Holly’s List: AD/HD and Learning Differences

/

Do you have a child with learning differences, behavioral challenges or special needs? Feeling overwhelmed, alone and frustrated? You aren't alone. Ronnie's Awesome List is proud to bring you Holly's List, a resource for Bay Area parents who need a little extra support to help navigate the best options for children and teens with AD/HD and Learning Differences.

Schools That Educate Students with LDs, ADHD &/or ASD

The Helix School, Mill Valley
Mild to moderate ASD, Will build to all grades
1:1 and small group
Specialists: OT, drama therapy, speech and language, math

Tilden Preparatory Academy, Sausalito, Albany, Walnut Creek
Middle and High School. Full or part-time
1:1 teaching, Financial aid available
Specialists: Executive functioning taught, For students who do not learn in classroom environments, Large percentage of students have ADHD

My City School, San Francisco
Middle School
Active learning, kinesthetic, community learning

The Marin School, San Rafael
High School
Multi-sensory learning

Star Academy, San Rafael
Dyslexia, ADHD, ADD, Mild ASD, 2-12th
1:1 and small group specialists as well as push-in: OT, multisensory language and math, speech and language, social thinking, mindfulness practices
Small classes, art, music
May students remediate and return to home schools.

Fusion Academy, San Rafael & San Francisco
Middle and high school students for whom traditional classroom does not work
1:1 with small group Homework Café (No homework goes home.)
Full or part-time students. All subjects can be requested

The Think Tank International Academy, Corte Madera
K - 8.  Opens Fall 2017
English & French

Big Minds School, East Bay
Elementary & middle school. Opens Fall 2017
Twice exceptional students (gifted with LDs)

Other LD Schools

Upcoming AD/HD & Learning Disabilities Educational Events

Marin CHADD Parent Share Group  
Last Monday of the month.  12:30 – 2:30pm  Westminster Presbyterian Library, Tiburon
CHADD Volunteer Facilitator: Ellen Nicosia

Lily Pad Homes AND Explosive Behavior (2 Talks)
CHADD Marin 3rd Thursday Speakers Meeting: March 23
Corte Madera Town (Shopping) Center Community Room. 7-9pm, Ellen Nicosia, LilyPad Homes and Holly Seerley, MFT.

Parent to Parent (AD/HD) Classes in Marin: Next Session Weekend in June, 
Lily Pad Homes AND Explosive Behavior (2 Talks)
For parents of children and young adults with AD/HD (all types).  Neurobiology of AD/HD, evidence-based treatments, impact on family, school and learning issues, executive functioning deficits, IEPs and 504 Plans, and more.  Curriculum developed by CHADD, international non-profit educating and advocating on behalf of those with AD/HD across the lifespan.  $100/family (CHADD members) or $145 (Non-members). Holly Seerley, MFT & Parent of AD/HD Adult Child, CHADD Certified Parent to Parent Teacher, CHADD Volunteer, 415-383-6656.

Featured AD/HD & LD Links             

National Resource Center on AD/HD (A Program of CHADD and CDC) Spanish also. Research-validated information on ADHD.

www.wrightslaw.com  Special education law and advocacy for parents and professionals. Detailed legal info on rights of students with special needs. Pete Wright is a special ed attorney who has ADHD and dyslexia himself.                                                              

Sensory Processing Disorder & IEPs. Other Health Impaired

What is God Doing in Special Needs Ministry? Key Ministry educates churches and houses of worship around the country re: how to provide inclusion with special needs children and youth.

Info for Teens & Tweens w/LDs &/or AD/HD

Teen/Tween Club for Teens Who Are Adopted.  (Especially for Teens of color.)  

  • Teen Leaders Meeting (Adopted Teens 15 – 18 years old). 
  • www.JonathanMooney.com   “Author, Public Speaker, Different.  A young man once labeled “severely learning disabled” journeys across America....”  Author: The Short Bus & Learning Outside the Lines.  Brown University graduate.

ADHD & Me: Blake Taylor, UC Berkeley student’s memoir. 

AD/HD & LD Links

Supporting Special Needs Families in Marin

research.nichcy.org/Evidence_TOC.asp  Evidence-based educational interventions.
 
www.nichcy.org/pubs/genresc/gr3.htm  Info on IEPs & categories.

www.Bpkids.org  Resources and articles re: children and youth with bipolar disorder. 

www.ldonline.org  Education and advocacy information for parents of students with learning disabilities.

www.ADDConsults.com  AD/HD & Girls & Women & Adults w/AD/HD, Terry Matlen's website includes several hundred articles & informal online support group chats for adults.

www.adhdcentral.com Terry Matlen is now also at Health Central as the AD/HD expert.

www.schoolbehavior.com/conditions_edf.htm Leslie Packer's educational website on executive function disorder.  She also covers Tourette Syndrome or Tourette's Disorder (tics).

www.sensory-processing-disorder.com   Sensory Processing Disorder educational website. 

www.matrix.org  Marin and Sonoma County non-profit for parents re: special needs education, advocacy..  Incredible lending library of books, tapes, DVDs, reference books.

www.dyslexia-ncbida.org   Reading disabilities, dyslexia.  Excellent workshops.
 
www.socialthinking.com  Michelle Garcia Winners' website re: her approach to social cognition deficits.

www.rfbd.org Audiobooks & texts on tape for students with visual impairments or reading disabilities.

p069.ezboard.com/Tourette-Syndrome-Message-Boards/  Tourette Syndrome message board. 

www.nldline.org  Education and advocacy information on Non-Verbal Learning Disability.

www.nationalautismassociation.org  Educational website re: autism spectrum disorders.

www.cogmed.com/cogmed/sections/en/6.aspx  Cogmed: Working Memory Training: Research-validated computerized program that trains the brain to become more efficient.  Five-week program has resulted in improved working memory that continues to improve even one year later.

www.chadd.org  National AD/HD education and advocacy organization.                                                

www.help4adhd.org/  National Resource Center on AD/HD (A Program of CHADD) Spanish also.

www.wrightslaw.com  Special education law and advocacy for parents and professionals 

www.nswagtc.org.au/info/articles/  Twice exceptional (gifted + LD/ADHD),  APD, perfectionism, “over-excitability,” curriculum ideas and more.

www.bridges4kids.org/articles/6-03/ARC6-03.html  Sample behavior plans for AD/HD.

www.athealth.com/Consumer/disorders/WrittenExp.html  Written expression disorder.

www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2801.htm  Written expression disorder.

www.ocslha.com/Ferre.htm  Explains the different types of APD (auditory processing disorder).

www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/spring00/centralauditory.htm  APD explanation.

www.fape.org/pubs/fape-33.pdf  IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) explained.

SID-DSI_AllAboutKids@yahoogroups.com  Listserv for parents re: sensory integration disorder.

How To Interpret a Psychoeducational Report: James Adams, MA, MFT, PEN presentation PowerPoint Notes: More links can be found on PEN website to J. Adams’ materials.

Recent NIMH brain imaging research shows 3-year delay in brain development.

www.tara4bpd.org  Information about borderline personality disorder and dialectical behavior therapy, which is being found to be useful with AD/HD, bipolar disorder, Aspergers.

www.chaddnorcal.org/ADHD_Partner, Online support group for partners of adults w/AD/HD, all types.  Gina Pera, CHADD Volunteer, facilitates.   

Holly Seerley, MA, MFT is twice exceptional herself, gifted with ADHD. She is one of the SF Bay Area experts on ADHD and co-occurring conditions. A long-time volunteer as well as running a thriving private practice since 1979, she currently serves on the Star Academy Board of Directors (was President for 4 years) and the CHADD National Board of Directors as well as Co-Chair of the CHADD National Affiliate Advisory Board. She has two adult children, one who is a speaker on ADHD and LDs and has ADHD and dyslexia. She sees a wide variety of clients in her private practice, including for relationship therapy, individual therapy, childhood trauma resolution, as well as treatment and consultation for learning differences and ADHD. She can be reached at 415-383-665 or by email HSeerley@aol.com.