Decatur area special schools (Atlanta, Buckhead: to rent, home, school districts)

[lascrucestx]

We will be moving to the Decatur area next year and need to be near Emory/CDC. I'm trying to figure out which school district would be best for a 4 year old with high functioning autism. I've looked at some of the private school options but ouch-$$$$. Living in Cobb or Fulton counties is out-too far. What is the admissions process for Coralwood? How hard is it to get in? What other school districts in the area provide good special education? I'd prefer an inclusive setting over a self contained classroom.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by lascrucestx

We will be moving to the Decatur area next year and need to be near Emory/CDC. I'm trying to figure out which school district would be best for a 4 year old with high functioning autism. I've looked at some of the private school options but ouch-$$$$. Living in Cobb or Fulton counties is out-too far. What is the admissions process for Coralwood? How hard is it to get in? What other school districts in the area provide good special education? I'd prefer an inclusive setting over a self contained classroom.

The posters you need are--'Lastminutemom' or 'LovinDecatur'.

There are many alternative education options around Decatur---I know of one school--near Agnes Scott for ADHD, etc--if I can think of the name the owner/principal would be a good resource to help you find the right environment for your child. The owner's name is 'Joan'--maybe I'll recall the name soon. Small and I know they do amazing things with their students.

The Decatur School System is excellent/progressive, etc.

Coralwood, IIRC, is a DeKalb County School. If you live in DeKalb County you contact the DeKalb School Board/Special Needs Dept. If you live outside DeKalb County--they could explain the policies.
DeKalb County School System--I think I selected 'Support Services'---you can call the main number and ask for the correct department.

Go Here>>>
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/support/

Browse through these threads and see if anything relevant to your situation has been posted.

Go Here>>>
//www.city-data.com/forum/searc...rchid=17859356

Many posters that live/work around Emory/CDC are pleased with the Morningside/Candler Park/Grady High School area--that is City of Atlanta and you might also research them. Cobb and North Fulton would be 'way too far' away---jmo--commuting and coordinating schedules would be a nightmare.

Another school that you might want to contact is 'The Galloway School'.

http://www.gallowayschool.org/

?Private school/alternative philosophy--somewhere around Buckhead.

[lascrucestx]

Thank you, this is a great help! Does anyone have any experience with the Adaptive Learning Center?

[lastminutemom]

Hi.

I actually had a child attend Coralwood a hundred (or so it seems) years ago. It is an impressive program. I don't know how hard it is to get in. DeKalb has inclusion Pre-K programs at , many elementary schools these days, so if that is what your child needs, that is what you will get.

Coralwood only goes through Kindergarten. The current path, as I see it, is for many of the special ed students to continue to Hawthorne where they have a finely developed inclusion program. However, most of the time, you should have the option to return to your home school. Keep in mind though, that not every DeKalb elementary school offers a team taught environment. Most will offer support to the special needs students in the form of a para or a dedicated aide.

However, I think that you ought to strongly consider City of Decatur schools, which means you need to rent/buy in the city limits of Decatur. DeKalb is not a healthy school system and has a hard time (in my opinion) doing much right. Because Decatur schools are so small, they have to be responsive to the community. Those schools are on an upward trajectory while DeKalb is definitely not.

I don't know if you have a sense yet of what your child's future looks like. Do you expect that he will always need some services or that he will eventually lose his IEP? (I know children who have had the diagnosis of autism who have gone both ways.)

My experience with Adaptive was not as a parent but as the best friend of one, again 100 years ago. How does Adaptive work these days? Do you pick the preschool and they provide the faciliator or are they still working with a specific group of schools?

[lascrucestx]

Hi-thanks for chiming in . . .

We are getting an IEP put together in our home state right now. My understanding is that getting it in the Georgia system can be difficult (not that it's easy here).

We're at the beginning of his developmental workup-high functioning autism/pragmatic language impairment is my diagnosis. I can certainly see him losing an autism diagnosis if he gets one, but he will always be a square peg and do better in smaller environments.

His primary needs right now are intensive speech and some OT for fine motor skills and sensory integration. Atlanta speech school has a program (Stepping Stones) that looks like it might fit the bill from their website, but the 20k pricetag is steep, especially considering I have a younger child who also has special needs and we'll need a full time nanny. We certainly wouldn't mind living in the Decatur city limits, it would be more convenient for our work. How does enrollment in their special ed program work? What is the quality like?

ALC does work with a specific group of schools, two of which look accessible.

[lastminutemom]

I don't know what I was thinking. I know you mentioned inclusion, but many parents I know have been thrilled with the programs at Emory. (I sent you a private message about highly I regarded Atlanta Speech School and that remains true but I will say that the Emory program is probably a great option.)

Emory Autism Center - Early Childhood Programs


I know of several children who have graduated from this program into mainstreamed classrooms.

I can't tell you specifics about City of Decatur special ed programs. Hopefully the posters from Decatur will show up eventually.

My experience with Adaptive as a long time ago. The key with them is the quality of both the facilitator and the classroom teachers. If their only locations are those listed on the website, none of them look particularly convenient to the part of town you are talking about.