Diagnosis through Year 1 at Oakwood School

Allison Felix, First-Year Oakwood Parent

July 29, 2021, I received the report. The one we'd been anticipating and, in some ways, maybe dreading. 

My son, Ethan, had finished a rocky, mask-covered, Covid-navigated, hybrid-style 2nd-grade year a few months earlier. Other than knowing that all students would be returning to the classroom, we had no reason to believe that there would be any major changes in the weeks preceding his 3rd-grade year. Boy, were we wrong!

Recognizing the Red Flags of Learning Challenges

I started recognizing signs that something wasn't quite right during Ethan's 1st-grade year. His teacher's comments about attention in the classroom, needing redirection, and suggestions of additional reading support were become more frequent and more emphasized. By the end of that year (and 3 months of distance learning!) my gut was telling me I needed to have an evaluation done. At that time, I expected, like many young, active boys his age, he would be diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), just as his half-sister and father had been in recent years. We received a referral to a great Psychologist's office that conducted these types of evaluations. I set the appointment and honestly thought our toughest decision was going to be whether or not to use medication. 

When I sat down with the psychologist to review her report, I received the surprising news that ADHD was not the primary concern, and there was no recommendation to use medication as a support tool. Instead, she recommended Dyslexia remediation. 

Understanding Our Dyslexia Diagnosis

Suddenly 3 weeks prior to school starting, we were navigating a diagnosis that we were unprepared for and were not entirely sure that we, or his school (he was not attending public school at the time) had the resources to support. Reading remediation, Occupational Therapy, Processing Issues, Executive Functioning Needs ... suddenly I was swimming in unfamiliar terminology. So I kicked into research mode and began searching, reading, and asking every question I could think of to best help my son. 

I spoke to parents of dyslexic students at our school, parents whose children (with dyslexia and dysgraphia) had sought remediation elsewhere, and then returned. I spoke to reading specialists and school administration. I researched full-time schools and part-time programs, weighing the pros and cons of keeping Ethan where he was (in a classroom of 30!) and supplementing his education with outside remediation, versus removing him from where his friends were. 

Oakwood School Admissions: A Solution?

And then, I spoke to Oakwood School admissions. To say that I really felt heard during that initial call would be an understatement. With a foundation built on a 50-year history and success, I knew that Oakwood was the place for my son. (Cue angels singing, heaven's gates opening, etc.) We were even told that Ethan made the perfect Oakwood candidate. Now you may think this is where all our problems were about to be solved. We had found the holy grail of learning-disability-centered education, right? 

One problem ... with mere weeks to go before the start of the school year, Oakwood was full! Not a single space on the team for him! So in September 2021, Ethan enrolled at another local school that focused on his reading skills, and most importantly, his confidence grew tremendously. He was recognizing, as he would say, "that others learn like I do" and that it was ok! No more being pulled out of class for reading support because everyone needed the support! No more feeling different, alone, or embarrassed that he couldn't do what other kids could. It was a beneficial year for him, but I knew in my gut that we were destined for Oakwood-level greatness. 

We remained on the waiting list and within a few months we received word that there would be space for Ethan at Oakwood for the 2022-2023 school year. I was thrilled but also knew that this would be yet another change for Ethan within a short period of time. We visited Oakwood in the Spring of 2022. Construction was not yet complete on the new wing so we got the benefit of seeing Oakwood as it was, before starting as a student in a brand-new facility. Ethan was relatively quiet during his tour, taking everything in. It wasn't until we saw the 3D printing machines that I knew Oakwood had gotten him! We left the school and before we even reached the car, he told me he was in. 

Oakwood is just different - in the best possible ways.

We are nearly finished with our first year at Oakwood. I don't say Ethan's first year, because as an Oakwood parent, you will very much be a part of this process. Oakwood educators and administration understand the importance of walking new parents through everything. Whether it be new-parent orientation sessions, connecting new families with tenured families in the first few weeks, hosting Zoom meetings to discuss how evaluations are conducted at Oakwood, to communicating via not 1, but 3, different newsletters (don't worry, it's not overkill), Oakwood understands the needs of its families and works to meet us all where we are. 

Oakwood understands children, but not just any children, our children. The children who need time and patience, and support in ways that other schools don't have the experience, understanding, or often the resources for. If this is your first experience navigating your child's learning challenge(s), the confidence you will see grow in your child will warm your heart. Ethan now does his homework without wanting any help! 

Regular movement breaks, research-based classroom layouts, special seating options, several PE classes a week, and even letting the kids chew gum (it's a concentration benefit!), Oakwood knows what our kids need to grow and succeed in and out of the classroom.

Our kids are thoughtful, they think deeply and intensely and are interested in subject matter that can take them to great places. That's celebrated at Oakwood.