Meeting with school

[Guest guest]

Well, everybody, the bad news is that I didn't get to fight with the

school and sped director. The good news is that I didn't have to.

They gave us everything I wanted. An admin person from the school

office will get Austin off the bus, walk him to his class, and get

him back on the bus every day. The teachers will remind him to go

potty, and they arranged for a changing area if needed. The bus will

provide transport, but I agreed to come in at least once a week to

talk with the teachers about what is going on. I will be there more,

actually, and they are fine with it. He enjoys the bus ride so much,

that I will let him ride, and still drive there to check on him.

(It's across town).

My advocate was there, but all she said was hello. I don't know if

it was because she was there, or if it was the fact that I quoted the

laws to them during the last meeting, or a combination of both, but

whatever, it worked. Austin is going to have a great year with

inclusion, he's the only sped child in the am class, and I think

that's good. He'll get his speech therapy there, too. Yay for me!

Yay for Austin!!!

Thank you all for pointing me in the right direction. Kathy, G,

all of you! Kent, your paper on toilet training did a lot of good,

too! Hope you don't mind that I used it to get a point across!

Beth, Mommy to included Austin, and Dakota, 4.5

[Guest guest]

Well, everybody, the bad news is that I didn't get to fight with the

school and sped director. The good news is that I didn't have to.

They gave us everything I wanted. An admin person from the school

office will get Austin off the bus, walk him to his class, and get

him back on the bus every day. The teachers will remind him to go

potty, and they arranged for a changing area if needed. The bus will

provide transport, but I agreed to come in at least once a week to

talk with the teachers about what is going on. I will be there more,

actually, and they are fine with it. He enjoys the bus ride so much,

that I will let him ride, and still drive there to check on him.

(It's across town).

My advocate was there, but all she said was hello. I don't know if

it was because she was there, or if it was the fact that I quoted the

laws to them during the last meeting, or a combination of both, but

whatever, it worked. Austin is going to have a great year with

inclusion, he's the only sped child in the am class, and I think

that's good. He'll get his speech therapy there, too. Yay for me!

Yay for Austin!!!

Thank you all for pointing me in the right direction. Kathy, G,

all of you! Kent, your paper on toilet training did a lot of good,

too! Hope you don't mind that I used it to get a point across!

Beth, Mommy to included Austin, and Dakota, 4.5

[Guest guest]

Yeah Beth! Glad you got what you wanted for Austin! I usually say that I

usually get what I want because they know that I will fight them tooth and

nail so they just appease me right away. The more you do this, the more

confident you will be that by the time he's in middle school, you'll be doing

this with your eyes closed.

Great job!

~ Mom to 11 DS and 7

[Guest guest]

Yeah Beth! Glad you got what you wanted for Austin! I usually say that I

usually get what I want because they know that I will fight them tooth and

nail so they just appease me right away. The more you do this, the more

confident you will be that by the time he's in middle school, you'll be doing

this with your eyes closed.

Great job!

~ Mom to 11 DS and 7

[Guest guest]

Tammy,

Your list of attendees are all school board employees. Would it help

to have a neutral person, or perhaps an advocate along with you?

I have sat in on meetings " as a friend " and only identified myself as

a social worker when it became apparent that there was a set agenda

and the needs of the student were not being met at the expense of the

school's convenience.

Another suggestion is to come prepared. Have the things you want to

make clear typed or written out for you to refer to. Take notes

during the meeting, or have your 'companion' write them for you. As

awful as this sounds, having a man along can help.

good luck and keep us posted! wendy in canada

--- Tmmy1212@... wrote:

I wrote yesterday about my son's incident Friday. Now I have a

meeting set up to talk to the Principal, guidance councilor,

superintend, and his class teacher. I am fed up with him being

bullied and nothing being done. Any suggestion anyone can give will

be appreciated!!

Tammy

______________________________________________________________________

Web-hosting solutions for home and business! http://website..ca

[Guest guest]

Thanks

School board employees? I did not know that! I will check into that. My

husband is coming along. We must resolve this issue with the schools

attitude. It is all one sided. I just think they are tired of hearing about

the bullying. That is just too bad, they will hear it as long as it goes on.

My son has gone from a student who loved school, to a student who hates it.

Tammy

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted update everyone and thank you for your imput. I had my meeting

with staff and administration. I woke up with a fever but I went anyway

because I had already canceled meeting in December. I just repeated that

communication between team and parent was very important. I also said

Rochelle's most important goal is communication. I brought up the biting

incidents and the team felt Rochelle did not have a behavior problem and was

mostly compliant. I asked for some kind of behavior plan so we could be more

proactive rather than reactive. They basicly nodded their heads but did not

want to do anything more about it.

The principle was very warm and took me more seriously. He told me to call

him anytime I had questions. I do think Rochelle is in the right place

because she enjoys going to school. This was not always so.

They want to write a new IEP of course, because they think some of the goals

were inappropriate and did not work on them. I have decided to narrow the

goals down to just communication and toileting with sensory accomodations. I

realize they are out of compliance but I have seen some progress this year

soooo I will let it go.

The good news is that all the team should be trained in PECS on Feb 10 th!!

YEAH! Only 5 months after they said they would be. The teacher is taking it

serious although slow. Rochelle is making progress with discrimination and is

actually flipping through book to find picture she wants. How do you say No

if you don't have it right then? lololo She had hotdogs for breakfast today.

Rochelle got strep throat yesterday and is recovering today. She got it from

a classmate. The teacher let me know a week ago that it was some of the

children were sick. Sorry so long.

Welcome to all new comers. I hope to start reading more of the e-mails and

try to be more helpful. It has just been crazy lately with two kids with

IEPS.

Diane

[Guest guest]

> Hi everyone,

> I just wanted update everyone and thank you for your imput. I had

my meeting with staff and administration. I woke up with a fever but

I went anyway because I had already canceled meeting in December.

Hi Diane, hope you're feeling better. Glad to hear the meeting went

well despite some of the issues that which I'm pretty sure would be

added down the road as once the educators are learning will actually

get a taste of what we are having to learn for our precious kids.

Once they learning a new program and start hearing about what has

worked for other kids it becomes a challenge.

>> I just repeated that communication between team and parent was

very important.

AMEN to that!! Us parents do have a right to be kept informed about

our childrens program and always a right to visit our childs

classroom. A classroom visit at least occasionally IF possible would

benefit so that routines and expections set up in the classroom

consistently are maintained at home. Observing the program when

visiting the classroom is the same from day to day gives a more

balanced view of the routine and degree of structure in the program.

I know this has been a vital importance to keep informed of our

child's highest levels of functioning in home and at school, and

demand the child's most capable behavior in both places. As is

older now, I've cut down my visits this school year. I still try to

volunteer during some of their events. I'm just thankful that his

middle school have been the BEST YEAR for him. Well, I'm not going

take full credit for it I must say thanks to everyone on this list

for contributing endless information and of course thanks to the

school for actually respecting a parents concern, working together.

> >I also said Rochelle's most important goal is communication.

I agree and one of the greatest challenge. This is one of the areas

when teaching them to talk to some teacher & parents it is difficult

to know where to start? I remember when was younger. I thought

he was partially deaf, so using lots of gesture in speech was

helpful. Then of course some combination of oral language

development, sign language, the use of communication boards which I

had no clue of the purpose behind it. But as I tried to find answers

I realized I was getting somewhere with of pointing his hand

towards an object that he wanted, so I realized I had his attention.

I had to get educated. So naturally, learning the purpose of a

communication board is to get the child to indicate what he wants by

touching a picture of the object. I did start with only two pictures

or objects until he understood the procedure. What a difference what

pictures can do for our kids. 's teacher just mentioned how

well has improved with the communication board as it helps

communicate on the upcoming activities and the need to begin

transition from one activity to the next. 's behavior has

improved because he was only trying to indicate what he wanted. Glad

your pushing the PEC system because in the beginning I did not see

how it was helping to learn how to talk. Duh, now understand

reasons behind it, pairing language with the use of the communication

board, was able to adapt to a visual picture to aid in

retaining a word which received vocabulary improvement. Glad you see

it working with Rochelle.

>> I brought up the biting incidents and the team felt Rochelle did

not have a behavior problem and was mostly compliant. I asked for

some kind of behavior plan so we could be more proactive rather than

reactive. They basicly nodded their heads but did not want to do

anything more about it.

You'll see it'll kick in later and added on as the team will start

noticing the necessity for teaching. But, then prayers that as they

continue teaching Rochelle the PECS program it'll cut down some of

her behavior issues.

>> The principle was very warm and took me more seriously. He told me

to call him anytime I had questions.

I hope the principal realize that, that was an open ivitation you'll

need that you'll definitely consider. Because these are just the

beginning steps at both ends. Sounds like he is pretty interested in

learning himself. Reminiscencing here as I went through this with

's elementary principal.

>> I do think Rochelle is in the right place because she enjoys going

to school. This was not always so. They want to write a new IEP of

course, because they think some of the goals were inappropriate and

did not work on them. I have decided to narrow the goals down to just

communication and toileting with sensory accomodations. I realize

they are out of compliance but I have seen some progress this year

soooo I will let it go.

This time, right? On letting it go because you'll still continue at

home and pray that Rochelle still enjoys school. So happy to read

that. Its very upsetting when are kids sense not belonging, almost

like a foreign student lost. Luck that the goals applied for Rochelle

will work.

>

> The good news is that all the team should be trained in PECS on Feb

10 th!! YEAH! Only 5 months after they said they would be. The

teacher is taking it serious although slow. Rochelle is making

progress with discrimination and is actually flipping through book to

find picture she wants. How do you say No if you don't have it right

then? lololo She had hotdogs for breakfast today.

Yeah!! On the team getting some training. I must say its one of the

best powerful tools to some of our kids. Sounds like you open some

doors not just for Rochelle but for others to.

Hey, what can you say to hot dogs if the message was clear. Well

deserved reward.

>> Rochelle got strep throat yesterday and is recovering today. She

got it from a classmate. The teacher let me know a week ago that it

was some of the children were sick. Sorry so long.

Your sorry so long, check me out. I always ended pour my feelings.

Why? Because its been a long journey to finally have some answers and

some progress are shown and I can forsee with your " parent power "

your making things happens. YES!!!!

Many hugs to Rochelle that she feels better. Take care and get some

rest to re-energize your thoughts for the IEP goals.

Irma,14,DS/ASD

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/25/03 12:13:34 PM Eastern Standard Time,

ICANFIELD@... writes:

> I'm just thankful that his

> middle school have been the BEST YEAR for him.

Irma, that is sooooo good to hear!! I have talked to close friend who is

Sped. teacher of high school kids. She said, middle school was such a waste

of time for alot of her kids. Thinks kids should just skip middle school.

lolololo smile. She is very opinionated but smart and compassionate. I worry

for both my kids and all the changes that happen at that level. Many

teachers, rooms to find, lockers etc....Keep us updated. Thanks for all your

good advice. I frequently print your replies to read again when I figure out

what you are talking about. You are always miles ahead of me in information.

Diane (mom to Rochelle-6 ds/asd/celiac and Danny-8 ld/asd/ocd/add ?)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/25/2003 8:59:03 AM Eastern Standard Time,

dben937342@... writes:

> They want to write a new IEP of course, because they think some of the goals

>

> were inappropriate and did not work on them. I have decided to narrow the

> goals down to just communication and toileting with sensory accomodations.

> I

> realize they are out of compliance but I have seen some progress this year

> soooo I will let it go.

Yes Diane, it's hard when you have to pick and choose. This year, Maddie's

teacher is great. She implements everything I ask and she does it

immediately. The teacher she had last year didn't do it, but she made great

progress with Maddie socially, so I didn't make a big stink....just waited it

out.

I'm glad your meeting went well and that Rochelle is happy there this year.

Sorry about the fever and Rochelle's strep!! Hope you both are all

better!!

Donna

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/27/03 1:29:15 PM Eastern Standard Time, Duffey48@...

writes:

> She implements everything I ask and she does it

> immediately. The teacher she had last year didn't do it, but she made

> great

> progress with Maddie socially, so I didn't make a big stink....just waited

> it

> out.

>

Does Maddie have a different teacher every year? At Rochelle's school she

could have the same teacher for 3 yrs! It could be good or bad depending on

how things go. I am optimistic. That is great that Maddie is improving

socially. That is a big step!!

Diane

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/27/2003 7:45:00 PM Eastern Standard Time,

dben937342@... writes:

> Does Maddie have a different teacher every year? At Rochelle's school she

> could have the same teacher for 3 yrs! It could be good or bad depending on

>

> how things go. I am optimistic. That is great that Maddie is improving

> socially. That is a big step!!

> Diane

>

WEll Diane, she's supposed to keep the same teacher, but since she's been

there (3 years), the teachers left. They had some administration problems

that scared them away, but that's calmed down now. I'm hoping this one

stays a long while; she's great.

Donna