Your input please on my letter to teacher

[Guest guest]

OK, how does this sound? Hopefully this will not cause unpleasant

repercussions.....

Thanks again to everyone!

Kris

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Dear Ms.----,

We want to address your January class note in more depth than space

allows in the agenda.

In particular, there are several things that we need clarification on

as well as concerns that we will address directly.

Please provide clarification as to what constitutes " free time " in

regards to when the class and/or individual students will be going to

the media center and please clarify how often this will occur.

Please also provide clarification as to the reason that necessitates

providing hygiene skills over Connection classes as well as an

estimated time frame as to the duration of this change.

We appreciate the need implied of " compensating " , however we are

struggling with a clear understanding of why DJ or any student would

be penalized from engaging in typical peer related activities as a

result. Especially so if the skill compensation is not part of the

Individual Education Plan.

As you know, we are both very involved in promoting DJ's skill

acquisition. To that end, we implement reinforcement of not only IEP

goals & objectives but our own as well. This is done through

incidental teaching as well as step by step instruction (as needed)

in appropriate settings daily without fail.

We understand that each child and their parents have unique needs,

strengths and priority levels. We also fully understand the dynamics

involved with regards to teaching such diversity in a classroom

setting.

That being said, we are very concerned about the following in respect

to our child:

1) A hygiene program involving deodorant and brushing teeth at

school

2) Lack of scheduled access to age & peer appropriate settings

that typical students engage in

3) The reason given for " dropping " library time and Connections.

As DJ's parents, we feel that crushing cans, brushing teeth and

putting on deodorant are not skill sets that reflect his individual

education goals; especially so if being done for compensatory

reasons. Nor do we feel that brushing teeth or putting on deodorant

fall within an educational school setting. This is aside from the

fact that DJ currently does not need to use deodorant and when he

does, we prefer to teach him this skill.

Since DJ currently knows how to brush his teeth and does not need to

use deodorant, he will not participate in this activity at school.

We will provide the special soap needed for washing hands which we

assume includes before eating and after restroom times. We will also

provide wet wipes for face cleaning as this reflects an IEP goal.

In regard to snacks, we prefer to send in snacks only for DJ with the

exception of his turn on Fun Friday. We currently send in a bottle

of water along with packets of Crystal Light for snack time and a

bottle of water for lunch time. We will continue to do so as per

endocrinologist order to increase water intake, the need to assist in

pulmonary function and due to medications DJ is on. We will gladly

supply items needed daily for DJ's snack or lunch time and prefer

that he consumes only what beverages & foods we supply at snack time

(with the exception of fun Fridays). Please advice if larger

quantities are needed and the frequency needed.

We appreciate the time you take to provide schedules, changes and

daily news. We know that your actual teaching time is such as to

preclude addressing every single goal on an IEP and we are grateful

for the commitment you have shown in so many ways. Our intent is not

to deflect from that commitment but to support it as well as

remaining active participants in our child's individual educational

and life process.

Sincerely,

Attilla the Hun (aka Mom & Dad)

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