<p>Calreader, somehow I missed your post the first time through. Sometimes it seems that posts appear and disappear in different places. My son has some accomplishments that should go a long way toward compensating for his first 2 years of HS if he gets his act together from now on, especially since he will improve on them this year and next, assuming he continues. But I don’t think he is so exceptional at this point that a college like CalTech would take him early, with his record. A smaller and much less selective college, perhaps.</p>
<p>nysmile, I had noticed the January admission possibility, and this is now on my list of things to look into.</p>
<p>happymomof1, Unfortunately, our district is hostile to homeschoolers, and will not allow them to set foot on campus. </p>
<p>owlice, I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say about Simon’s Rock, and I hope you have a wonderful parents’ weekend. What a beautiful place! I have always envied people who lived in states with specialized schools like the one your son attended, and I am shocked to hear that the reality fell so short of the promise. And how horribly disorganized they were!</p>
<p>meezermom, he probably has ADD, but he definitely does not have Asperger’s. People who meet him often express surprise that he is a math/science kid, because he is so articulate and personable. Of course, many math/science people do not fit the unfortunate stereotypes, but I mention this just to emphasize that he does not fall on any spectrum. The caveats about homeschooling in your last sentence are very much in the forefront of my mind as I consider this option.</p>
<p>PRJ, my son started EPGY math in 1st grade. He was begging for harder math, and I found it for him. He did it off and on (you pay by the quarter no matter how much ground is covered, as owlice mentions) until he had covered the entire K-8 curriculum. He was taking it outside of school (and taking regular math in school), and he loved it. He asked to do it instead of school math, but the district absolutely refused to allow it.</p>
<p>geomom and fineartsmajormom, Thank you for the stories! They give me hope.</p>
<p>Dougbetsy, I think that regular Outward Bound would be great for DS, but I don’t think he would be an appropriate candidate for the more therapeutic program. He has no drug, alcohol, or anger problems. I would not want to place him with kids who do.</p>
<p>Stradmom, I hope that we can get him moving on this. It is not going to be easy.</p>
<p>SDonCC, You sound knowledgable about neuropsych testing. Do you have specific suggestions on tests I should be sure he has?</p>
<p>geomom, I always wonder what other parents would do if their “normally bright” kids were placed in classrooms several years below their level and forced to stay there throughout elementary, middle, and high school. I’m sure they would be beating down the doors of the school protesting. Yet this is what DS has been forced to do. </p>
<p>fogfog, Thank you for your story. I am so glad that you were able to find help for your son!</p>
<p>compmom, Thank you for all the suggestions, and for the words of encouragement. I will look into the resources you suggest. I am not sure I dare to let him “lie fallow.” I think he needs to be on some kind of path for his own mental health.</p>
<p>campbellmom, We have not offered the option of dropping out yet. I only came to accept the idea very recently. What he wants to do is drift along as he does now. We feel that we need to intervene. </p>
<p>What a great story, starbright! I wish that I knew of a program like that now. I’ll have to look into it.</p>
<p>MarinMom, I am getting that book for DS! It sounds wonderful! I know for sure that he doesn’t have Asperger’s, but ADD is likely. He has not managed to get his act together to take driver’s ed, and he is highly motivated to take this. He keeps missing the deadline, forgetting to bring in the form, etc. He has missed 3 opportunities so far, to his great frustration. Maybe the book will help him accept the possiblity that he may have a learning difference? </p>
<p>Youdon’tsay, I don’t think he needs a private room, just that he would prefer some privacy. I think this is true of a lot of kids. He was very happy at CTY in a dorm, sharing a room. He liked every single kid in his class/floor both years that he went. </p>
<p>markbright, Thank you so much for your son’s story. It is a hopeful one. I will look into Bridgton Academy. I haven’t heard of it. Is it specifically for bright, underperforming kids or is it a general boarding school that will give a kid like that a chance? Thanks, also, for the bad news on Americorps. Better that I know now that it won’t be a possibility.</p>
<p>Bflogal, what exactly can be done with executive dysfunction? (I am expecting that if my son has something, this is what he has.) I know that DS does not have an auditory processing disorder. He listens intently in class and takes no notes (used to get in trouble for this; the teachers would insist that he take them, but when he took them, he couldn’t listen as well). This gets him all the material and it sticks. He never studies for tests, takes pride in not even knowing which days they will be given. He always gets close to 100%.</p>
<p>Thanks for the follow-up, PFJ; it is very helpful. I’d love to find an evaluation for less than $2k, but I suspect that you may be in a lower-cost part of the country. I’ll PM you for details.</p>