Re: Transition to Kindergarten

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My daughter has had a para pro, ( one on one classroom aide) since

kindergarten. Least restrictive environment are the key words. It would be

good to

look into your state laws and try to get the school to go this route.

I agree with Amnesty, your daughter will be better off starting out in

regular ed than in Special ed.

Good luck

Alice

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My daughter has had a para pro, ( one on one classroom aide) since

kindergarten. Least restrictive environment are the key words. It would be

good to

look into your state laws and try to get the school to go this route.

I agree with Amnesty, your daughter will be better off starting out in

regular ed than in Special ed.

Good luck

Alice

[Guest guest]

As a former special ed teacher, let me just say it is easier to move

her from regular ed to special ed if she needed than the other way

around. Least restrictive environment means they have to put her in

the least restrictive place where she can be successful. If you and

her teacher and para think that would be in a typical class, then

that is where she should be. If it doesn't work, she can be moved to

the special ed class. It will be MUCH harder to convince them to

move her up to kindergarten if she's doing well in the secial ed

class!

Amnesty

> Hi group!

> I've had a hard week. We went to Hannah's Kindergarten IEP

yesterday. They want to put her into special ed. A smallish group of

10 with multi age, a cross catagorical group and " push in " to art,

computer lab, phs ed and music. Basically, they said she'd be in the

regular kindergarten class greater than 60% of the week. I

origionally wanted her to goto regular kindergarten with a parapro.

Her early childhood education teacher was also at the meeting and

tried to convince them to do what I wanted. She did try and Hannah's

para wrote a wonderful letter in favor of this as well. I kinda got

the feeling that the group had all ready made up there minds before

I even got there. I'm not sure if this is the best solution at all.

My question is this. Is it almost impossible to get a para for

regular kindergarten? I'm not sure whether to try this special ed

thing first or to try and fight it legally. Hannah has the skills

for kindergarten and is verbal. She can works independely, but

sometimes has " autism " days that she would definately need someone.

How many people have had there children in special ed and were okay

with it? I'm not even sure I'm asking the right questions here. I

mainly just want my daughter to be happy. Oh, there was another

choice of an " autism class " that is highly structured, but they all

thought Hannah did not need " that much structure " . I know all things

come down to money and am not sure if this is the reason why they

think the special ed to start her in is appropraite. Help! I'm open

to any suggestions or thoughts! Thanks in advance!

> Janet in KC

[Guest guest]

As a former special ed teacher, let me just say it is easier to move

her from regular ed to special ed if she needed than the other way

around. Least restrictive environment means they have to put her in

the least restrictive place where she can be successful. If you and

her teacher and para think that would be in a typical class, then

that is where she should be. If it doesn't work, she can be moved to

the special ed class. It will be MUCH harder to convince them to

move her up to kindergarten if she's doing well in the secial ed

class!

Amnesty

> Hi group!

> I've had a hard week. We went to Hannah's Kindergarten IEP

yesterday. They want to put her into special ed. A smallish group of

10 with multi age, a cross catagorical group and " push in " to art,

computer lab, phs ed and music. Basically, they said she'd be in the

regular kindergarten class greater than 60% of the week. I

origionally wanted her to goto regular kindergarten with a parapro.

Her early childhood education teacher was also at the meeting and

tried to convince them to do what I wanted. She did try and Hannah's

para wrote a wonderful letter in favor of this as well. I kinda got

the feeling that the group had all ready made up there minds before

I even got there. I'm not sure if this is the best solution at all.

My question is this. Is it almost impossible to get a para for

regular kindergarten? I'm not sure whether to try this special ed

thing first or to try and fight it legally. Hannah has the skills

for kindergarten and is verbal. She can works independely, but

sometimes has " autism " days that she would definately need someone.

How many people have had there children in special ed and were okay

with it? I'm not even sure I'm asking the right questions here. I

mainly just want my daughter to be happy. Oh, there was another

choice of an " autism class " that is highly structured, but they all

thought Hannah did not need " that much structure " . I know all things

come down to money and am not sure if this is the reason why they

think the special ed to start her in is appropraite. Help! I'm open

to any suggestions or thoughts! Thanks in advance!

> Janet in KC

[Guest guest]

Janet, school systems never want to get aides, it costs them money and

if they do it for one they will be asked for everyone. That said, it's

perfectly reasonable for them to provide your daughter with an aid.

Did you sign the IEP? If so, you have 2 choices. You can call another

meeting and tell them you feel it is inappropriate to have her in the

class, use federal laws to back you. Schools are supposed to start in

general ed then add services as needed. Most schools will try to do

the opposite. If you haven't signed it you can keep on working on

ironing out the details. I'm about to have my daughter's IEP for

kindergarten and I'm planning on having her in general ed with

services added as needed -- of course what ends up happening might be

another story. My thought is, like your daughter, my daughter is

already academically advanced, but her issues are staying on focus.

Because she is academically ready, I feel having her in a restrictive

environment will lessen the likelyhood of her meeting academic goals

set for each grade level. However, she does thrive in structured

environments and if it makes her happier I prefer she be in a program

where both her need for routine and academic progress are both made.

We also have an " autism class " .

HTH,

Debi

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/23/2005 11:42:47 AM Central Daylight Time,

dpm1d2@... writes:

Janet in KC

janet,

i hired an advocate out of KC and he is INCREDIBLE...have u ever thought

about that?? i too have a son going into kindergarten this fall and his IEP is

in

may and i am asking for a para for him in the regular ed class...my advocate

has been a wonderful help...

[Guest guest]

Can you tell me his name and number? I'm interested! If you don't want to say on

this board you could call me! !

thanks for any help you can give me!

Janet

________________________________

From: Autism_in_Girls on behalf of DillardRN@...

Sent: Sat 4/23/2005 9:27 PM

To: Autism_in_Girls ; autism_in_girls

Subject: Re: Transition to Kindergarten

In a message dated 4/23/2005 11:42:47 AM Central Daylight Time,

dpm1d2@... writes:

Janet in KC

janet,

i hired an advocate out of KC and he is INCREDIBLE...have u ever thought

about that?? i too have a son going into kindergarten this fall and his IEP is

in

may and i am asking for a para for him in the regular ed class...my advocate

has been a wonderful help...

[Guest guest]

Can you tell me his name and number? I'm interested! If you don't want to say on

this board you could call me! !

thanks for any help you can give me!

Janet

________________________________

From: Autism_in_Girls on behalf of DillardRN@...

Sent: Sat 4/23/2005 9:27 PM

To: Autism_in_Girls ; autism_in_girls

Subject: Re: Transition to Kindergarten

In a message dated 4/23/2005 11:42:47 AM Central Daylight Time,

dpm1d2@... writes:

Janet in KC

janet,

i hired an advocate out of KC and he is INCREDIBLE...have u ever thought

about that?? i too have a son going into kindergarten this fall and his IEP is

in

may and i am asking for a para for him in the regular ed class...my advocate

has been a wonderful help...

[Guest guest]

Can you tell me his name and number? I'm interested! If you don't want to say on

this board you could call me! !

thanks for any help you can give me!

Janet

________________________________

From: Autism_in_Girls on behalf of DillardRN@...

Sent: Sat 4/23/2005 9:27 PM

To: Autism_in_Girls ; autism_in_girls

Subject: Re: Transition to Kindergarten

In a message dated 4/23/2005 11:42:47 AM Central Daylight Time,

dpm1d2@... writes:

Janet in KC

janet,

i hired an advocate out of KC and he is INCREDIBLE...have u ever thought

about that?? i too have a son going into kindergarten this fall and his IEP is

in

may and i am asking for a para for him in the regular ed class...my advocate

has been a wonderful help...