Dear Parents (from a parent), 

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Merrill attended a school called Eagle Hill School (EHS) for 4th through 6th Grades, which is a school that specializes in helping kids with learning differences, and is designed to specifically cater to each individual student. 

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When Merrill was halfway through 6th grade, it was clear to us that she had learned a lot at Eagle Hill, and had the skills and strategies to learn in a mainstream environment. Given the more complicated (and less protected) social environments of mainstream middle school and high school, we wanted her to have some preparation in middle school before she started high school, when the stakes would be higher.

While we started talking to Merrill about attending Rogers International School, we simultaneously began talking with EHS about her potentially making the transition as well. 

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Parenting Planning for Transitions

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I had also arranged meetings with Rogers and with EHS and with the Norwalk Board of Education, to ensure there was a plan in place (it's called an IEP: “Individualized Education Plan”) to ensure Merrill had the support she needed.

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This involved a lot of testing in Norwalk, which Merrill certainly remembers because she did it 3 separate times before EHS, during EHS and at the end of her time at Rogers.

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The IEP at Rogers made sure Merrill had time with a learning specialist built into her day (unfortunately, this was scheduled for her instead of recess, which she wasn’t too pleased about!!). The plan also provided a regular meeting (weekly, I believe) with the school psychologist to make sure Merrill was adjusting well to new friendships. This was done in-person before and after Covid, and virtually during Covid.

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Experiencing Success

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Merrill was so successful at Rogers that she won the Language Arts award in 8th Grade. She was so convinced she wouldn't win it that she wasn’t even paying attention when they called her name! Her Language Arts Teacher had to get up and walk over to tap her to go up, recalling her stunned reaction: "I have dyslexia and I won the Language Arts award?!!"

She was so successful by 8th grade that her annual testing with the Norwalk Board of Ed led them to determine she no longer needed the IEP.  

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Worries Moving Forward

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While I was proud of Merrill, I was worried that she was entering high school without the 'scaffolding' she had previously succeeded with. I had two meetings with the Norwalk High School leadership to see if I could get them to reinstate her IEP.  However, in the end, we knew Merrill wanted to go to Lauralton Hall, a high school that assured us they would accommodate her needs as outlined by Merrill’s 8th Grade IEP. Thus, we did not think it was right to put the Norwalk High School, or the Norwalk Board of Ed through that process.

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It was this concern that kept us from having Merrill tested for Honors courses prior to her Freshman year. In hindsight, I'm not sure we made the right choice. The concern was that the testing would have Merrill feeling uncomfortable and potentially overwhelmed or defeated before she even started high school. We hoped that she would find her footing and soar -- just as she’s done! However, we didn't realize that it might undermine your GPA in the long run.

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Ever since, Merrill has reassured us that we made the right decision as she feels happy about the way everything has turned out!

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What was actually happening?

 

Transitions are challenging. In this case, my parents recognized exactly what I needed and did what they needed to, every step of the way, to ensure my success at each school. 

 

It was critical for me to have the support of a smaller school (i.e. Lauralton) before moving on to a larger environment. Lauralton was not an over-stimulating environment, and allowed me to focus and flourish, and learn about who I am a learner. It was a space that allowed me to experience my own independence and grow comfortable with it. It gave me the freedom to discover what methods of learning worked for me (for instance, it was at Lauralton that I learned I am a more visual learner).   

 

Having the support of Lauralton early on has immensely increased my confidence in being successful in any environment. It allowed me to look inward and prepared me to look outward. Without the experience of Lauralton, I’m not sure I would be confident in a large and chaotic environment, but now I am.

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Things I’d recommend to help your child in a situation like this:

 

• Giving your child a choice whenever you can. Ensure you’re offering a variety of options that your child is familiar with (i.e. tour the schools you can). 

• It’s important to be aware and conscious of every decision that can affect your child’s future. At the time, there were a number of decisions to make and ensure they were well-researched; in the end, the level of focus was worth it.