RE: Mikey's appt today/SALLI

[Guest guest]

a fair amount and I don't believe anyone has moved to Kalamazoo because of

my recommendation so if you do you will be the first and surely I am allowed

ONE?)

--It wouldn't just be you. Matt wants to get back to Michigan; it's where

he grew up, it's where his family is. And everyone we've talked to agrees

that K'zoo is the only place you want to live in MI if you have a spectrum

kid.

Everything else sounds pretty good too, well, I guess the autism scores were

autism scores and that is never great but Mikey is young.

--The bad stuff was nothing we didn't already know. The good stuff was,

well, good!

Sorry to hear about how impossible it is to get ABA where you are. Not

everyone responds beautifully to ABA, mind, so before you make any big

changes in your life you might try to teach Mikey something ABA style and

see if it feels right to you.

--Anything he gets there is going to be at least as much as he gets here.

Right now he is getting, at absolute most, 3 hours of intervention a week.

And we are paying through the nose for that much. 10% of our income. Now

he is progressing beautifully and frankly I don't know that ABA is really

necessary. But I would rather do it and him not need it, than him need it

and not do it. I know that was not very grammatical and I'm sorry but I

can't do any better right now. It has been a long, long day. No, a long,

long week. Long.

--So I need to talk to you about the whole K'zoo thing...can I call you

sometime? And can you give me the phone # of the school? I need to find

out, well, a lot of things. I'm going to pretend we're moving there AND

staying here and get all our ducks in a row for either thing happening.

Then all we'll have to do is pack the truck. Right? Right!

Please send both #s to thebyks@... and let me know when is a good

time to call.

Thanks much.

-Sara.

Having said that I must confess that I would

never be able to do that myself because I do not mix well with ABA. Putter

would make me laugh or something and he and I would go off and do something

different. But most very young children it works well for. Jacquie H. did

NOT find it useful though; certainly not for Greggory who is probably too

HFA.

But Amy and I would love to have you here!

Salli

[Guest guest]

> --It wouldn't just be you. Matt wants to get back to Michigan; it's where

> he grew up, it's where his family is. And everyone we've talked to agrees

> that K'zoo is the only place you want to live in MI if you have a spectrum

> kid.

Unfortunately that is pretty close to true.

> --The bad stuff was nothing we didn't already know. The good stuff was,

> well, good!

Sounds good!

..

>

> --Anything he gets there is going to be at least as much as he gets here.

> Right now he is getting, at absolute most, 3 hours of intervention a week.

Geez. I was worried that Putter started out at only fifteen because they

say that twenty to forty is what you need. I was doing extra stuff with him

and I figured it did come out to at least twenty, but three is NOTHING.

> And we are paying through the nose for that much. 10% of our income. Now

> he is progressing beautifully and frankly I don't know that ABA is really

> necessary. But I would rather do it and him not need it, than him need it

> and not do it. I know that was not very grammatical and I'm sorry but I

> can't do any better right now. It has been a long, long day. No, a long,

> long week. Long.

I understand you perfectly. And so would Putter's school. If he didn't

need it, then they would move Mikey into a different classroom.

>

> --So I need to talk to you about the whole K'zoo thing...can I call you

> sometime? And can you give me the phone # of the school? I need to find

> out, well, a lot of things. I'm going to pretend we're moving there AND

> staying here and get all our ducks in a row for either thing happening.

> Then all we'll have to do is pack the truck. Right? Right!

You can call me; do you still have my number? And the school, well, Carmen,

who directs the PPI classroom (where they have discrete trial training) can

be reached at .

Salli

[Guest guest]

Geez. I was worried that Putter started out at only fifteen because they

say that twenty to forty is what you need. I was doing extra stuff with him

--Is that all at the school? If I understand right, they don't do

home-based ABA programs there?

(That is FINE with me; frankly I could really use the time away. And look

who I'm talking to.)

I understand you perfectly. And so would Putter's school. If he didn't

need it, then they would move Mikey into a different classroom.

--That was one of the things I was going to ask you about. They will work

something out that's right for him? Also what do the waiting lists look

like? Would he be able to start there next fall? He will be 3 in

September. What about summer programs? I don't want him to be completely

without anything over the summer...if nothing else he needs OT desperately.

And of course if we could start ABA that would be excellent. I suppose the

school will be answering these questions...

You can call me; do you still have my number? And the school, well, Carmen,

--I have it somewhere but if you could send it again my life would be

easier. We are switching long distance carriers so I think we are without

for a few days...

Thank you!!!

-Sara.

thebyks@...

[Guest guest]

Sara, if you would like my number as well, just let me know. I would be

happy to talk to you about anything!

Amy

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[Guest guest]

>

> --Is that all at the school? If I understand right, they don't do

> home-based ABA programs there?

It is not a home-based ABA. It is all at the school. Mikey would start on

half days because that is what they do and he would get fifteen hours a week

until they felt he was ready for full days.

>

> (That is FINE with me; frankly I could really use the time away. And look

> who I'm talking to.)\

You could indeed use the time. And it doesn't matter if I have even more

need of time!

> --That was one of the things I was going to ask you about. They will work

> something out that's right for him?

Definitely. The school is great. They really try hard to figure out what

your child needs and give it to him regardless of, well, even regulations.

They let one little boy stay in the DTT classroom past six because everyone

agreed it was the best placement for him.

Also what do the waiting lists look

> like?

It's a public school. There are no waiting lists. They have to take

everyone.

Would he be able to start there next fall?

Yes.

He will be 3 in

> September. What about summer programs?

Extended school year applies to that autism program. They are all there for

the summer, excluding two weeks in June and two in August.

I don't want him to be completely

> without anything over the summer...if nothing else he needs OT

desperately.

You move here, get him evaluated and then they will schedule an IEP. He

will start soon after the IEP no matter what the time of year. I think

Kepler started in the summer?

> And of course if we could start ABA that would be excellent. I suppose

the

> school will be answering these questions...

Well, I know the answers too!

> --I have it somewhere but if you could send it again my life would be

> easier. We are switching long distance carriers so I think we are without

> for a few days...

Salli

[Guest guest]

>

I think

>Kepler started in the summer?

>

Yes, Kep did start in the summer. He was dxed the end of May, started

school the end of June. It really happened so incredibly quickly, but now I

am very thankful for that! That school has been an amazing blessing for all

of us.

Amy H--in Michigan

Kepler 4 1/2 ASD and Bethany 6 NT

" Harmony breeds ignorance. It is the dissonant chords of life that lead us

to wisdom. " ~me

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[Guest guest]

>>It is not a home-based ABA. It is all at the school. Mikey would start

on

half days because that is what they do and he would get fifteen hours a week

until they felt he was ready for full days.<<

Salli, I read Matt this email, and he said, " OK, I'll find a job in

Kalamazoo. "

There is NOTHING like that here. Nothing REMOTELY like that here.

I don't remember if I told you about the lease thing...We got a paper that

said we could renew our lease now and get goodies, or go month-to-month and

our rent would go up a bit. Matt went to tell them we will go

month-to-month but he wanted them to assure us that the rent would then stay

the same until our lease would have been up in June. They said, " What? "

Turns out they thought our lease had just expired. UGH!!! This is the

THIRD TIME that has happened.

So we will not be able to move until June now. Dangit! Tho it does give

Matt more time to find a job.

If Matt can find a job there or within commuting distance, we will be moving

there.

Sorry, Grace. Do you still love me?

-Sara.

>

> (That is FINE with me; frankly I could really use the time away. And look

> who I'm talking to.)\

You could indeed use the time. And it doesn't matter if I have even more

need of time!

> --That was one of the things I was going to ask you about. They will work

> something out that's right for him?

Definitely. The school is great. They really try hard to figure out what

your child needs and give it to him regardless of, well, even regulations.

They let one little boy stay in the DTT classroom past six because everyone

agreed it was the best placement for him.

Also what do the waiting lists look

> like?

It's a public school. There are no waiting lists. They have to take

everyone.

Would he be able to start there next fall?

Yes.

He will be 3 in

> September. What about summer programs?

Extended school year applies to that autism program. They are all there for

the summer, excluding two weeks in June and two in August.

I don't want him to be completely

> without anything over the summer...if nothing else he needs OT

desperately.

You move here, get him evaluated and then they will schedule an IEP. He

will start soon after the IEP no matter what the time of year. I think

Kepler started in the summer?

> And of course if we could start ABA that would be excellent. I suppose

the

> school will be answering these questions...

Well, I know the answers too!

> --I have it somewhere but if you could send it again my life would be

> easier. We are switching long distance carriers so I think we are without

> for a few days...

Salli

[Guest guest]

>

> Sorry, Grace. Do you still love me?

>

> -Sara.

Well - sure I do. My affection for YOU was never in doubt, if you recall

LOL.

Seriously though - I know the program here is good. I'm also understanding

that Salli's area has a great program as well, and Putter's improvement

speaks volumes.

That said - one thing that I acknowledge above all else is that there is

absolutely no reason to move to the highest-priced area in the country to

get your child services when there are comparable or even better services in

areas with lower cost of living.

Honestly, I would move in a second if not for Shaun's practice being here.

I'm sure that if California's offerings for autistic children were less than

good - Shaun would have moved, practice or not. But given what it

is - - - - there is no chance of that.

That said, so long as your basis for moving to Kalamazoo isn't my perfume -

I'm fine with it! )

Grace