Guest guest Posted November 19, 2001 Report Share Posted November 19, 2001 <<I can only hope and wish to be as assertive as you are when it is my turn to stand up to the school to get the best for my Jay... You are an inspiration...>> Aw shucks, !!! :-) Thanks! My mom always told me I was too pushy, and that my bull-headedness would get me in trouble (and in fact it has!) but the positive side of things is that deep down, I truly enjoy a good fight, especially when I think I'm right! Plus I like the feeling of beating the system, as a rule, anyway. But it is sad to go to such extremes to get your child what he or she needs, service-wise. It is a shame it turns into a battle of " us " against " them. " I talked with the KKI social worker this afternoon about how I think it would be much easier to advocate for other parents at their IEP meetings than it is to stand up for my own kid. Because with the other parents you don't have the " emotion " factor getting in the way. I will be going to a series of six weekend seminars in January that focus on parent advocacy and IDEA / IEP regulations, etc. I can't wait!! Look out, school system, here I come. -BJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 19, 2001 Report Share Posted November 19, 2001 Sounds like they knew you meant business this time! I hate the way we have to twist some people's arms to do their jobs! Good for you! I am glad he got the therapy he needs. Jacquie H > Hi again all -- > > This morning I attended an IEP meeting, had fairly good success and wanted to > share the story with you-. > > Per my earlier posts, you know that was diagnosed with severe verbal > dyspraxia this summer by a SLP at Kennedy-Krieger, which is considered *the* > place to get private services here. My private SLP was kind enough to write a > 3-page report on ' dyspraxia, including what she accomplished with him > over the summer, and some possible goals to set for the future. She also > included a recommendation for intensive, regular 1:1 speech therapy. > > I have been trying to get 1:1 speech services for the past two years > from our school district based on my suspicions that he was apraxic. They > have refused me time and time again, citing that he was not " ready " for > individual therapy, that he did not have the prerequisite behaviors in place, > and that therapy would be a waste of time. They do, however, provide group > therapy of 45 minutes per week to his preschool autism class of 5 non-verbal > kids . . . and they kept telling me it was more than enough as their entire > preschool program is language-heavy, blah-blah-blah. > > Well, after seeing ' progress with our private therapist over the > summer, I did a lot of research on the web and came back to school in > September armed with tons of information and research about how kids with > dyspraxia benefit from 1:1 versus group therapy. Our regular annual review > was scheduled to occur this December, so the school tried to blow me off and > tell me to " wait until then. " But I had also been researching parental rights > concerning the IEP process, and learned that I can call for an IEP meeting at > any time, in writing, which I did. > > They scheduled a meeting for me right away -- they penciled in a whole > half-hour on their schedules. Two of the team members arrived late. And I was > surprised that ' OT was there, after all, this was supposed to be just > a speech-related addition to the IEP. It turned out they brought the OT in to > try and sweeten the pot with additional 1:1 OT time, which I graciously > accepted, but then kept having to bring them back to the " real " purpose of > the meeting. > > The school SLP insisted that did not have apraxia. And I insisted he > did. We went round and round and finally I leafed through my parental rights > notes and remembered that I could request an assessment be done by the school > at any time, which I did. So by law, she had to give an assessment, > and she had 30 days to report the results to me in another IEP meeting. (I > was totally bummed upon hearing that the school system could stall for > another month on this.) > > On the 30th day I received a phone call at 8:30am from the school IEP clerk, > requesting my presence at a 9:30am IEP meeting that same day. I told her > absolutely not, and I also mentioned that not only were they out of > compliance with the law about holding a meeting within 30 days, but they were > also supposed to mail me notice of a meeting at least 10 days before the set > date. No correspondence had been created or mailed. > > So the IEP clerk asks when would be convenient for me to schedule another > meeting, and I say, any day but Wednesday is fine. Two hours later she calls > me back and says that, " since I am unavailable on WEDNESDAYS, the fastest > they can fit me into their schedule is November 19th (this conversation took > place on Oct. 24th, by the way). So they've bought themselves yet another > couple of weeks to stall. I agreed to the date and spent the last two weeks > getting prepared. > > When I got there this morning we went over the results of the assessment, > which sure 'nuff showed is severely apraxic. In fact, he is SO apraxic > that he only got to complete the first two portions of the test. The SLP said > he did so poorly on the third part that it was pointless to continue. (This > from a person who's been telling me he wasn't apraxic for the past two years.) > > Then she went on and on about all of the improvements has made since > the school year started and took most of the credit for that. I had to remind > her that is getting additional group therapy on a daily basis > privately, and two hours of additional 1:1 private therapy as well. > > We then discussed how 1:1 therapy was " unnecessary at this time " (her remark) > and I pulled out about 50 pages of notes citing recent research studies, > publications, advice from experts in the field, including a severity matrix > graph by ASHA which recommended 3-5 sessions per week of intensive, 1:1 > therapy for at least 30 minutes per session. > > It was at this point in time that the principal spoke up and said that our > allotted time had passed, and if we wanted to continue the IEP discussion we > would have to schedule an additional meeting. I refused and added that I felt > we had waited more than long enough. I made it clear to him that I was well > aware they had screwed up twice and were not in compliance with the law. > > Things went pretty smoothly and quickly after that! The SLP finally agreed to > provide three additional 1:1 sessions per week. She did not, however, want to > write out specific speech goals today, she wants to do that at the annual > review in December. I was not happy about that, but I agreed to it. In the > meantime, she told me she will be working on lesson plans out of the Kaufman > Kit for Apraxia which is what I was hoping would be a part of his 1:1 anyway. > > In the meantime, our private SLP at KKI will be helping me write some IEP > goals so I am " armed " with that ammunition come December. You know, > sometimes, life is sweet. > > Sorry such a long post. I just think it's a damn shame when the school system > assumes you are either an idiot or a parent with too-high expectations of > your child. > > -BJ, the IEP Guerilla > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 19, 2001 Report Share Posted November 19, 2001 Sounds like they knew you meant business this time! I hate the way we have to twist some people's arms to do their jobs! Good for you! I am glad he got the therapy he needs. Jacquie H > Hi again all -- > > This morning I attended an IEP meeting, had fairly good success and wanted to > share the story with you-. > > Per my earlier posts, you know that was diagnosed with severe verbal > dyspraxia this summer by a SLP at Kennedy-Krieger, which is considered *the* > place to get private services here. My private SLP was kind enough to write a > 3-page report on ' dyspraxia, including what she accomplished with him > over the summer, and some possible goals to set for the future. She also > included a recommendation for intensive, regular 1:1 speech therapy. > > I have been trying to get 1:1 speech services for the past two years > from our school district based on my suspicions that he was apraxic. They > have refused me time and time again, citing that he was not " ready " for > individual therapy, that he did not have the prerequisite behaviors in place, > and that therapy would be a waste of time. They do, however, provide group > therapy of 45 minutes per week to his preschool autism class of 5 non-verbal > kids . . . and they kept telling me it was more than enough as their entire > preschool program is language-heavy, blah-blah-blah. > > Well, after seeing ' progress with our private therapist over the > summer, I did a lot of research on the web and came back to school in > September armed with tons of information and research about how kids with > dyspraxia benefit from 1:1 versus group therapy. Our regular annual review > was scheduled to occur this December, so the school tried to blow me off and > tell me to " wait until then. " But I had also been researching parental rights > concerning the IEP process, and learned that I can call for an IEP meeting at > any time, in writing, which I did. > > They scheduled a meeting for me right away -- they penciled in a whole > half-hour on their schedules. Two of the team members arrived late. And I was > surprised that ' OT was there, after all, this was supposed to be just > a speech-related addition to the IEP. It turned out they brought the OT in to > try and sweeten the pot with additional 1:1 OT time, which I graciously > accepted, but then kept having to bring them back to the " real " purpose of > the meeting. > > The school SLP insisted that did not have apraxia. And I insisted he > did. We went round and round and finally I leafed through my parental rights > notes and remembered that I could request an assessment be done by the school > at any time, which I did. So by law, she had to give an assessment, > and she had 30 days to report the results to me in another IEP meeting. (I > was totally bummed upon hearing that the school system could stall for > another month on this.) > > On the 30th day I received a phone call at 8:30am from the school IEP clerk, > requesting my presence at a 9:30am IEP meeting that same day. I told her > absolutely not, and I also mentioned that not only were they out of > compliance with the law about holding a meeting within 30 days, but they were > also supposed to mail me notice of a meeting at least 10 days before the set > date. No correspondence had been created or mailed. > > So the IEP clerk asks when would be convenient for me to schedule another > meeting, and I say, any day but Wednesday is fine. Two hours later she calls > me back and says that, " since I am unavailable on WEDNESDAYS, the fastest > they can fit me into their schedule is November 19th (this conversation took > place on Oct. 24th, by the way). So they've bought themselves yet another > couple of weeks to stall. I agreed to the date and spent the last two weeks > getting prepared. > > When I got there this morning we went over the results of the assessment, > which sure 'nuff showed is severely apraxic. In fact, he is SO apraxic > that he only got to complete the first two portions of the test. The SLP said > he did so poorly on the third part that it was pointless to continue. (This > from a person who's been telling me he wasn't apraxic for the past two years.) > > Then she went on and on about all of the improvements has made since > the school year started and took most of the credit for that. I had to remind > her that is getting additional group therapy on a daily basis > privately, and two hours of additional 1:1 private therapy as well. > > We then discussed how 1:1 therapy was " unnecessary at this time " (her remark) > and I pulled out about 50 pages of notes citing recent research studies, > publications, advice from experts in the field, including a severity matrix > graph by ASHA which recommended 3-5 sessions per week of intensive, 1:1 > therapy for at least 30 minutes per session. > > It was at this point in time that the principal spoke up and said that our > allotted time had passed, and if we wanted to continue the IEP discussion we > would have to schedule an additional meeting. I refused and added that I felt > we had waited more than long enough. I made it clear to him that I was well > aware they had screwed up twice and were not in compliance with the law. > > Things went pretty smoothly and quickly after that! The SLP finally agreed to > provide three additional 1:1 sessions per week. She did not, however, want to > write out specific speech goals today, she wants to do that at the annual > review in December. I was not happy about that, but I agreed to it. In the > meantime, she told me she will be working on lesson plans out of the Kaufman > Kit for Apraxia which is what I was hoping would be a part of his 1:1 anyway. > > In the meantime, our private SLP at KKI will be helping me write some IEP > goals so I am " armed " with that ammunition come December. You know, > sometimes, life is sweet. > > Sorry such a long post. I just think it's a damn shame when the school system > assumes you are either an idiot or a parent with too-high expectations of > your child. > > -BJ, the IEP Guerilla > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 19, 2001 Report Share Posted November 19, 2001 WOW BJ!!! I am SO impressed! You didn't let them get away with a thing...good for you! is one lucky little boy to have you for a mummy ) I can only hope and wish to be as assertive as you are when it is my turn to stand up to the school to get the best for my Jay... You are an inspiration... (inAus) IEP today (long) Hi again all -- This morning I attended an IEP meeting, had fairly good success and wanted to share the story with you-. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2001 Report Share Posted November 20, 2001 Do you want to come sit in on Kep's next IEP? Well, sure, why not???!!! In fact, one of my fantasies is about packing up and moving to Michigan, anyway, after I hear about that great place that Kep and Putter get services from! would have a blast getting to know (and perhaps join) the band Naked Boys With Autism. And I could amuse myself in other ways, like stalking Lou with a Cat-Pee-Frying-Pan!!! Alas, methinks Michigan is a little too cold in the winter for my southern blood! -BJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2001 Report Share Posted November 20, 2001 BJ -- YOU ROCK!!! What an amazing, strong woman you are!!!! Holy crap! We need you to do a seminar for us!!! You are SO PROUD of yourself, I hope -- because I KNOW we are!!! Jacquie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2001 Report Share Posted November 20, 2001 Go BJ! You definatley got what your son needed and I agree whole heartly with what you said about ..... " I just think it's a damn shame when the school system > assumes you are either an idiot or a parent with too-high expectations of your child. " I tsickens me to think that we are not suppose to expect the best! Arrrggg! You did good! I love it when you are smarter then the school! I found out b4 our IEP that there are some parents who don't even shop up for their IEP.....all I could think was are these people insane?? Good for you! > > -BJ, the IEP Guerilla > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 22, 2001 Report Share Posted November 22, 2001 > Hi again all -- > > This morning I attended an IEP meeting, had fairly good success and >wanted to share the story with you-. > BJ!!! YOU ROCK! Holy Cow! (I can't use " Crap " , it's trademarked by FL) Now that's the way to put a school in it's place. I'm envious. I wish I had the energy. I'm dumbfounded. How simply awesome. Hey Group! Show of hands....Who wants BJ as their advocate at their next IEP????? WooHoo Penny :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2001 Report Share Posted November 23, 2001 Grace, No, I hadn't heard of " Emotions to Advocacy " around here, but now I will ask around, it sounds like something that would be helpful. The topics of the workshops I'll be attending in the spring are: -IDEA 97 Regulations -Writing Successful IEPs -Focus on Goals and Objectives -Extended School Year Services -Challenging Behavior: Understanding Functional Behavior Analysis -When Advocacy is Not Enough -Working with Families I am really looking forward to attending these! -BJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2001 Report Share Posted November 23, 2001 Grace, No, I hadn't heard of " Emotions to Advocacy " around here, but now I will ask around, it sounds like something that would be helpful. The topics of the workshops I'll be attending in the spring are: -IDEA 97 Regulations -Writing Successful IEPs -Focus on Goals and Objectives -Extended School Year Services -Challenging Behavior: Understanding Functional Behavior Analysis -When Advocacy is Not Enough -Working with Families I am really looking forward to attending these! -BJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 24, 2001 Report Share Posted November 24, 2001 Wow BJ! I just finished reading your IEP post. WTG momma! I just loved it. It is a shame you have to arm yourself like you did just to get what you should already be getting........did that make sense? Anyway, I wanted to tell you congratulations for a job well done. ===== Ginger, wife to Jeff 14 ADD 9 Autistic 7 NT __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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