Hey all!! I am looking into the following boarding schools for next year (they’re all still considering applications, I have checked). I’d be a junior.
The Gunnery
Marvelwood
Kent
Loomis Chaffee
Ethel Walker
Westover
Miss Porter’s
Westminster
Millbrook
Cheshire
Would a few people mind giving their input on the support systems for me, someone with emotional and slight learning difficulties (emotion based)? Are there any programs, counseling, classes, systems put in place that would be helpful? Any school that, with my challenges in mind, I should avoid?
Good luck with your search. Many of the schools noted above do a better job with a “traditional” student than one with emotion-based, learning difficulties. If your parents have the money, this would be a great discussion to have with a professional boarding school consultant. They can assess with you how much “help” you need and then recommend options for your consideration. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this group, but there are many from which to choose: http://schoolcounseling.com/.
Cheshire Academy has the Roxbury Program, which gives the student a tutor to help with academics and other issues. Good luck. As for AFTER high school, check out Thames Academy connected to Mitchell College in New London, CT.
@oliviaepley A lot of the schools that fit your criteria are not as well known on these threads, and if you can afford a consultant, they are extremely helpful as there are so many different types of emotional support so fit is really important. I know that http://www.greatlakesconsult.com/ is very well versed in both theraputic and traditional boarding schools. Based in the Chicago area but they work nationally and internationally. There are some wonderful schools that offer just a little emotional support along with regular academics as well as support for learning differences. I would also consider Pennington in NJ, and possibly Proctor or Solebury? Oliverian is another school to consider: http://www.oliverianschool.org. I am so glad you asked this question!
Avoid Purnell… They are not staffed for anything other than watered down academics. They have a nice new website that makes it look wonderful. It’s downright fraud. They over promise and under deliver. Not a place for any kid with emotional fragility or needing emotional support. They don’t have counselors or even a school psycholologist. I know moms who have and have had girls there, none too thrilled except the mom who is thrilled a boarding school actually accepted her “problem child” after getting thrown out from special ed schools for bad behavior and drugs. …
@chemmchimney Proctor does work with kids who have LDs (mostly dyslexia) but not emotional issues. It’s not a therapeutic school. I don’t think Solebury is either but I may be mistaken I also caution about Purnell - a very good friend’s daughter went there and what @PlainTruth is saying is pretty much what their experience was.
@annamom If your kid’s learning disability can be serviced by watered down academics and small classes alone, then maybe it’s better than a big public school or whatever you are currently doing. Don’t expect any high level help, no one has a background there in any special ed and there is only one learning specialist there to service all the students. Also, they do not customize, so if what they deem is the way for LD doesn’t fit your child, you are outta luck. The Craig School, Barnstable and Winston Prep have better trained people and experienced staff. But if you are looking for a boarding school then look at Proctor or Miss Hall’s. Much better quality teaching, more organized and a much bigger LD staff. But without knowing details about your child’s LD, I can only generalize.
@PlainTruth thanks. How current is your comment? We visited the schools you listed, I think Craig also has a watered down curriculum. Did the kids at Craig go to regular Ed college?
Winston Prep does not have the grade level in NJ. Barnstable is really a regular Ed high school. I do not like the building.
@Momof7thgrader is your friend’s daughter still at Purnell? I am not looking for emotional support but support and remediation in reading and writing. How current is your friend’s e perience?
Changed for the worse…the new head of the school is horrible. I know a current teacher there who said over 10% of the staff is leaving after this year. High turnover. They decided to become an LD school recently because they had to remarket themselves to boost declining enrollment. The staff is young and not LD qualified or experienced, look at their bios. They have good performing arts tho. Learning differences is the new buzzword that schools are using–just be careful and make sure the LD school you choose actually is staffed and qualified to do it–many are not.
Craig at least delivers in what they promise and are good with dyslexia and writing–as for what colleges they go on to, ask for a list. Barnstable is la true earning differences school and has experienced teachers with LD backgrounds-I would not really call it a regular ed hs–they have lots of support, remediation. The college list is better than Purnell.
I do believe Winston Prep offers grade levels through HS now in NJ. It’s one on one teaching though which is different, but appeals to some. So is Fusion.
Yes, I was thinking of Forman School also, in Litchfield CT. Gunnery has academic support for kids who may need extra help, but not sure if it can support learning difficulties or emotional difficulties.
@annamom - no she’s no longer there and my info is probably 4 years old. Again, Proctor is not an LD boarding school but a boarding school that has learning support for those who need it. It’s very different from Barnstable, Purnell, Craig etc.
@PlainTruth We visited Barnstable and Fusion at Morristown, they called themselves regular ed. I do like the faculty at Barnstable but the building is depressing, Yes, I understand the difference between Winston Prep and Winston, Winston Prep does not have the grade level I am looking for. Last Summer I tried many times to call Winston Prep in NJ and did not get a call back, only after I talked to the NY campus that I found out they do not have the upper grade level in NJ. I thought it was unprofessional…DD spent a day at Craig and told me the level of material was too easy.