School for teen with ASD - Philips? Orion? Others?
Looking to hear from parents about Philips, Orion, and any other east bay schools for a 9th grader with ASD, anxiety and depression, still struggling to accept who he is as a neuro-diverse person. Our kaiser therapist has encouraged us towards Philips (also James Baldwin, which seems way too restrictive for his needs, so we're wary of her advice). Philips seems like a warm community but we are wondering if he would be challenged enough in academic terms - he's a bright, creative, inquisitive, critical thinker who has achieved top grades with the right support and aims for college. Also considering Orion and Holden, though as a private school Holden would be a bigger challenge in terms of getting district assistance with tuition. Many thanks for any thoughts or advice!
Parent Replies
My stepson went to Orion and loved it there. It was easy for him to make friends there, and the teachers did a good job of keeping him focused on school, made sure homework got done, etc. Another option to consider might be Orinda Academy? They aren’t specifically focused on ASD kids, like the others, but they support kids with different learning styles and they are more college-prep focused than Orion.