower students to realize their potential. Probably the greatest gift specialized schools give students is a rediscovery of the correlation between effort and success; that is to say that students quickly realize that “If I put forth effort, I will be successful.” Because all students in these schools have a learning disability, there is not a negative stigma associated with specialized instruction— everyone is taught in a way that strategically targets individual learning needs. These programs address academic strengths and weaknesses while giving students access to the arts, athletics, and other areas in which they might excel. Once in a true peer group, students quickly feel comfortable taking risks and participating in areas that they might not have before. As strengths are developed and weaknesses are remediated, self-esteem and confidence skyrocket.
Academically, schools that have programs specifically tailored to students who have learning disabilities offer unparalleled opportunity. Challenging concepts are introduced and taught by using multisensory approaches, experiential learning, manipulatives, multimedia—anything, in short, to engage all the senses and encourage students to be actively involved in the learning process. This ensures that students are appropriately challenged and can enjoy success. Furthermore, the child does not have to fit into a particular program; because every teacher has expertise and specialized training, they have the flexibility to offer instruction that is most appropriate to each individual. For example, when remediating reading, teachers must have the knowledge and skills to design and implement a truly individualized reading program: this is what is referred to as diagnostic-prescriptive teaching.
Teachers at these schools are truly specialists. Whether it is a science class, a math class, or a history class, these teachers have a thorough understanding of and sensitivity to students who have learning disabilities. This compassion and knowledge is not limited to the “learning center” or “resource room,” nor is it limited to the classroom. Adults who are in contact with students throughout the day—on the athletic field, in the art studio, or in a dormitory—all share this expertise and specialization. The result is that students are understood, their strengths are appreciated, their needs are consistently met, and they are not misperceived or mislabeled as being “lazy,” “unmotivated,” or “stupid.”
It is also very important to note the difference between “support” and “remediation.” Schools that offer academic support help students keep up with what is happening in the classroom. For example, if a student has a deficit in reading comprehension, academic support might help that student keep up with readings in history class, but support services do not directly address the student’s reading comprehension deficit. Therefore, support services can be seen as a “band aid” approach to learning, where students simply get by. Conversely, remedial instruction is structured to explicitly and directly develop skills while teaching students important strategies to compensate for their weaknesses. Remedial instruction is evidenced by a separate and distinct curriculum that is individualized to students’ learning needs.
It is important to understand that while no school can “cure” a student’s learning problem, specialized schools offer effective, research-based instruction that will ensure your child has the best possible opportunity to make significant academic gains. Furthermore, by meeting the needs of the whole child, comprehensive programs help their students gain confidence, develop self-advocacy skills, appreciate their talents, and discover their potential.