Re: Transition from birth to three program

[Guest guest]

Ditatated a letter to the

school Distict staing that Cassandra is to only have in home

services at this time due to her fragile health . My concern is ,

is the school distict going to be able to povide the nessesary

services I.E . ot/pt speach feeding ect.

I don't really know about the school system doing this, but it may be they just put her on the homebound program...

however, I know here in Memphis that a few companies offer in-home therapy to kids despite thier age...you might check into that and then you wouldn 't have to deal with the sped dept at all... which might you relieve you of a few headaches for now...unless you live in one of those rare places where the school systme is super accomidating...i need to move to one of those place...ha ha...

deb

[Guest guest]

Transition from birth to three program

Hi all it has been a while since I last posted , but I felt that I needed to tell you all how things are going here my daughter Cassandra will be three in Oct. so we are gettingready for transtion into the publisc shchool system the concerns I have are scaring the tar out of me , Cassandra's Dr.s have Ditatated a letter to the school Distict staing that Cassandra is to only have in home services at this time due to her fragile health . My concern is , is the school distict going to be able to povide the nessesary services I.E . ot/pt speach feeding ect. Im concerned that my daughter will not get services like she is now because of it being a public school . Am I being foolish to think that or are my feelings justified ? I hope that someone else is going throught the same feelings . the school distict has never had a child in their program that has required in home sevices only so I feel like we are their ginny pigs so to speak . Im not sure I want to be their ginny pigs and have my daughter put through that . so if any one has some input that would be apreciated Thank you . sweetstuff2girls, mom of Cassandra,32 months; complex 1,3,4 and Ayla 20 months and healthyPlease contact mito-owner with any problems or questions.

[Guest guest]

Transition from birth to three program

Hi all it has been a while since I last posted , but I felt that I needed to tell you all how things are going here my daughter Cassandra will be three in Oct. so we are gettingready for transtion into the publisc shchool system the concerns I have are scaring the tar out of me , Cassandra's Dr.s have Ditatated a letter to the school Distict staing that Cassandra is to only have in home services at this time due to her fragile health . My concern is , is the school distict going to be able to povide the nessesary services I.E . ot/pt speach feeding ect. Im concerned that my daughter will not get services like she is now because of it being a public school . Am I being foolish to think that or are my feelings justified ? I hope that someone else is going throught the same feelings . the school distict has never had a child in their program that has required in home sevices only so I feel like we are their ginny pigs so to speak . Im not sure I want to be their ginny pigs and have my daughter put through that . so if any one has some input that would be apreciated Thank you . sweetstuff2girls, mom of Cassandra,32 months; complex 1,3,4 and Ayla 20 months and healthyPlease contact mito-owner with any problems or questions.

[Guest guest]

Oh Anne!!! Need a neighbor???? I wanna be where you are!!

LOL

This actually has made me stop and think about some things, but I am

honestly lost on what we should or should not be getting this next year

with Madison......I can go in and fight for what the kids need in the school

setting with the best of them, but get me out of my environment and I am

a fish out of water!! LOL

Okay.....so Madison is going to be in K this coming year but is unable

to be there full time, so will go for 4 half days a week (class meets for

5 full days) and may miss quite a few of these days even, particularly

during the winter/spring months if she follows the same pattern she did

this last year with being sick constantly from December to April.

We got a note from her doctor that explains her need to be on this schedule,

but I honestly did not think we could even get home bound services for

a child who's "only" in kindergarten. Our issue would be the education

issue, rather than so much therapy, as she is getting some private and

with her being there on a short schedule as it is, I didn't want her to

miss any classtime having to go over and do speech (and our experience

with in-school speech has been less than stellar). As it stands right

now, they are already concerned about her academically (well, as much as

you can be with a 5 yr old), and of course, there was all kinds of concern

from the K teacher about how she'd possibly keep up with her classmates

on this shortened schedule, and how she'd very likely have to repeat the

year. And yet, there were no alternatives given, and the impression

that was given was that homebound would only be an option when she hits

first grade and beyond. Course, my district is FAMOUS for not offering

whats needed and for putting up a fight, so I am not sure why I am surprised.

Is this something I should be pushing for???? I ask in part because

we may be moving to a new district before school starts and would like

to go in prepared to ask for it if it is a reasonable request. Its

all nice and fine to hear the teachers profess their confidence that *I*

will teach her at home too and make up some of the difference, but it sure

would be nice to have some help!! Course they say this (pat me on

the back) and then in the next breath get snitty with me about her attendence

(actually said that the truancy officer might be calling because she missed

so much this past spring!!! She was in PRESCHOOL!), about her being

on a shortened schedule, and a few other choice things. The K teacher

is convinced she won't be able to move on to 1st at the end of next year

with this schedule, and the preschool teacher insinuated that her not knowing

her letters and numbers like the rest of the cognitively okay kids in her

class might be because she was "not there enough" (forgetting she has been

in school for 2 years before this and has been getting plenty of exposure

to it). Anyway...I digress....just more of the "guilt mommy" thing

they like to do with me....LOL. See why I wanna move??!! LOL

Is there any chance I could get the wording of your docs letters to

the school to give to our ped?? She's great, and I know willing,

just not 100% sure what needs to be said.

Congrats on having such a great district!!!

BIG hugs,

Kass

Anne K Juhlmann wrote:

My little boy has received his early

intervention in the home including PT,

OT and Speech from the school system. This next school year we

are going to

try 90 minutes in the classroom once a week but he will still be

homebound

status.

We are very fortunate I guess, from reading other posts, that we

have not

had to battle with the school for homebound services. My other

little boy

also has partial home bound, partial school based services

with complete

home bound when ill or in the hospital. Our doctors have written

concise one

page letters each year stating very simply that this is what the

issue is

and that home bound either completely (Sam) or partially ( Zach)

is what is

safe medically .

I have loved the EI in the home. Sam also has a lot of private therapy

at

the hospital so I wondered if it was even necessary to have the

school

services. But it is great. He thinks he is just like his older

siblings

having school time and this does a lot for his spirits. The PT

works on

physical skills right in the home where he needs to use them and

the OT does

a lot of art projects with him to get his hands going. Preschool

education

has to be very hands on and interactive so I give them free reign

as far as

using whatever they want in the house and going where they want.

They paint

and make a mess in the kitchen, practice climbing stairs, golf

in the living

room, you get the idea. A parent or adult does have to be present

of

ourse - I can not leave the house but I usually can get a

few things done

and it is enjoyable to see my little one so excited about "school".

I have been worried about him being 5 and not having any friends

except his

sibs due to his home bound status. They have a little girl in the

am class

that they will bring over to do "school" with him next year-

someone they

hand picked who is very healthy and a temperament they feel would

best match

his. They had to get the mom's permission first of course and she

was very

happy to help us out. So our experience has been excellent!

Anne

Transition from birth to three program

Im not sure I want to be their

> ginny pigs and have my daughter put through that . so if

any one

> has some input that would be apreciated Thank

you .

> sweetstuff2girls, mom of Cassandra,32 months; complex

1,3,4 and

> Ayla 20 months and healthy

>

>

>

>

> Please contact mito-owner with any problems or

questions.

>

>

[Guest guest]

My little boy has received his early intervention in the home including PT,

OT and Speech from the school system. This next school year we are going to

try 90 minutes in the classroom once a week but he will still be homebound

status.

We are very fortunate I guess, from reading other posts, that we have not

had to battle with the school for homebound services. My other little boy

also has partial home bound, partial school based services with complete

home bound when ill or in the hospital. Our doctors have written concise one

page letters each year stating very simply that this is what the issue is

and that home bound either completely (Sam) or partially ( Zach) is what is

safe medically .

I have loved the EI in the home. Sam also has a lot of private therapy at

the hospital so I wondered if it was even necessary to have the school

services. But it is great. He thinks he is just like his older siblings

having school time and this does a lot for his spirits. The PT works on

physical skills right in the home where he needs to use them and the OT does

a lot of art projects with him to get his hands going. Preschool education

has to be very hands on and interactive so I give them free reign as far as

using whatever they want in the house and going where they want. They paint

and make a mess in the kitchen, practice climbing stairs, golf in the living

room, you get the idea. A parent or adult does have to be present of

ourse - I can not leave the house but I usually can get a few things done

and it is enjoyable to see my little one so excited about " school " .

I have been worried about him being 5 and not having any friends except his

sibs due to his home bound status. They have a little girl in the am class

that they will bring over to do " school " with him next year- someone they

hand picked who is very healthy and a temperament they feel would best match

his. They had to get the mom's permission first of course and she was very

happy to help us out. So our experience has been excellent!

Anne

Transition from birth to three program

Im not sure I want to be their

> ginny pigs and have my daughter put through that . so if any one

> has some input that would be apreciated Thank you .

> sweetstuff2girls, mom of Cassandra,32 months; complex 1,3,4 and

> Ayla 20 months and healthy

>

>

>

>

> Please contact mito-owner with any problems or questions.

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/21/02 2:46:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

juhlmann@... writes:

<< Yes I would consider setting the precedent now. It seems inexcuseable to

me for them to let her absences be the excuse for her not meeting academic

requirements. >>

that's also what the school said in 's SST....that he was only

struggling because of his 40 absences last year and thus, he did not need an

IEP/504! (He only missed 30 days this year, and many of those were from

scheduled specialist appointments in Seattle, which requires an entire day

away due to travel/ferry time.) At the same SST, the school nurse actually

said " well, if has been diagnosed with Ketone Utilization Disorder

now, then why does he even need to keep going to specialist appointments at

Childrens? " sigh......

I'm hoping that Middle School will be better.

Dena

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: Kass

Oh Anne!!! Need a neighbor???? I wanna be where you are!! LOL

*******

You can move here any time Kass. Though I am a born and bred east coast girl, there are great things about living in Wisconsin - except for the fact that the Atlantic Ocean is missing. That's a definate problem.

*******

but I honestly did not think we could even get home bound services for a child who's "only" in kindergarten.

*************

Oh yes Kass you can!!!! From the age of 3 when the school has responsibility on up they have to give the services addressed in the IEP in whatever setting is least restrictive AND most appropriate. For a medically fragile child that may be the home. ***************

Our issue would be the education issue, rather than so much therapy, as she is getting some private and with her being there on a short schedule as it is, I didn't want her to miss any classtime having to go over and do speech (and our experience with in-school speech has been less than stellar).

**********

I agree. In fact I think the IEP team almost fell out of their chairs this fall when i asked them to reduce zachary's PT from 2x/week to a consult. But he is only there three half days and was struggling academically. He gets private Pt and can walk, run a little and climb stairs on good days and most of what the PT did could be addressed in specially designed phy-ed. Sometimes you just can not fit it all into the day and you have to prioritize - obviously this is a very individual choice.

****************

Is this something I should be pushing for???? I ask in part because we may be moving to a new district before school starts and would like to go in prepared to ask for it if it is a reasonable request. Its all nice and fine to hear the teachers profess their confidence that *I* will teach her at home too and make up some of the difference, but it sure would be nice to have some help!! **************

Yes I would consider setting the precedent now. It seems inexcuseable to me for them to let her absences be the excuse for her not meeting academic requirements. if she can not meet them for other reasons related to her disease then you may have to consider other interventions but this poor academic performance due to absences is a completely fixable problem and one they have no excuse for.

I have always been a mom who feels it is equally my responsibility as the schools to educate my children. In other words education has to be carried over into the home if a child is going to reach their potential. Funds are not endless and if I can help I do. Sounds like you feel that way too but there is a limit and it is the right thing to do to reconize that for yourself, Madison and your entire family.

Zachary had a home bound instructor from the day he started 1st grade but he had some cognitive issues arise this school year and it was taking hours each day and all weekend to keep him up to where he needed to be. I am so busy with medical/nursing care for the kids and on top of that all the normal things every mom has to do and wants to do....it got very overwhelming. I started crying during an IEP meeting - soemthing I have never done and that is when they (and I) realized that they were just so used to me helping and it had gone beyond the realm of normal parental responsibility and was hruting all 4 of my kids because every extra minute I had was going to Zach's school work ratehr than being spread among my kids. They looked at each other and said "how come evry other kid with half the issues zach has gets an aid and zach does not have one?" and the prinipal said "because we have let anne do it all. we're taking advantage of her".

**************

Course they say this (pat me on the back) and then in the next breath get snitty with me about her attendence (actually said that the truancy officer might be calling because she missed so much this past spring!!!

***************

Oh no no no - have the pediatrician request that attendance requirements be WAIVED. On Zachary's report card it has days attended noted but never has days absent or tardy days noted. The only thing they request is that I let them know if he will be out on one of his scheduled half days for illness tracking reasons.They absolutely can not hold that against her if the doctor says she has to have the attendance requirements waived.

*****************

Is there any chance I could get the wording of your docs letters to the school to give to our ped?? She's great, and I know willing, just not 100% sure what needs to be said. ****************

I am attaching the letter. This is the one from last year. Now that I think about it I am not sure we have ever even requested Sam's home bound for early intervention in writing but I have them so well trained with Zach - LOL - that they just send the home bound people anyway! This is the exact letter though the MD prints it on hospital letterhead of course. Feel free to share it with your ped as an idea. Obviously it is specific to Zach and his issues and much of it may not pertain.

Anne

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: Kass

Oh Anne!!! Need a neighbor???? I wanna be where you are!! LOL

*******

You can move here any time Kass. Though I am a born and bred east coast girl, there are great things about living in Wisconsin - except for the fact that the Atlantic Ocean is missing. That's a definate problem.

*******

but I honestly did not think we could even get home bound services for a child who's "only" in kindergarten.

*************

Oh yes Kass you can!!!! From the age of 3 when the school has responsibility on up they have to give the services addressed in the IEP in whatever setting is least restrictive AND most appropriate. For a medically fragile child that may be the home. ***************

Our issue would be the education issue, rather than so much therapy, as she is getting some private and with her being there on a short schedule as it is, I didn't want her to miss any classtime having to go over and do speech (and our experience with in-school speech has been less than stellar).

**********

I agree. In fact I think the IEP team almost fell out of their chairs this fall when i asked them to reduce zachary's PT from 2x/week to a consult. But he is only there three half days and was struggling academically. He gets private Pt and can walk, run a little and climb stairs on good days and most of what the PT did could be addressed in specially designed phy-ed. Sometimes you just can not fit it all into the day and you have to prioritize - obviously this is a very individual choice.

****************

Is this something I should be pushing for???? I ask in part because we may be moving to a new district before school starts and would like to go in prepared to ask for it if it is a reasonable request. Its all nice and fine to hear the teachers profess their confidence that *I* will teach her at home too and make up some of the difference, but it sure would be nice to have some help!! **************

Yes I would consider setting the precedent now. It seems inexcuseable to me for them to let her absences be the excuse for her not meeting academic requirements. if she can not meet them for other reasons related to her disease then you may have to consider other interventions but this poor academic performance due to absences is a completely fixable problem and one they have no excuse for.

I have always been a mom who feels it is equally my responsibility as the schools to educate my children. In other words education has to be carried over into the home if a child is going to reach their potential. Funds are not endless and if I can help I do. Sounds like you feel that way too but there is a limit and it is the right thing to do to reconize that for yourself, Madison and your entire family.

Zachary had a home bound instructor from the day he started 1st grade but he had some cognitive issues arise this school year and it was taking hours each day and all weekend to keep him up to where he needed to be. I am so busy with medical/nursing care for the kids and on top of that all the normal things every mom has to do and wants to do....it got very overwhelming. I started crying during an IEP meeting - soemthing I have never done and that is when they (and I) realized that they were just so used to me helping and it had gone beyond the realm of normal parental responsibility and was hruting all 4 of my kids because every extra minute I had was going to Zach's school work ratehr than being spread among my kids. They looked at each other and said "how come evry other kid with half the issues zach has gets an aid and zach does not have one?" and the prinipal said "because we have let anne do it all. we're taking advantage of her".

**************

Course they say this (pat me on the back) and then in the next breath get snitty with me about her attendence (actually said that the truancy officer might be calling because she missed so much this past spring!!!

***************

Oh no no no - have the pediatrician request that attendance requirements be WAIVED. On Zachary's report card it has days attended noted but never has days absent or tardy days noted. The only thing they request is that I let them know if he will be out on one of his scheduled half days for illness tracking reasons.They absolutely can not hold that against her if the doctor says she has to have the attendance requirements waived.

*****************

Is there any chance I could get the wording of your docs letters to the school to give to our ped?? She's great, and I know willing, just not 100% sure what needs to be said. ****************

I am attaching the letter. This is the one from last year. Now that I think about it I am not sure we have ever even requested Sam's home bound for early intervention in writing but I have them so well trained with Zach - LOL - that they just send the home bound people anyway! This is the exact letter though the MD prints it on hospital letterhead of course. Feel free to share it with your ped as an idea. Obviously it is specific to Zach and his issues and much of it may not pertain.

Anne