Special Needs
Students with special needs will be admitted to FSW only if the faculty feels confident that the school can adequately serve that student’s needs while meeting the needs of students already enrolled in the school. Students with special needs may be placed on a separate waiting list in order to ensure that FSW maintains an appropriate ratio of faculty to students with special needs. All acceptances are probationary to ensure the appropriateness of placement at FSW.

When space in a given class is limited (assuming timely application to the school), priority consideration will be given to siblings of students currently attending FSW, Quaker students, students who represent diversity and students of alumni.

Special Needs: Learning Styles, Learning Differences, Counseling and Diagnostic Evaluation

The faculty at FSW recognizes that students learn differently. Teachers seek to understand each student’s learning style and make an effort to present material in a variety of ways in order to tap into the strengths of all learners. Hands-on activities and cooperative projects utilize multiple senses and address a variety of learning styles.

However, there are limits to both the number and severity of special learning needs we can serve effectively, based on both faculty training and time available for individualized attention. In order to make the necessary judgments concerning special needs, faculty and students are best served when parent/guardians share whatever assessment information they possess at the time of admission. Failure to disclose information related to special needs before admission could result in your being required to withdraw your student(s) and forfeit tuition.

In the event that FSW faculty observe behaviors after admission that are indicative of a developmental delay, learning difference, behavioral or emotional problem, or other special need, we may recommend or require that the student be given a diagnostic evaluation by specialists. In order to remain enrolled at FSW, the results of this evaluation must be shared with the faculty so that we may ascertain how best to meet the student’s needs. As with all student records, results of developmental assessments will be kept confidential.

Though FSW makes adjustments to accommodate a wide variety of learning styles, we do not specialize in meeting the needs of students diagnosed with learning differences or behavioral/emotional problems, and we do not provide resource services. Students with special needs may remain enrolled at FSW only if the faculty feels confident that they can appropriately address that student’s special needs, and provided that parent/guardians arrange for an appropriate level of extra support at their own expense.