 | | Q. | Does a student need to have an official diagnosis to be considered for enrollment? | | A. | Diagnoses are helpful in that they communicate common language, issues and needs. However, we do not require students to have an educational or medical diagnosis – although we do require testing to help us better understand where students are experiencing difficulty. |
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| Q. | Does Lawrence School serve students with autism? | | A. | We cannot effectively serve students with a primary diagnosis of autism. |
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| Q. | Does Lawrence School serve students who are gifted? | | A. | Yes, we serve students who are considered “Twice Exceptional” –meaning they have an above-average to superior cognitive profile combined with discrepancies in academic achievement scores. |
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| Q. | Does Lawrence School serve students with ADHD primarily hyperactive type? | | A. | Yes, we can serve students with ADHD primarily hyperactive type as long as they have the ability to adapt their behavior to classroom expectations. |
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| Q. | Does a student need academic remediation to attend Lawrence School? | | A. | Remediation is also a difficult word to define. Students for whom Lawrence School works well range from being delayed in grade level equivalence to above grade level equivalence in academic testing. The methods and techniques used in the classroom allow for academic support as well as academic push. |
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| Q. | How do I begin the inquiry/application process? | | A. | The quickest way to start the process is to fill out the online inquiry form and tell us as much as you can about the student you are inquiring for. This will allow us to best tailor our response to fit your particular needs. You may also attend an Open House and/or contact us at 440-526-0717 or admissons@lawrenceschool.org. |
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| Q. | Do you have deadlines for applying? | | A. | No, Lawrence School has rolling admissions which means we will accept a student at any point in the school year. Tuition is prorated to the time of enrollment. |
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| Q. | Do you have openings in all grade levels? | | A. | We currently have openings in all grade levels; however it is not guaranteed that this will always be the case as some grade levels fill up faster than others. |
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| Q. | Can anyone attend an Open House event? | | A. | Lower School Open House events are open to adults (no students, please). Upper School Open House events are open to adults and students. While these sessions are geared toward prospective families, community members and learning professionals are certainly welcome. However, we do ask that you RSVP by calling 440-526-0717 or admissions@lawrenceschool.org. The more we know about the potential applicant prior to Open House, the better we can serve your needs. |
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| Q. | What testing is required for applicants? | | A. | We do not require standardized academic tests for enrollment. However, we do require copies of individually administered tests from educational, neurological, psychological or psychiatric professionals (within 12 to 14 months). The Admission Office can provide a list of acceptable testing. Additionally, testing can be performed at our Assessment Center for Cognitive, Academic and Psychological Testing at a lower cost that you may expect to pay elsewhere. |
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| Q. | What is your teacher-to-student ratio? | | A. | The teacher-to-student ratio is 1:9 in the Lower School and 1:11 in the Upper School. |
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| Q. | How are applicants evaluated? | | A. | The primary characteristic of all Lawrence School students is a learning difference and/or attention deficit disorder. Students may have additional challenges to the learning process but the primary issue must be LD-related. Through our inquiry and application process, students are evaluated to ensure they are a good fit with Lawrence School. These characteristics include a willingness to try a new school environment, the ability to get along socially with peers, have collaborative relationships with teachers, remain open to the learning process, and adhere to our code of conduct and behavioral expectations. Please see Who Are Lawrence Learners for additional information. |
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| Q. | What can I expect during a parent visit to campus? | | A. | Once the admission department and parent feel hopeful that Lawrence could be a good fit for a potential applicant, parents (or guardians) will be asked to visit the campus and meet with the admissions director. This is an opportunity for parents to ask questions and learn more about Lawrence, and for the admissions department to gather information which will be helpful in making a final recommendation. Parents may also tour the campus, observe classes, meet teachers and students, and talk with a current Lawrence parent (if requested). The tour and meeting take between one and two hours, depending on how much background information was previously submitted. |
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| Q. | What can I expect during a student visit to campus? | | A. | Please visit the Prospective Student Visitors page for complete information on the full-day student visit program. |
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| Q. | Does Lawrence School accept state-funded scholarship programs? | | A. | Lawrence School is an official provider for the Jon Peterson Scholarship Program and the Autism Scholarship Program*. Lawrence School must be an appropriate fit for your child and you must be accepted into our program prior to pursuing state-funded scholarship programs.
*Lawrence School cannot serve the needs of students for whom autism is a primary diagnosis. |
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| Q. | Do you offer a boarding program? | | A. | No, although students travel to Lawrence from over seventy communities in ten different counties, we are specifically a day school for students in the northeast Ohio area. |
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| Q. | What are the school hours? | | A. | Lower School hours are 8 am – 3 pm, Monday through Friday. Students may arrive at school as early as 7:30 am. The Upper School hours are 8:30 – 3:20, Monday through Friday. Students may arrive as early as 8:00 am and must leave the campus by 4:00 pm if they are not involved in an after-school activity. Extracurricular events and athletic practices typically run between 3:30 – 5:00 pm, Tuesday through Friday (Monday afternoons and evenings are set aside for professional development). Athletic games/meets can run later into the evening or weekends, depending on the sport. See the athletics page for more details. |
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| Q. | Does Lawrence School provide transportation? | | A. | We do not provide transportation, but some communities will transport through the public school system, and many families carpool or split the cost of private transportation. |
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| Q. | Does Lawrence School provide lunch? | | A. | Lawrence School does not have a cafeteria so on most days students need to bring a lunch and drink (and snack in the Lower School). However, Student Council often sponsors weekly lunches from Subway, Chipotle, or a local pizza shop. Students place their order and pay in advance, and food is delivered to the lunchroom. |
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| Q. | Do students have recess or frequent breaks from classroom learning? | | A. | Yes. Lower School and Middle School students enjoy scheduled outdoor recess when weather permits, and across all grade levels frequent breaks and changes in scenery/activity help keep students engaged and motivated to learn. Daily physical activity and informal, non-academic time is important to student development.
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| Q. | Are there opportunities for students to participate in non-academic activities and events? | | A. | Yes, all of our Lower School students spend one period a day in a “special”: library and computer instruction, physical education, art, or music. Additionally, Lower School students have the opportunity to participate in student council and various community-building events and activities. In the Upper School, a wide range of extracurricular and athletic opportunities help match the interests of our diverse learners. Co-curricular options include a wide range of opportunities such as drama club, advanced art, musical theater, soccer, cross country, volleyball, basketball, baseball, video game club, yearbook, environmental club, student council, Spanish club, robotics, chess, bowling, and more. |
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| Q. | Are there opportunities for parent involvement and interaction? | | A. | Yes! We have a very robust and supportive Parents Pride organization, which shares support, friendship, and community resources with each other. There is a Parent Resource Room at the Lower School campus where parents can read books, meet other parents, enjoy a cup of coffee, or just relax and enjoy the quiet. Additionally, the Parents Pride organization assigns Parent Mentors to each new Lawrence family, and also offers several community education events throughout the year. They also organize class fundraisers and activities, and host the Annual Benefit Auction each spring. |
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| Q. | Is there a dress code at Lawrence School? | | A. | Yes. Students are required to wear clothing available from the Land’s End student uniform catalog.
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| Q. | Does Lawrence School follow a traditional school calendar? | | A. | Our calendar is very similar to other school calendars. The school year runs from late August until early June, and includes a three-day Thanksgiving Break, two-week Winter Break, and a one-week Spring Break. Other one-day holidays and a few teacher training days also provide students with a day off.
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| Q. | How much homework can students expect? What are your homework expectations? | | A. | Lawrence School has very thoughtful and manageable homework policies for Lower School and Upper School. |
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| | Learn More About Lawrence For more information on Lawrence academics, extracurriculars, student life and more, visit our Programs section of this website. |
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