Several years ago, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) presented many challenges to the medical world and diagnosis was practically out of reach. Children that couldn’t sit still or keep from talking were considered disruptive and unruly. This behavior naturally led to increasingly bad grades for these children and by the time they reached middle school, they were showing major deficiencies in basic skills. Schools were unable to cope with this kind of behavior and teachers were unqualified to effectively deal with these problems. Large classes prevented these problem children from receiving the special, focused care that they needed. As the children entered adolescence, the negative consequences of their condition proved to be counterproductive. Most children diagnosed with ADD will carry the symptoms into adulthood, making early treatment extremely important. Enrolling a child in a private school with the capability to handle these problems should be the number one priority. Today, there are more than a hundred such private schools available for children diagnosed with ADD and in this article, I want to provide some information about 4 of them that could be considered.
Cedars Academy
Cedars Academy is a residential school that specializes in the development of kids with disabilities who have been diagnosed with ADD as well as other disabilities such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) and Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD).
With it’s family oriented atmosphere and focus on college preparation, Cedars is a great first step on a journey to success for kids with disabilities.
Cedars is located on a beautiful, 73 acres of wooded and landscaped terrain on the Delmarva Peninsula in Delaware, a couple of hour’s drive from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C.
Cedars is a relatively small private school for both sexes, normally housing around forty students. It strives to develop the whole child by using every available moment as a teaching opportunity. Cedars appears to understand and focus on the idea that social skills and a sense of community are key to the development of a special needs child. It’s college preparatory curriculum and family-like environment provide a perfect balance resulting in a well rounded individual.
Girls and boys are housed separately in 2 two-story buildings under the supervision of house parents in a family-like environment.
The Annie Oakley Building has 5 classrooms and 6-8 students are assigned to each teacher.
Cedars accepts applicants between the ages of 11 and 18 who have been diagnosed with ADD or other related conditions and qualified applicants are enrolled throughout the year.
Items that are needed for Evaluation of Appropriateness are a completed online application, recent psycho-educational evaluation (within last 2 years) and current transcripts.
Monthly tuition at Cedars in $6,200 with a one-time enrollment fee of $2,500 and an alumni fee of $6,200. Financial aid is available to qualifying students and Cedars has an extensive financing program.
The Hunter School
The Hunter school is a non-profit, private school that also specializes in ADD and related conditions. It accepts boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 15 and focuses on helping the student leverage their unique learning approach, deal with negative behavior, build self esteem and adopt a community type relationship with others.
Hunter is located in central New Hampshire on 137 acres of woodland, bordering a pristine lake. It provides a modern schoolhouse and 3 family style houses that are overseen by house parents, trained and experienced child development counselors.
Hunter is a private school that operates under a rolling admissions policy, accepting applications throughout the year.
The first step for enrollment involves requesting and completing an information packet. Each applicant will be required to submit a physical and psychological evaluation and fill out various forms.
Tuition is $66,235 for its 9 month residential program and no direct tuition assistance is offered, however there are several financing options that are available.
New Leaf Academy
The New Leaf Academy is a private school for girls between the ages of ten and fourteen. With two campuses, one in Oregon and the other in North Carolina, New Leaf offers a supportive environment in a home setting.
The New Leaf has a unique program called the StarSteps Program which gets the girl’s entire family involved in the development process. Parents are encouraged to participate in seminars and counseling. The program is year-round and lasts between 14 and 18 months. The program focuses on 3 areas of personal development that the girl must master before graduating. The first step deals with self understanding and a sense of community. The second step focuses on insight and responsibility and the third step is all about leadership.
At the Oregon campus, located near Bend, Oregon, the girls reside in one of two communities, each with a home-style residence which houses 20-45 girls.
At the North Carolina campus, girls reside in a newly renovated, Southern style home set on hundreds of acres of Blue Ridge wilderness.
Tuition at both campuses is $5,850 per month with a one time enrollment fee of $2,500 and a $750 uniform fee. There is also an alumni fee equal to one month’s tuition. Financing is available and tuition assistance is by student loan.
Stone Mountain is a long term private school for boys who have emotional or behavioral issues stemming from ADD or ADHD.
Stone Mountain is goal oriented and focuses on academics and mastering the social skills needed for success.
The school is designed to meet the needs of troubled boys in the 6th to 12th grade range with highly structured lessons that focus on the individual needs of the student. With only 5 students per teacher, each boy can receive the unique attention he needs for his development.
Set in a rustic environment in beautiful Western North Carolina, the boys are exposed to many activities such as hiking, camping, water sports, chess, art, and performing arts.
Tuition at Stone Mountain is “very competitive” and can be disclosed by contacting the school.
Financing and student loans are available.
Visit the individual sites below for detailed information about each school.
References:
Robert Kennedy, Choosing the Right School, www.privateschool.about.com
Cedars Academy, www.cedarsacademy.com
The Hunter School, www.hunterschool.org
New Leaf Academy, www.newleafacademy.com
Stone Mountain School, www.stonemountainschool.com
