Re: Re: Daughter going into high school

[Guest guest]

Yes, the thinking about post-high school life is important and can help you

advocate for instruction under the transition plan.  There's been a new IDEA

since my son was in high school, but back in the day, the transition plan

allowed us to argue for travel/mobility training and work experience in the

community.  It seemed that quite a bit could go under the transition plan. 

The travel training was excellent; I think it's the kind of thing an expert

should do.  My husband and I agreed we'd  make our son too anxious about

crossing busy intersections.  Certainly made me anxious.

There was a work program under DRS called STEP, through which my son had paid

jobs in-school and in the community.  May still exist. 

Also, that first h.s. IEP is important.  At a spring meeting with both middle

school and h.s. staff before Jonathon was going to h.s. the next fall, the IEP

written by h.s. people was very pro forma.  We felt they didn't know Jonathon

and were underestimating him with no real challenges.  I spent part of the

summer writing my own IEP for him, which, happily, his teacher welcomed.

 I'd recommend the book, Better IEPs by Bateman and Linden, ISBN

#1-57035-164-3.  May be available from Sopris West publishing.  The most

valuable thing in it for me was thinking outside the boxes (on the IEP form). 

The book's schema for thinking of the IEP has three parts --

PLOP - present level of performance.  You know a lot about this.

Goals and objectives -  Real ones.  Not " will study the 4 math functions "

AND most useful for me:

" Special Ed. Related Services, Supplemental Aids & Services, Assistive

Technology, Program Modifications, Support for Personnel "   -- This is much more

than " 30 minutes/week of speech therapy. "  

To me, that meant that, if the Goals and Objectives are real ones, the third

category is what the school must do and can be revisited at meetings.  So those

meetings aren't just " did not meet a goal, " but " what supports and strategies

are and aren't working. "   Again your input is very valuable - maybe about

positive behavioral strategies, learning style, etc.

Best wishes for high school for your daughter.  Respectful, civil dialogue with

school people is possible and goes a long way toward getting what your daughter

needs.

Bonnie Dohogne

From: ellenbronfeld <egskb@...>

Subject: Re: Daughter going into high school

IPADDUnite

Date: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 9:11 PM

 

I know every student is so different but I was very adamant that the

school would not sacrifice academics for life skills. My son Noah's IEP had a

balance of life skills, academics and vocational experiences. Now, several

years post-graduation, Noah has a a couple of small part-time jobs, he attends

two day programs part-time and he audits a college class two semesters a year.

Try to think in terms of what your daughter's life should look like as a young

adult.

Ellen

>

> Start with questions to the district.

>

> Federal law says that a student with disabilities is educated through 21 (in

IL,

> that means to the weekday before turning 22) UNLESS the student receives a

high

> school diploma before that.

>

> First question: will my daughter qualify for a high school diploma? If yes,

> does she have the option to defer that diploma until after the district

> transition program?

>

>

> High school is a time for many students w/DD to focus more on social skills

and

> employment skills, and less on academics. Is there a class on employment

> skills? Is there any in-school or school-supervised work program, perhaps in

> connection with the state's Div of Rehab Services? If no to both, then how do

> they help students prepare for the work force?

>

>

> Is your daughter interested in extra-curricular activities? Sports, music,

> theater tech, clubs? Could she do those w/support? Is support available?

> (Some high schools are willing, but they can't find aides who wish to work

after

> school.)

>

>

> If extra-curricular options are limited, or she isn't interested in what's

> offered, look into your local special rec association. The friends she makes

> there are still going to be around after high school is done.

>

> Once she gets to high school, meet other spec ed parents, especially those

with

> kids like your daughter who are a year or more ahead of her. Stay in touch

and

> find out what those kids do in transition, etc.

>

> -Gail

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: autismcc <autismcc@...>

> IPADDUnite

> Sent: Tue, November 23, 2010 7:11:41 AM

> Subject: Daughter going into high school

>

>

> My daughter will be going to high school next year. Any advice from parents on

> what to ask for in regards to the IEP or support, things to focus on,

> assessments to ask for? Things you thought of later that you wished you did?

> Thanks!

> --Dawn

>

>

>

>

>

>