2021-05

Some students with ADHD and learning differences need additional academic support to reach their full potential. Some parents choose to send their children to boarding school. Why? How do you know if boarding school is the right choice for your child and family? Meghan McNeill, director of the learning skills program at Christchurch School, shares insights into why some parents make the boarding school choice, discusses how the program is designed to enrich students with learning challenges and dispels myths about boarding schools.
Bio:
Meghan McNeill
Meghan McNeill is a heart-centered and trauma-informed educator with over a decade of experience in various settings ranging from high school, higher education, to experiential learning and international education. She brings a strong sense of curiosity and unique perspective cultivated from a mental health perspective, a deep understanding of the needs of students with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and learning differences, and the benefits of her own mindfulness practice to her work with young people. She currently serves as the director of the learning skills program at Christchurch School, where she supports and advocates for the social-emotional and academic needs of neurologically diverse students.

Finding the right school for your child with ADHD or learning differences is challenging. What is the first thing a parent should do in their search? What type of school should they consider: private, public, or boarding? Certified Educational Planner Judy Bass provides helpful insights for starting the selection process and choosing the best school for your child. She also discusses what characteristics and qualities to include on your checklist of pros and cons—and why understanding your child’s needs should play an essential role in the search.
 
Judith S. Bass, CEP
Founder, CollegeWebLD, and Certified Educational Planner
Judith S. Bass, CEP, is an internationally recognized expert in the field of college and postsecondary placement for students who learn differently. For the past 20 years, she has provided comprehensive planning services for students with ADHD, ASD, and other learning differences. Bass is a contributing author to Navigating the Transition from High School to College for Students with Disabilities. Her articles have appeared in numerous magazines, including Washington Parent and Attention. She founded CollegeWebLD, (www.collegewebld.com), a one-stop source of information on college disability services at over 400 colleges in the United States. A past chair of the Commission on Credentialing for AICEP (www.aicep.org) and a past board member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), she serves as a consultant to several independent high schools in the Washington, DC, area. Bass received her undergraduate degree in education and Spanish from Stony Brook University, earned a graduate-level certificate in college counseling from UCLA, and holds the Certified Educational Planner designation.