<p>Thank you for the list, LovelyVelocity. I'll take a look at it. </p>
<p>goaliedad, I do think my son is depressed at the moment, and his therapist agrees. It's hard to sort out how much of his current state results from ADD and how much from years of a poor educational fit. I believe that at this point a change has to be imposed. He will have the choice of trying the ADD medication and staying where he is or going to another school. I'm hoping that seeing a better academic environment on school visits will motivate him to make the change.</p>
<p>Also search at TABS:</a> The Association of Boarding Schools, the TABS site. Boarding school review is not always up to date. A search at TABS turns up Cheshire Academy, in Connecticut, which doesn't appear on the BSR profile (last updated in 2006).</p>
<p>Looking at Cheshire's website, though, it seems to me that they have made a deliberate shift to supporting student differences, or at least, giving greater prominence to what they already do. I'm not affiliated with Cheshire in any way, this is just to illustrate how quickly things can change. </p>
<p>Also, some schools might have small programs for kids with Dyslexia, or ADD, for example, within their larger programs. This could be a good setting for a child who needs academic support, but also needs challenging courses. It's not necessarily widely publicized, because of inept marketing, or because of a fear of perception by applicants' families. That's the sort of knowledge for which I would turn to a consultant.</p>
<p>Gotcha Periwinkle. You are right, we don't know the child, but we know the schools and what kinds of students do well there and that's what I was thinking.<br>
We spent a long time at Trinity-Pawling and I think they have a great system for helping boys reach their potential. They are listed as a school who does support ADD and I believe they would welcome a student with such great potential. They are a very caring community (as are most boarding schools) and have the experience.<br>
As someone said - the boy needs to come to terms with the fact that he has a problem. My son has all the symptoms, never officially diagnosed and we found that (and it sounds similar to this boy) that when he is challenged **and **interested, he is more organized, engaged, tries harder and actually remembers to turn things in. It's why we went to private from public school in 5th grade. I know it's not a magic cure, but possibly a visit to a couple of schools, talking with teachers about the challenging classes might change his mind about boarding school.</p>
<p>often profoundly gifted kids, the ones above the normal gifted level like those at cty don't do well in "normal" school, something i have experience my self ( i am in cty and had a horrendous experience in public school, now that i am homeschoolign and in classes that engage me things have improved drastically). the answer is not military school, but merely a truly challenging environment. it sounds like your son might be a very free thinker, and military school would provide the opposite of what he needs. i would suggest a challenging prep school where he would be challenged, be surrounded by other intellectual peers, and have teacher who truly care about their subjects</p>
<p>I want to second what worldlywise said. I don't consider myself profoundly gifted in any way, but public school does not work for me. Homeschooling worked a bit for me, but once again, not the best fit for me. I really want a challenging environment where i'm going to be taken seriously and not considered completely stupid...like in my old school. I'm also super disorganized so I can relate to what's going on with your son.</p>
<p>I would love to get an update on the earlier thread here as well as advice. Like “Momneedingadvice” before me, I have a very bright (IQ= top 2%, first stab at ACT=30) ADHD child that struggles with school. I am considering sending him to boarding school which has a mandated study hall and low student/teacher ratio. He is currently taking all honors and AP courses and is passing all (but with mediocre grades) and-- here’s the real issue-- though he is passing, I feel (1) he has not learned anything in the math & sci courses this year and could stand to redo them and (2) I’m very concerned about his lack of life skills and read all the time about ADHD kids flunking their first semester of college. It is both worry about the life skills part and the knowledge he isn’t learning much but will get “passed through” that lead me to consider military school for him next year. It would be an easy decision if he were a 10th grader-- he loves structure and NJROTC and wants to go to a military college and have a military career. So, if he was a 10th grader, it’d be an easy sell. But, he is an 11th grader and if I move him for 12th grade, he wont be in a position of leadership at the new school (he would be at his current public school). the decisions i need to make are: (1) move him or not and (2) if I do, put him back in 11th grade (with new courses except maybe math and science) or put him in 12th grade. Any input is appreciated. *One more thing-- he’ll turn 18 Sept 3rd (barely missed school cutoff) so, if he repeats, he’ll turn 19 as a 12th grader (if this matters.)</p>
<p>Are you considering Fall of 2011 or Fall of 2012?
I think most military schools have rolling admissions and it would not be too late to apply for Fall 2011.
If he would be in 11th grade Fall of 2011, my inclination would be to find him a school for next fall.</p>
<p>Gifted and ADD is hard - very hard. It’s commonly not diagnosed early because kids can manage to fake it and because being bright is ‘enough’ in the early grades.
Consider the meds issue - if he is on them, can the school deal with that well?
I know of a gifted ADD sort of kid who ended up being 19 at graduation and it has worked out well, so I wouldn’t let that be an issue.
I would start by visiting the schools and having a very frank talk.</p>
<p>Mamakiwi-- he is currently in 11th grade and will pass everything but doesn’t have the study skills/habits he needs to make it away from home. (No organization or discipline when it comes to studying.)</p>
<p>If he stays where he is, he’ll do 12th grade next year, be a ROTC leader, and make it through with ok grades. BUt-- he won’t learn to organize or study on his own and prob won’t get much out of the math and science classes because he does not do outside work.
Net result will be I send him to college the next year and possibly watch him flunk out.</p>
<p>If I move him, I think I would want him to redo 11th grade because (1) I’ve heard movement to a boarding school in 12th grade is a red flag (connotes drug/behavior issues, and S has never had either, he is an absolute rule follower) and (2) it will put him at the bottom of the boarding school’s ROTC program which would devastate him simply because he loves ROTC, is a rule follower, and is on track to be a top 3 leader if he stays where at his current school.</p>
<p>In my heart, I beleive he should go to the structured BS that will teach him study and organizational skills and to think (problem solve) himself. But am still worried about making him repeat when he is going to pass this year. School would start this Fall (2011).</p>