Re: HS curriculum -Virginia, all over

[Guest guest]

THANKKKKKKKKKK YOU!!!! got Ashton's iep and ugggggggg i was so pissed I had to

get out of my car and go inside a store just to not get pissy.......TTAC

specialist came in twice in the last two months..... not good...... I mean for

me, yes her report points out several key factors that I have voiced and have

been ignored........ least now I got some ammo......the new proposed IEP was the

same as the last two years, just reworded...... LIFE SKILLS........ not going to

happen........ academics is our focus and they are trying to stear away from

that.......... I am so sickkkkkk of fighting in Virginia... lol marg may have

permanent backyard campers :-)... Ashton has been sad and depressed, she wants

friends..... not me as her all time buddy, but friends her age....... her school

has a swim team, she is a greattttt swimmer, but they wouldn't let her..... I

don't care if she wins or not, she needs the chance to try her best and build

her character and self esteem.

Goals....reading.......we did reading milestones and she loved it when i home

schooled her, i even bought the program for her school use this year because

they are soooooo hesitant......

So here are a few questions open for ideas

1. Reading- what programs have you seen be successful in high school related

to age appropriate topics that hold interest and have foundation to keep skills

improving..... we did reading milestons in past, but school didn't like it......

we have at home. She wants to read the trash on Britney Spears just like

everyone else.

2. DRS- does you school allow drs to come out..... transition services start

between 14-16-- weren't invited

3. any of the highschooler kids on the group in afterschool activities like

swimming or cheerleading. does the school give you hell? did you have to SPELL

it out in the iep? Ashton is a great swimmer, i wanted her to be on the swim

team at the very least let her practice with them...... not happen

cheerleading.......... anyone got a cheerleader??????

4. math, learning to used the atm card? real money situations?

high school math stuff.........

I used to be savvy in ieps, but got kinda out of practice......

thanks in advance for everyones help and input.......

Leah---- ps faster response is great...... Iep is on monday......

ps if they are any good iep websites you can throw those in too......

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Posted by: " Leah Baker " <mailto:leahbbaker@...?Subject=

Re%3A%20HS%20curriculum%20-Virginia%2C%20all%20over>leahbbaker@...

<http://profiles.yahoo.com/leahbbaker> leahbbaker

Fri Jun 1, 2007 12:32 am (PST)

Leah, I am going to respond to your post in two parts:

>Ashton has been sad and depressed, she wants friends..... not me as

>her all time buddy, but friends her age....... her school has a swim

>team, she is a greattttt swimmer, but they wouldn't let her..... I

>don't care if she wins or not, she needs the chance to try her best

>and build her character and self esteem.

Pete has a vague attachment to some of the other kids, but he is more

likely to push others away and prefers adults. Ashton sounds very

much like the " just DS " kids with regard to this. Any way to get her

buddied up with someone at school?

Tips from our experiences this year: the drama club (theater) kids

tend to be more artsy and different, and more accepting of kids with

differences. They seemed to be the one group that were very

welcoming to Pete participating with some of their activities. (Too

late in the year, though- they came up with having him help take

tickets.... we are going to see how he can be part of things next

year.) I think that identifying a setting where kids might be really

welcoming takes the pressure out of forcing a situation.

On the other hand, Pete doesn't really care about theater/drama, and

live performances are very challenging for him to sit for more than

10 minutes. So it would have to be behind the scenes. I look at

even showing up to be a good listener as important, since that is

very hard for him. Case in point: Pete attended band class as an

audience member. He LOVES music, but in a group setting just doesn't

engage. So we felt that his sitting through longer and longer band

practices addressed a real need he has. Final result: we attended

the band concert and he made it until intermission- nearly an hour.

So far as swimming goes, can't they let Ashton suit up and practice?

Or can she come in and do drills when they are doing individual skill

work? Or can she be buddied up with a swim team member or two if

they are suiting up for extra practice? Or is there just a swim CLUB

and not a competitive TEAM that she can be part of? What about SO?

(Yeah, hyeah, I am asking even if you have rejected it in the past

due to it being segregated...)

Pete's behaviors just deteriorate at Special Olympics, and he has

been " disinvited " more than once. We now steer clear. Too much hurry

up and wait to suit him.) We belong to our local rec center and Pete

is swimming and running track there with an assistant. He is doing

the skills that are expected for SO, but in a community setting,

which is the goal anyway. However, Pete doesn't CARE that he doesn't

have friends.

Leah- does Aston do anything with other kids with disabilities? It

seems a pretty common thread everywhere now that the older teens who

have only been included are experiencing a lot of loneliness because

the true natural friendships are hard to sustain as kids get ready to

go away for college. Our local DS group has a pretty active teen

group now, and I know some of these kids have really enjoyed having

activities together. However, Pete doesn't attend- he is just not

interested and it is a lot of work to keep him engaged with the

things that they do. So, even if you have avoided doing SO or other

" special " activities because you didn't want her doing segregated

things, you may want to revisit that as an absolute.

End part one.

MB

[Guest guest]

Hi Leah,

In HS the gap between our kids is so visable that higher expectations no

longer exist. Many of us fight that attittude. I hear you. The extra curricular

activities that you want Ashton to be a part of requires students to pass the

tryouts. Many of the typical students do not make these teams either. I think

Ashton could be a part of these teams by becoming a manager. Go see the people

in charge of these teams and see what you can work out for her. Ask the school

to help with a circle of friends for social supports. Reading is a long topic. I

don't have time to type but if you call me I can call you right back. I have all

long distance. I can tell you what I have learned from the independent reading

therapists. I have had to hire a literacy advocate for Zeb. I wouldn't go to a

meeting without her. She knows her stuff and is a parent of a child with DS, in

fact triplets. Ashton and Zeb are very much alike. I can brainstorm with you.

Charlyne

Mom to Zeb 14 DS/OCD/ASD?

Leah Baker wrote:

THANKKKKKKKKKK YOU!!!! got Ashton's iep and ugggggggg i was so pissed

I had to get out of my car and go inside a store just to not get

pissy.......TTAC specialist came in twice in the last two months..... not

good...... I mean for me, yes her report points out several key factors that I

have voiced and have been ignored........ least now I got some ammo......the new

proposed IEP was the same as the last two years, just reworded...... LIFE

SKILLS........ not going to happen........ academics is our focus and they are

trying to stear away from that.......... I am so sickkkkkk of fighting in

Virginia... lol marg may have permanent backyard campers :-)... Ashton has been

sad and depressed, she wants friends..... not me as her all time buddy, but

friends her age....... her school has a swim team, she is a greattttt swimmer,

but they wouldn't let her..... I don't care if she wins or not, she needs the

chance to try her best and build her character and self esteem.

Goals....reading.......we did reading milestones and she loved it when i home

schooled her, i even bought the program for her school use this year because

they are soooooo hesitant......

So here are a few questions open for ideas

1. Reading- what programs have you seen be successful in high school related to

age appropriate topics that hold interest and have foundation to keep skills

improving..... we did reading milestons in past, but school didn't like it......

we have at home. She wants to read the trash on Britney Spears just like

everyone else.

2. DRS- does you school allow drs to come out..... transition services start

between 14-16-- weren't invited

3. any of the highschooler kids on the group in afterschool activities like

swimming or cheerleading. does the school give you hell? did you have to SPELL

it out in the iep? Ashton is a great swimmer, i wanted her to be on the swim

team at the very least let her practice with them...... not happen

cheerleading.......... anyone got a cheerleader??????

4. math, learning to used the atm card? real money situations?

high school math stuff.........

I used to be savvy in ieps, but got kinda out of practice......

thanks in advance for everyones help and input.......

Leah---- ps faster response is great...... Iep is on monday......

ps if they are any good iep websites you can throw those in too......

---------------------------------

Luggage? GPS? Comic books?

Check out fitting gifts for grads at Yahoo! Search.