The goal of admitting students to Kindergarten or First Grade is early intervention with an “at risk” population of students who are exhibiting signs of future academic difficulty.  Students will be given provisional admittance for one academic year, at which time he/she will be re-evaluated by a psychologist or educational therapist to determine an appropriate education placement for the following year.

ADMISSIONS CRITERIA:
Consistent with the mission of The Fletcher School to serve students with Specific Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders, applicants will be considered for admission based on the following criteria:

• Average or above average intelligence as measured by an individual intelligence test (preferably the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Cognitive Abilities) or potentially average intelligence when the examiner indicates that the overall score does not represent the true potential of the student due to overriding factors (such as language or auditory processing).
• Difficulty in one or more academic areas (such as reading, math, written expression, etc.) or basic learning processes (such as memory, visual perception, etc.)  Students may be admitted who do not certify for services in the public schools but have been diagnosed with LD and/or ADHD.
• Learning difficulties that are NOT the result of primary emotional or behavioral problems; environmental, cultural and/or economic influences; or other handicapping conditions (physical or mental).  The Fletcher School is not able to accommodate the needs of students diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Autism Disorder including Asperger’s Syndrome.

GUIDELINES FOR DIAGNOSIS:
Comprehensive developmental evaluation within six months at the time of application by a licensed psychologist and/or speech/language therapist in the following areas:

1. Expressive/Receptive Language
2. Phonemic Awareness
3. Visual-Motor
4. Listening/Comprehension
5. Social/Emotional

Consistent with the mission of The Fletcher School to serve students with Specific Learning Disabilities and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders, applicants will be considered for admission based on the following criteria:

• Average or above average intelligence as measured by an individual intelligence test (preferably the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or Woodcock-Johnson III Test of Cognitive Abilities) or potentially average intelligence when the examiner indicates that the overall score does not represent the true potential of the student due to overriding factors (such as language or auditory processing).
• Difficulty in one or more academic areas (such as reading, math, written expression, etc.) or basic learning processes (such as memory, visual perception, etc.)  Students may be admitted who do not certify for services in the public schools but have been diagnosed with LD and/or ADHD.
• Learning difficulties that are NOT the result of primary emotional or behavioral problems; environmental, cultural and/or economic influences; or other handicapping conditions (physical or mental).  The Fletcher School is not able to accommodate the needs of students diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Autism Disorder including Asperger’s Syndrome.

GUIDELINES FOR DIAGNOSIS:

• Diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disability must be determined by a licensed psychologist and should be current within a two year period at the time of application.
• Diagnosis of an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder must be determined by a qualified professional (using a standardized assessment) and should be current within a six month period at the time of application.
• Diagnosis of ADHD without a Specific Learning Disability will be considered (typically in grades 6-12) where the student’s weak cognitive skills or attention difficulties compromise his/her ability to learn or perform academically.

For more information, please contact Director of Admissions, Susan S. Culp, at (704) 365-4658, or email at sculp@thefletcherschool.org.