Can Mirus Accept... | Mirus Academy

Can Mirus accept students...

Yes, Mirus Academy readily accepts students with anxiety and/or depression, as long as the symptoms are in the "mild-to-moderate" range. It's important to note that Mirus Academy is not a therapeutic school. However, students with mild mental/emotional health symptoms usually find that their symptoms improve greatly after enrollment. And, students with moderate symptoms usually find that Mirus provides a safe, nurturing space while they work with their mental health professional outside of school.

Because Mirus is not a therapeutic school, we are unable to accommodate students who are experiencing severe mental health symptoms (i.e., mental illness that has not yet been stabilized with medication or has recently resulted in inpatient/residential treatment). For these students, Mirus may be a great option in the near future, but homeschooling or an alternative educational setting is recommended until the severe symptoms have stabilized.

With all these things, our school counselor is happy to consult with your child's mental health team to discuss your child's individual needs and how we can best accommodate them.

Yes, Mirus accepts students with mild to moderate symptoms of ADHD or other executive function challenges. Our experience is that Mirus's small class sizes greatly benefit students who struggle with focus and attention.

Please note that Mirus is not a therapeutic school, and ADHD symptoms will not magically disappear after enrolling. Our small school environment can help tremendously, but ADHD students will still require treatment from their healthcare provider, and their parents will need to stay actively involved in their child's academic progress.

Mirus is able to accept students with an ASD-1 diagnosis (Autistic Spectrum Disorder-- Level 1, formerly known as "Asperger's Syndrome"), as long as the student is on grade level, does not require modified curriculum, has age-appropriate social skills, and is otherwise a good fit for Mirus's unique learning environment. If your child has an ASD diagnosis, please provide the school with documentation that includes the official diagnosis, so we can better understand your child's needs and ensure that we are able to accommodate them.

Mirus accepts students with learning challenges such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and/or Dysgraphia, provided the student is currently working on grade level. As a small school, Mirus does not have a Special Education department, and no therapeutic services are provided. The following accommodations can be provided:

Extra time on tests
Allowances for spelling and penmanship
The use of a laptop computer for note-taking and writing
The use of digital-reading devices and software

Yes, Mirus has a high percentage of students who have been identified as gifted/ talented (generally defined as having aptitude and/or achievement in the top 3% of the nation). Mirus teachers and administrators are accustomed to working with the unique needs of gifted students, including highly gifted students (e.g., Davidson Young Scholars, etc).

Where appropriate, gifted students may be placed in academic classes based on their ability rather than their age. Ability-level placement allows gifted students to work above grade level, enroll in college-level classes during high school, and/or plan for early graduation, as desired.

Yes, Mirus Academy welcomes students who have been homeschooling. Homeschooling families appreciate the family-like environment of our small school and are appreciative that Mirus administrators are familiar with the needs of homeschooled students. Mirus is familiar with various homeschool methods and curriculum and is able to work with homeschool families to grant credit for high school coursework already completed.

No, unfortunately Mirus Academy is NOT able to accept students who need extra academic support beyond what is normally expected for the grade level. Mirus is a fast-paced program with higher academic expectations than is usually found in public school. Students who struggle with grade-level academics will struggle to maintain the 2.0 grade point average required for continued enrollment in the school.