The adolescent or teenage years can be tough for some teens but even more difficult for both parents and the teen if they are experiencing ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is not at all a simple disorder to treat, it is really important for parents to be knowledgeable about their teen’s condition and how to help them overcome their ADHD symptoms.
Before finding an affordable boarding school for you child, it is best to know the right kind of school fit to handle a teen with ADHD.
When parents are looking for an ADHD school, they have several factors to consider. There are day schools, with programs similar to a regular school. There are strict, military style schools that attempt to dissuade distracting behavior by scaring kids into submission and then there are therapeutic boarding schools that work with the child’s natural tendencies to help them make better decisions. It’s important that parents decide what their goals are for their child’s future, before deciding which kind of ADHD school to use. There are benefits to each type of school.
Day schools may work best with kids who have mastered the management of all areas of life, with the exception of the standard classroom.
Others, however, tend to act out later, playing the authoritative role in social situations, which can lead to unhappy social situations, including arguments with siblings and other family members. Military schools successfully break the will of even the most disobedient kids, and teach them that their role in life is to follow the leader, which is a skill that can lend itself well for employment and other forms of servitude.
Students and counselors are able to work very closely to reach social and personal goals. As goals are reached, academically and socially, their confidence grows and parents are able to see their children returning with new maturity and inner strength.
Military schools, day schools and alternative boarding schools have special features and characteristics that appeal to different families.
In cases where the behavior of the teen may deem them at risk and need more supervision, a different option may be explored like residential treatment centers.
Related: Residential Treatment Centers for Youth Behavioral Problems
Regardless of which type of school you choose for your ADD or ADHD child, be on the lookout for educational and psychological theories that resonate with what you’re able to reinforce at home. Through these specialized boarding schools, teens with learning or school problems, inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity problems will be given the assistance to help them cope with the struggles of teenage life. So how do you know which will work best for your teen?
Counseling, diet and medication are three of the popular options for ADHD treatment. If these options do not work, parents can count on ADHD teen boarding schools who can provide specialized assistance for their teens with ADHD.
Look for home support systems that allow the siblings and parents to participate in the new ideas and thoughts that the student has learned. Which raises the question, what is the best approach for your child’s long-term future?
But before considering a boarding school for your ADHD teens, parents should know what to expect from these types of boarding schools to ensure that their needs are met:
Now that you know what to look for in ADHD boarding schools, there should be a lot of choices. How do you gather information about these schools?
After researching ADHD schools, many parents come to realize that a boarding school might be the best option for helping their child. Some kids simply thrive best in a holistic environment. How do you go about researching different boarding schools, though? Where do you go for boarding school information?
There are plenty of resources for boarding school information, and many parents find it easy to narrow the decision down to a few choices before they even pick up the phone.
Children who require fresh air and need to expel a lot of energy in order to pay attention in classes will need a school that offers plenty of outdoor exposure and opportunities to enjoy the natural world.
Some children look upon boarding school as a grand adventure. Others feel upset in the beginning; afraid of the unknown. By the end of the year, they’re all upset to be leaving. Talk to one of our consultants to know how to best approach this.
ADHD Boarding schools are really more affordable than you might think. See this summary of information based on available data for your own reference:
ADHD Boarding School Name | Location | School Type | Grades Offered | Approx. Annual Boarding Tuition ($) | Offers Financial Aid / Scholarships? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Massanutten Military Academy | Woodstock, VA | Coed | 7 -12, PG* | 29,100 | Yes / Yes |
St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School | Sewanee, TN | Coed | 9 – 12 | 38,475 | Yes / Yes |
Blue Ridge School | St. George, VA | All boys | 9 – 12 | 38,500 | Yes / No |
The Webb School | Bell Buckle, TN | Coed | 7 – 12, PG | 38,500 | Yes / Yes |
Chatham Hall | Chatham, VA | All girls | 9 – 12 | 39,000 | Yes / Yes |
Hawai’i Preparatory Academy | Kamuela, HI | Coed | 6 – 12, PG | 39,400 | Yes / Yes |
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School | Faribault, MN | Coed | 6 – 12, PG | 39,950 | Yes / Yes |
Philips Academy Andover | Andover, MA | Coed | 9 – 12, PG | 42,350 | Yes / No |
The Perkiomen School | Pennsburg, PA | Coed | 6 – 12, PG | 44,200 | Yes / Yes |
Westtown School | West Chester, PA | Coed | 9 – 12 | 44,990 | Yes / No |
The Putney School | Putney, VT | Coed | 9 – 12, PG | 45,300 | Yes / No |
Grier School | Tyrone, PA | All girls | 7 – 12, PG | 45,800 | Yes / Yes |
Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall | Waltham, MA | Coed | 9 – 12, PG | 46,000 | Yes / No |
Choate Rosemary Hall | Wallingford, CT | Coed | 9 – 12, PG | 46,420 | Yes / No |
Northfield Mount Hermon School | Mount Hermon, MA | Coed | 9 – 12, PG | 46,900 | Yes / No |
St. Mark’s School | Southborough, MA | Coed | 9 – 12 | 46,900 | Yes / No |
Annie Wright School | Tacoma, WA | All girls | 9 – 12 | 46,950 | Yes / Yes |
Proctor Academy | Andover, NH | Coed | 9 – 12, PG | 46,950 | Yes / No |
The Ethel Walker School | Simsbury, CT | All girls | 9 – 12, PG | 47,900 | Yes / No |
The Madeira School | McLean, VA | All girls | 9 – 12 | 48,497 | Yes / No |
Stevenson School | Pebble Beach, CA | Coed | 9 – 12 | 49,100 | Yes / No |
Purnell School | Pottersville, NJ | All girls | 9 – 12 | 50,735 | Yes / No |
Eagle Hill School | Hardwick, MA | Coed | 8 – 12 | 59,839 | Yes / No |
Turning Winds | Troy, MT | Coed | 6 – 12 | Call 800-845-1380 | No / Yes |
*PG = Post Graduate
When you’ve done as much as you can with the information you can get, arrange to visit the campus and meet some of the staff and other students. If you’re looking at a school that won’t allow you to do this, look elsewhere. It is important that you know how well your teen will be treated in their boarding school.
Sit down with school administrators and learn of their behavior management philosophies. Bring up specific characteristics of your child’s personality so they can get to know him through your eyes. Make sure you’re comfortable with the level of respect and professionalism you experience in your teen’s chosen ADHD boarding school.
Most of all, ask yourself “Could my child succeed and happy here?” because in the end, that will be the most important piece of information you need.
A teen with ADHD may find it hard to cope with a standard school structure, so it is best to find alternatives for their situation as soon as possible. It’s a good thing that there are consultants you can talk to get better perspective in it.
If you’re still on the fence about the kind of boarding school you need for your teen, At Risk Youth Programs can guide you with the proper steps to take. Contact us today!
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