Attention deficit kids find a haven in Pasadena

After attending one public school and three different private schools, James Mitchell, 13, has finally found a school that allows an environment in which he can learn.

Mitchell has attention deficit disorder and dyslexia. He has just enrolled in The Results Academy.

Symptoms of ADD include distractibility, poor sustained attention to tasks, impulsivity, impaired impulse control and delay of gratification, and hyperactivity, excessive activity and physical restlessness.

Cathi Bray opened the academy because she knows how frustrating it can be dealing with children who have ADD.

"I have six kids and two of them are ADD," Bray said. "Parents are really desperate. Most parents feel real guilty when they have to put their children on medications. I went through that."

The Academy sits at the corner of Lafferty and Spencer Highway in Pasadena. Alta Vista Church has donated a small building for the school to use.

When children register in the school, they are given a diagnostic test to determine their academic level.

"We'll drop them back as far as they need to go because most of these kids haven't retained basic skills," Bray said.

Students also are given a learning style assessment test to help determine how they learn best.

Bray said the purpose of the school is to build a child's self-esteem and show them that they are able to learn in an environment suitable to their needs.

"These kids have fast minds and don't need to be dumb-down," Bray said.

Mitchell said he remembers one private school instructor telling him that he'd never amount to anything.

"Before, I felt kind of stupid. I didn't think I'd amount to anything, but now I've made a lot of improvements," he said.

Mitchell attributes some of his improvements to the curriculum the school uses.

The school uses a software program designed by Alpha Omega Publications.

Rather than textbooks, each student works individually at a computer. They also have computers where students can stand rather than sitting all day.

Bray said that Alpha Omega Publications has written workbooks for home-schoolers for the past 25 years and has just now released the software.

Bray said the curriculum is a mastery-based curriculum. Students will not be allowed to continue until they master that material.

"The computer explains things and demonstrates things in different ways. If you mess up, it just explains the problem again," Mitchell said.

Throughout the day children are required to have healthy snacks at their desk and sip on water.

This is because the school is based on a program called The Results Project.

According to The Results Project's Web site, there is a correlation between nutrition and ADD or ADHD.

Bray follows the program by requiring that students not bring junk food into the school and that they drink the appropriate amount of water during the day.

"We're not doctors. It's not required that a student not be on medication here, but most are in the process of coming off the medications. Parents need to work with their family doctor to take their child off medications," Bray said.

Evelyn Powell said she already can see changes in her 16-year-old son, Matt Powell.

"His self-esteem is higher, he has clearer thinking, he's set his own goals. He's also starting to tackle self-discipline," Powell said.

Every private school must exist one year before it can become an accredited school.

Bray said that next year they will seek accreditation at the National Association of Private Schools.