Gahanna and ADD/ADHD education (Columbus, Jefferson: travel, work, special need)

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Hello everyone. My wife and I have been looking around the country for great places to live based on a rather rigid criteria. After many disappointments, I am glad to have found Gahanna, Ohio. Though I could get in to many different subjects about what we want in a place to live, I rather focus on one topic.

We now live in Queens, New York and have lived there for the majority of our lives. Queens may be one of the most diverse places in America. Despite the many misconceptions people have about New York City, Queens could offer many positive cultural experiences children may not get any where else (among other positive things). For that, I wish I did not have to leave. However, besides high prices for homes, education is now a problem.

Education has never been horrible here (though others may disagree), but it has been completely compromised. Everyone knows that we have always had a large population in the city and thirty children in a class is a norm here. This makes education a struggle, especially when "No Child Left Behind" is looming large over a teacher's head. So when you have a child with a special need, you must be more aware of what's going on. That being said, our child has been diagnosed with ADD. Despite a lot of hardships, our child has made it to the fourth grade and is doing well. But that is after we had to leave the our public education system and place him in a private school. Public schools here have no way of truly helping special need children unless you sue them. His new school, with no more than 12 kids in the K-6 grades, has bent over backwards to help him succeed. A school system that is smaller and ADD/ADHD friendly would be better for him when we move.

Can anyone give me information about their experiences with the Gahanna educational system as a whole and if they are prepared to help children with ADD/ADHD. Are there any private schools in the general area that would help this population? Thank you for reading this long post.

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If anyone has information on any other area outside of Gahanna, it would be more than welcome!!! We are not sold on any one location in the Columbus area.

[stuckinohio]

I am a senior at Gahanna Lincoln High School. I started my educational career from Kindergarden here in Gahanna and have traveled through Jefferson Elementary and Gahanna Middle School East.

My brother has also been diagnosed with ADD and attends GMSE. I have found that in the elementary school he got a fair amount of help but when it came to the middle school, he has recieved little help. He lengthened the gap tremendously from where he should be and where he is educationally. Now my parents are forced with making the decision whether or not he should attend the high school, which I do not believe there are any programs for students with ADD/ADHD. Although they have classes for different learning abilities, the high school does not help you cope with ADD/ADHD while learning.

A school for students with learning abilities that I have learned about recently is Marburn Academy. I know someone who has had ADD and gone here and has totally turned around their educational ability. I do not know your economic standing but this school is known for being costly. It does have scholarships and financial aid though.

In conclusion, Gahanna schools can be a great place to be educated. I have gained much from Gahanna and am ready to start a new chapter in my life out of state in college. One can truely get a lot out of the school district if they have a strong work ethic (not necessarily strong grades, just the desire to truely do well). Especially by the time high school rolls around, students with a poor work ethic will not always make the best of choices. With over 2,500 students, it is very easy to get lost in the crowd. 30 students in a class is very common at the high school. As long as one is involved in activities and/or sports, one has the potential to thrive.

I hope this information helps about the Gahanna School system. Best wishes to you and your family!

P.S. here is the site to Marburn Academy

Marburn Academy - Central Ohio School for Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities and ADHD

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Thank you, Stuck in Ohio. I do hope your sibling gets the help that he needs.

We have a very serious problem in America when people ignore the educational and emotional needs of these children. So many have it but don't know it or is too big of a problem for states to want to deal with it. Our taxes go to so many unnecessary things through dirty politics and favors. But use it for something that will truly have an impact in every community, all of sudden there isn't enough money to go around.

By the way, thirty people in a class in high school I can accept. But thirty children in elementary school grade with one teacher definitely is a compromised education. That is the reality in NYC schools.

Any one else can tell me about any other educational system in the general Columbus area and how children with ADD/ADHD would be received?