Siena Blog

Without the guidance of teachers and the Siena community, I wouldn’t have developed the skills and tools necessary for success. - Ozzie, Siena Class of ‘24

 

A high school curriculum tailored to LD students’ needs is especially important in offering an academically rigorous, supportive learning environment.

We’re taking this opportunity to highlight what Siena offers as part of our regular high school curriculum—such as counseling, test preparation, and overall college readiness—to best prepare our students for their next academic step.

Siena’s high school program at our campuses in Silver Spring, MD, and Oakton, VA, focuses on our mission and supports our high school students and families in various ways.

Preparing High School Students for College and Future Careers

A cornerstone of Siena’s high school curriculum is the multi-year college counseling program and dedicated college counselor and internship coordinator. These deliberate curricular choices guide students through all four years of high school to break down the process of applying to and then attending college.

Highlights of our scaffolded program include:

• Specializing in sciences, arts, or other areas of strength to pursue a particular field of interest in a deep, thoughtful, and rigorous manner
• Exploring potential colleges and majors and making the most of visits from college reps 
• Participating in a robust internships program that allows students to follow a field or job opportunity of interest for each year of high school
• Following a structured application timeline with individualized support at each step
• Preparing for standardized tests and guidance on how to help students stand out in their applications
• Writing and revising college application essays as part of class
• Receiving merit scholarship offers (Most recently, Siena's Class of 2024 was offered $6,704,800 over 4 years in merit scholarships by the various colleges they applied to.)
• Guidance on selecting a supportive learning center at the college level

Such intentional design embeds opportunities for students to explore the interests they are most passionate about in high school. In addition, this develops their overall college preparedness, ranging from how to approach a writing assignment to requesting accommodations and using faculty office hours.

By the end of 10th grade, I [...] had developed strong relationships with both my teachers and peers. This made it easier for me to manage my workload with all the support around me and it made me stretch myself into other opportunities offered by Siena. - Jude, Siena Class of ‘24
 

College Prep and Admissions Resources

Families wanting to ensure college preparedness can review some recent articles on current college admissions trends, such as: 

• Campus to Career Crossroads (2024)
• College Data (2024)
• College Matchpoint 2024
• College Matchpoint 2025 
• Passion Prep (2024) 
• Top Tier Admissions (2024)

These and other resources typically outline some key skills colleges look for in their applicants, such as collaboration, social awareness, and leadership.

Dyslexia Resources for Families

Families in the LD community can read some recent blog posts about dyslexia, including Dyslexia Reading and Podcast Recommendations and Building Confidence in LD Students.  

The Siena School, a national leader in dyslexia education, serves bright, college-bound students with language-based learning differences on campuses in Silver Spring, MD (grades 3-4 and 5-12) and Oakton, VA (grades 3-12).