Guest guest Posted September 28, 2011 Report Share Posted September 28, 2011 Can you tell us where you live. Mothers on a Mission, Inc. may be able to help you. You can e-mail me privately at: cathybedard@.... You can take a look at our services on our web site. Bedard, PLA Ricky, andra and 's Mom Mothers on a Mission, Inc. 6515 Stanley Avenue #4 Berwyn, IL 60402 708-217-3196 www.mothersonamission.net www.noewait.net " Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings. " - Helen Keller Be positive; it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort! CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipients(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail and are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. ________________________________ From: ajojoga <promom11@...> IPADDUnite Sent: Wed, September 28, 2011 3:20:31 PM Subject: Helps for High School I have been on this list for a couple years and think so highly of your wisdom. I hesitated posting, but thought what better than people who have " been there, done that " . My son is a freshman. He has four instructional aides that rotate throughout the day with him. It is apparent they are nice, caring individuals that lack any austim training. Homework is completed at school but then not brought home for tests. The school wants to give him " E " grades for effort rather than grade him as he is now, for the first time in his life, failing. Out requests go unheard, except for one teacher, unless I email every day. I can go on and on with a list of all the ways his educational rights have been impeded. We keep trying to work through the situation, but there just seems to been an air of pushing him through than a FAPE, empasis on Appropriate. I am looking to hire an advocate or agency I can use to help us weed through this. Also, are there any high school programs that service a high functioning autistic reading at the third grade level in which you might recommend? Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 If your son is failing this early in the school year, and he's a freshman, then this needs attention. With aides, I assume he has an IEP, although I'm not sure he's in inclusion classrooms or not. (I hope not, if his reading is third grade level--the textbooks will need " translation " and there's not class time to do that.) Appropriate does not mean " change his grading system to pass/fail " and give him a bunch of aides without training. Remember, in some districts, the only requirement for aides is that they have a high school diploma. Homework completed in school and not brought home for review eliminates another chance to learn the material, and it causes me to wonder if your son is actually doing the homework himself, or if an aide is doing most of it. Ask for a meeting of all teachers, his case manager (some schools have each spec ed student assigned to a spec ed teacher as a point person for contacts), guidance counselor, and head of spec ed at the high school level. Be very, very clear to these folks that changes are needed, NOW, for your son to learn material and pass. Beginning of freshman year is the easiest material in high school. Also be clear to them that if this situation continues that you will call for meetings until the situation changes. Long ago, an old friend of mine who served on a school board elsewhere advised me, " Be a polite thorn. " -Gail PS--If what's needed in the meantime is to email those teachers every day, are you willing to do it? ________________________________ From: ajojoga <promom11@...> IPADDUnite Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:20 PM Subject: Helps for High School I have been on this list for a couple years and think so highly of your wisdom. I hesitated posting, but thought what better than people who have " been there, done that " . My son is a freshman. He has four instructional aides that rotate throughout the day with him. It is apparent they are nice, caring individuals that lack any austim training. Homework is completed at school but then not brought home for tests. The school wants to give him " E " grades for effort rather than grade him as he is now, for the first time in his life, failing. Out requests go unheard, except for one teacher, unless I email every day. I can go on and on with a list of all the ways his educational rights have been impeded. We keep trying to work through the situation, but there just seems to been an air of pushing him through than a FAPE, empasis on Appropriate. I am looking to hire an advocate or agency I can use to help us weed through this. Also, are there any high school programs that service a high functioning autistic reading at the third grade level in which you might recommend? Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 Sound advice, Gail. On the homework done at school topic, there was a situation a few years ago where a parent was convinced her son was a talented artist who could possibly make money through his art...only to find out that the beautiful work coming home for years had been done with a lot of ‘assistance’ from some talented and very well-meaning art assistants. Moral to the story: always ask the questions in a very direct way and make no assumptions about functioning levels. We all make assumptions every day that ‘no news is good news’ and when we hear reports like ‘ had a good day today’ we may imagine a scenario that looks quite different from the reality. I learned this first hand! The only other piece of advice I’d add is this: If staff seems hesitant about assigning more textbook work, or academic work, ask them why. And then really listen to their answers. Because they may be looking beyond high school (and post-secondary classes if your son is able/interested in going that route) to the question of ‘what does he need to learn NOW that will help him most as an adult?’. The answers may not be all academic subjects modified for his reading level. It’s hard to face, but we need to face these things head on now, before they leave school. What’s the best use of his time with what precious public education services he has left? If it’s academics, then great. If it’s other things, then we need to be open to exploring those and helping our kids understand their importance, too. Hope that helps. L. From: G Mrozak Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 10:47 AM IPADDUnite Subject: Re: Helps for High School If your son is failing this early in the school year, and he's a freshman, then this needs attention. With aides, I assume he has an IEP, although I'm not sure he's in inclusion classrooms or not. (I hope not, if his reading is third grade level--the textbooks will need " translation " and there's not class time to do that.) Appropriate does not mean " change his grading system to pass/fail " and give him a bunch of aides without training. Remember, in some districts, the only requirement for aides is that they have a high school diploma. Homework completed in school and not brought home for review eliminates another chance to learn the material, and it causes me to wonder if your son is actually doing the homework himself, or if an aide is doing most of it. Ask for a meeting of all teachers, his case manager (some schools have each spec ed student assigned to a spec ed teacher as a point person for contacts), guidance counselor, and head of spec ed at the high school level. Be very, very clear to these folks that changes are needed, NOW, for your son to learn material and pass. Beginning of freshman year is the easiest material in high school. Also be clear to them that if this situation continues that you will call for meetings until the situation changes. Long ago, an old friend of mine who served on a school board elsewhere advised me, " Be a polite thorn. " -Gail PS--If what's needed in the meantime is to email those teachers every day, are you willing to do it? ________________________________ From: ajojoga <mailto:promom11%40comcast.net> mailto:IPADDUnite%40 Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:20 PM Subject: Helps for High School I have been on this list for a couple years and think so highly of your wisdom. I hesitated posting, but thought what better than people who have " been there, done that " . My son is a freshman. He has four instructional aides that rotate throughout the day with him. It is apparent they are nice, caring individuals that lack any austim training. Homework is completed at school but then not brought home for tests. The school wants to give him " E " grades for effort rather than grade him as he is now, for the first time in his life, failing. Out requests go unheard, except for one teacher, unless I email every day. I can go on and on with a list of all the ways his educational rights have been impeded. We keep trying to work through the situation, but there just seems to been an air of pushing him through than a FAPE, empasis on Appropriate. I am looking to hire an advocate or agency I can use to help us weed through this. Also, are there any high school programs that service a high functioning autistic reading at the third grade level in which you might recommend? Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 29, 2011 Report Share Posted September 29, 2011 I'd like to emphasize one of Laurie's points. (And ouch to the art class story.) Up to grade 9, I cared a lot about academic achievement for Neal. Once he got to high school, my focus was on life after high school. I asked a lot about job skills and social skills. (If your kid had social skill goals on the IEP in middle school, for sure he should have it in grade 9.) I pushed for vocational training classes--what we used to call shop. If 's son reads at grade 3 level, there's a point to improving his reading. But to have him participating in a limited way in high school English, where the focus is on reading fiction and making inferences, etc, no. Starting in grade 4, students are using their reading, writing and math skills to do other things (like learn social studies and science); grade 4 work is a big jump. I would not want 's son to be sold short or not challenged academically, but his ultimate goal is to get a job and a life, not just to be able to read a grade level above what he used to. -Gail ________________________________ From: Jerue Family <jeruefamily@...> IPADDUnite Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 12:39 PM Subject: Re: Helps for High School  Sound advice, Gail. On the homework done at school topic, there was a situation a few years ago where a parent was convinced her son was a talented artist who could possibly make money through his art...only to find out that the beautiful work coming home for years had been done with a lot of ‘assistance’ from some talented and very well-meaning art assistants. Moral to the story: always ask the questions in a very direct way and make no assumptions about functioning levels. We all make assumptions every day that ‘no news is good news’ and when we hear reports like ‘ had a good day today’ we may imagine a scenario that looks quite different from the reality. I learned this first hand! The only other piece of advice I’d add is this: If staff seems hesitant about assigning more textbook work, or academic work, ask them why. And then really listen to their answers. Because they may be looking beyond high school (and post-secondary classes if your son is able/interested in going that route) to the question of ‘what does he need to learn NOW that will help him most as an adult?’. The answers may not be all academic subjects modified for his reading level. It’s hard to face, but we need to face these things head on now, before they leave school. What’s the best use of his time with what precious public education services he has left? If it’s academics, then great. If it’s other things, then we need to be open to exploring those and helping our kids understand their importance, too. Hope that helps. L. From: G Mrozak Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 10:47 AM IPADDUnite Subject: Re: Helps for High School If your son is failing this early in the school year, and he's a freshman, then this needs attention. With aides, I assume he has an IEP, although I'm not sure he's in inclusion classrooms or not. (I hope not, if his reading is third grade level--the textbooks will need " translation " and there's not class time to do that.) Appropriate does not mean " change his grading system to pass/fail " and give him a bunch of aides without training. Remember, in some districts, the only requirement for aides is that they have a high school diploma. Homework completed in school and not brought home for review eliminates another chance to learn the material, and it causes me to wonder if your son is actually doing the homework himself, or if an aide is doing most of it. Ask for a meeting of all teachers, his case manager (some schools have each spec ed student assigned to a spec ed teacher as a point person for contacts), guidance counselor, and head of spec ed at the high school level. Be very, very clear to these folks that changes are needed, NOW, for your son to learn material and pass. Beginning of freshman year is the easiest material in high school. Also be clear to them that if this situation continues that you will call for meetings until the situation changes. Long ago, an old friend of mine who served on a school board elsewhere advised me, " Be a polite thorn. " -Gail PS--If what's needed in the meantime is to email those teachers every day, are you willing to do it? ________________________________ From: ajojoga <mailto:promom11%40comcast.net> mailto:IPADDUnite%40 Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:20 PM Subject: Helps for High School I have been on this list for a couple years and think so highly of your wisdom. I hesitated posting, but thought what better than people who have " been there, done that " . My son is a freshman. He has four instructional aides that rotate throughout the day with him. It is apparent they are nice, caring individuals that lack any austim training. Homework is completed at school but then not brought home for tests. The school wants to give him " E " grades for effort rather than grade him as he is now, for the first time in his life, failing. Out requests go unheard, except for one teacher, unless I email every day. I can go on and on with a list of all the ways his educational rights have been impeded. We keep trying to work through the situation, but there just seems to been an air of pushing him through than a FAPE, empasis on Appropriate. I am looking to hire an advocate or agency I can use to help us weed through this. Also, are there any high school programs that service a high functioning autistic reading at the third grade level in which you might recommend? Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 High school is when we switched gears with and moved him into a multi-needs classroom and started really pushing the vocational and independent living skills. That is not to say he didn't have math/english/history, etc. but it was all geared towards skills that will help him in his adult life. It was a very hard decision for me since I reallyl thought " maybe " he needed to be fully mainstreamed, that would not have been to 's advantage. Push forward 5 years it's the best decision I ever made for him. I think we went through a period of time where all kids needed to be mainstreamed in regular ed classrooms with aides to be fully " included " , I have to say that is not always the case. Good luck with this, but I would also suggest a meeting with the team, all of the teachers and aides working with your son to find out what is really going on. H. Re: Helps for High School If your son is failing this early in the school year, and he's a freshman, then his needs attention. With aides, I assume he has an IEP, although I'm not sure he's in inclusion lassrooms or not. (I hope not, if his reading is third grade level--the extbooks will need " translation " and there's not class time to do that.) Appropriate does not mean " change his grading system to pass/fail " and give him bunch of aides without training. Remember, in some districts, the only equirement for aides is that they have a high school diploma. Homework completed in school and not brought home for review eliminates another hance to learn the material, and it causes me to wonder if your son is actually oing the homework himself, or if an aide is doing most of it. sk for a meeting of all teachers, his case manager (some schools have each spec d student assigned to a spec ed teacher as a point person for contacts), uidance counselor, and head of spec ed at the high school level. Be very, very clear to these folks that changes are needed, NOW, for your son o learn material and pass. Beginning of freshman year is the easiest material n high school. Also be clear to them that if this situation continues that you will call for eetings until the situation changes. Long ago, an old friend of mine who served on a school board elsewhere advised e, " Be a polite thorn. " -Gail PS--If what's needed in the meantime is to email those teachers every day, are ou willing to do it? ________________________________ rom: ajojoga <promom11@...> o: IPADDUnite ent: Wednesday, September 28, 2011 3:20 PM ubject: Helps for High School have been on this list for a couple years and think so highly of your wisdom. hesitated posting, but thought what better than people who have " been there, one that " . My son is a freshman. He has four instructional aides that rotate throughout the ay with him. It is apparent they are nice, caring individuals that lack any ustim training. Homework is completed at school but then not brought home for ests. The school wants to give him " E " grades for effort rather than grade him s he is now, for the first time in his life, failing. Out requests go unheard, xcept for one teacher, unless I email every day. I can go on and on with a list of all the ways his educational rights have been mpeded. We keep trying to work through the situation, but there just seems to een an air of pushing him through than a FAPE, empasis on Appropriate. I am looking to hire an advocate or agency I can use to help us weed through his. Also, are there any high school programs that service a high functioning utistic reading at the third grade level in which you might recommend? Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 We also moved our son into the middle level multineeds classroom in Freshman year High School. He has high functioning autism/anxiety disorder. I also wanted the school to focus on life skills, independent living and vocational/jobs. I wanted him to go on the community trips every week. My son is now 18, and that was the best decision for him. He is now working as a real employee at the job he had in the high school outside placement. He started working at a school job until he was 16 with an aide and then he got an outside job placement with job coaches for the rest of high school. The coursework in the multineeds classroom was more focused on what is going on today in this world and what my son needed from that to be in the world. Since he wasn't mainstreamed he did not need that one on one aide time and grew much more independent and development more self confidence. He got a lot of focused attention since the class was 9 to 13 kids with a special ed teacher and 2 teaching assistants. They also covered cooking in class. One to two of the community trip days per month were done to clean the foyer areas of some close by apartment buildings so my son learned a lot of cleaning skills for being more independent at home. My son's teacher also knew about what would work with my son on the autism spectrum. So I didn't have a lot of explaining to do. I had much better communications with the school staff since my son had one teacher. It worked out much better. My son grew so much in her classroom. Getting my son placed and productive at any school was a huge undertaking, and the staff at this school did a marvelous job with my son. I don't know where you live. The middle level multineeds classroom at Downers South might be what you are looking for. The reading level and level of functioning of the kids in that class would be a good match for your son. I don't know how Downers North is. Downers South also has a great vocational program and job coaches and manager of that program. I hope this helps. > > I have been on this list for a couple years and think so highly of your wisdom. I hesitated posting, but thought what better than people who have " been there, done that " . > > My son is a freshman. He has four instructional aides that rotate throughout the day with him. It is apparent they are nice, caring individuals that lack any austim training. Homework is completed at school but then not brought home for tests. The school wants to give him " E " grades for effort rather than grade him as he is now, for the first time in his life, failing. Out requests go unheard, except for one teacher, unless I email every day. > > I can go on and on with a list of all the ways his educational rights have been impeded. We keep trying to work through the situation, but there just seems to been an air of pushing him through than a FAPE, empasis on Appropriate. > > I am looking to hire an advocate or agency I can use to help us weed through this. Also, are there any high school programs that service a high functioning autistic reading at the third grade level in which you might recommend? > > Thank you in advance. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 30, 2011 Report Share Posted September 30, 2011 Addie, my son is in Transition 99 now, he was at North and it's a very good program as well. H. Re: Helps for High School e also moved our son into the middle level multineeds classroom in Freshman ear High School. He has high functioning autism/anxiety disorder. I also anted the school to focus on life skills, independent living and ocational/jobs. I wanted him to go on the community trips every week. My son s now 18, and that was the best decision for him. He is now working as a real mployee at the job he had in the high school outside placement. He started working at a school job until he was 16 with an aide and then he got n outside job placement with job coaches for the rest of high school. The oursework in the multineeds classroom was more focused on what is going on oday in this world and what my son needed from that to be in the world. Since he wasn't mainstreamed he did not need that one on one aide time and grew uch more independent and development more self confidence. He got a lot of ocused attention since the class was 9 to 13 kids with a special ed teacher and teaching assistants. They also covered cooking in class. One to two of the ommunity trip days per month were done to clean the foyer areas of some close y apartment buildings so my son learned a lot of cleaning skills for being more ndependent at home. My son's teacher also knew about what would work with my son on the autism pectrum. So I didn't have a lot of explaining to do. I had much better ommunications with the school staff since my son had one teacher. It worked ut much better. My son grew so much in her classroom. Getting my son placed nd productive at any school was a huge undertaking, and the staff at this chool did a marvelous job with my son. I don't know where you live. The middle level multineeds classroom at Downers outh might be what you are looking for. The reading level and level of unctioning of the kids in that class would be a good match for your son. I on't know how Downers North is. Downers South also has a great vocational rogram and job coaches and manager of that program. I hope this helps. -- In IPADDUnite , " ajojoga " <promom11@...> wrote: I have been on this list for a couple years and think so highly of your isdom. I hesitated posting, but thought what better than people who have " been here, done that " . My son is a freshman. He has four instructional aides that rotate throughout he day with him. It is apparent they are nice, caring individuals that lack ny austim training. Homework is completed at school but then not brought home or tests. The school wants to give him " E " grades for effort rather than grade im as he is now, for the first time in his life, failing. Out requests go nheard, except for one teacher, unless I email every day. I can go on and on with a list of all the ways his educational rights have een impeded. We keep trying to work through the situation, but there just eems to been an air of pushing him through than a FAPE, empasis on Appropriate. I am looking to hire an advocate or agency I can use to help us weed through his. Also, are there any high school programs that service a high functioning utistic reading at the third grade level in which you might recommend? Thank you in advance. ----------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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