Subject: Benson still not in school yet

From: BENSON'S MOM
Sent: Wed., Sept. 30, 2009 3:50 PM
To: nancy.harris@dsadvocate.com
Subject: Benson still not in school yet

Hi Nancy
I would like to express my frustration to you regarding this ridiculous time Benson is out of school, because seems that the county doesn't care. He is the one that suppose be in kindergarten and what I see is people from broward county schools acting like kindergartners and try to blame you and you are the only person that is trying to help us from their nonsense, like she say, he say, I have a date for his meeting, no I don't have a date, when I called Ms. Bennett most of the time I hear she is busy or in a meeting, what is that? Where are the professionals they should see that this is not right.

I am not asking for anything that they don't know that is what the law specific says A CHILD SHOULD BE IN THE LESS RESTRICT ENVIRONMENT. I know they have a lot schools to deal with, but it has been 5 almost 6 weeks that Benson is out of school and nobody cares.

When he was at Ann Storck Preschool and I question the reason for him to be in summer school extended year, they told me he could not be without school for this long period of time, that he would only benefit from that, they tell me how important was for him to be that extra month in school so he would be ready for kindergarten and bla, bla, bla, and now it is ok for him to sit at home without any "professional instruction?" That is another reason I am fed up with special programs, they just talk and say how important and beautiful the program is. Do you want to know how many times I go to any of those special schools and my son was sitting there by himself without any activity? why? they don't care, the kid can't tell the parents anyways right? Once when I questioned them they told me he didn't want to participate on the activity, ok so where was the professional that he deeply need as it says in the IEP to use their knowledge, and get him involved. What any of the regular kindergarten can't offer him more than a special cluster could? What services and care does Benson need that can not be achieved in a regular kindergarten? I been asking this question in those IEP meetings since he starts and nobody can answer me. After a while I realize this is the way it works: well the kid doesn't want to participate for whatever reason so leave him alone there doing something else. There is no effort from anyone at all.

Where is the one on one they talk about when they first meet you? Where are the experienced with our special kids? Where is the beauty of those programs? I don't need a babysitter Benson, I want a place for my son to learn, to have good role models, a place where he feels comfortable staying and I feel comfortable leaving him. Not a place where I see him everyday losing good skills, getting odd behaviors, being sad and withdrawn.

And for people to say they have very busy schedules to make a meeting to put him in school it is nonsense, they are just postpone and denying his rights to do and be a little kid in a regular kindergarten school and for me this is discrimination. Thank you Nancy for helping me, you have my permission to put this on your blog about my son.

The MONGOLOID word was used today!!

Today I made so many phone calls on BENSON'S behalf. I called this person and that person. This area person and her secretary only to be told to call this person and then always to be told by so many nice secretaries that the person I wanted to talk to... "SHE'S IN A MEETING"!! I would say I called about 10 different Broward County school district people today and every single one of them was, "IN A MEETING"! Gosh maybe I need to find out where this meeting is so I can be there to talk to all of them in the same room!

I was finally able to speak to one of our schoolboard members for the Area that over sees all of the Nova schools. She apparently was out of her meeting and able to take my call. I introduced myself and told her I was advocating for BENSON. She was aware of BENSON and what mom was trying to do.

In the few minutes of talking on the phone with her, she used the word, MONGOLOID and I just couldn't believe I just heard this professional woman say that word. I actually gasped and quickly said to her, "You did not just use that word!!??" She had a non-chelant attitude about her using that word, and commented on how she had recently had a discussion with someone else about the correct term to use today. She also went on to provide me with her age as the excuse for using it saying that's the term they used when she was growing up. I was jolted by her brazen lacsidaisical attitude or that it even really mattered.....!! Do you believe this?

I know this word was used alot back in the 60's....but this is almost 2010, that's pretty much 50 YEARS AGO!! The word mongoloid is JUST NOT USED TODAY LIKE IT WAS USED BACK IN 1960! I do not buy her answer that it has to do with 'her age' and what "THEY" were called....unless she is 80 years old and showing signs of dementia! She MUST be using this terminology on a regular basis if she could so coldly use it in a telephone conversation with me within 5-10 minutes of meeting me on the phone! She knew what she was saying! I will make sure she doen't get my vote or my friends vote next time re-elections come up!

This is an ELECTED Schoolboard member that is a highly paid professional that is suppose to represent many school age families here in Broward! I told her that her age is not a good enough reason not to use the acceptable terminology when referring to an entire group of unique individuals. I told her, "you wouldn't call a person a '_igger' just because that word was used alot back in her day would you!??" I went on to tell her, "...it doesn't make her sound very professional by continuing to use that word either...!" We also chatted about PEOPLE FIRST LANGUAGE and the current politically correct way when speaking about an individual or group of individuals, such as: Children with Down syndrome, or a young man WITH Down syndrome, not a Down syndrome Child or a Downs kid.....She said, "it's hard to remember that all the time!!"....WHAT IS SHE SAYING?? That she doesn't care how she sounds or what word to use...like it doesn't matter!?

I was absolutely shocked to hear this word even being used today, especially when SHE KNOWS I was calling her about little 5 year old BENSON and why he wasn't being allowed to attend Kindergarten at the very school mom signed him up at....remember, BENSON WON THE NOVA LOTTERY! Now they (all sorts of district personnel) are trying to say he is NOT registered at any Broward County school! Mom registered him at Nova Eisenhower Elementary school, but for some unknown, untold reason...now several district people are saying he is NOT registered at any school in all of Broward County! How can that be, when she had the paperwork and information to attend the Kindergarten Round-Up? Something smells like a rat.......

I am stunned that this word is still being used by any American in the year 2009 as a descriptive of a person having Down syndrome. I am even more disgusted that a professional who claims to be serving the best interest of our children, PROFESSIONALLY can't remember how to use PEOPLE FIRST LANGUAGE and we VOTED for her to be one of our schoolboard members? RE-ELECTIONS folks...remember who your schoolboard members are and do they really represent YOU?

She doesn't want to know what my Facebook friends had to say about a schoolboard member using that word today!!

MONGOLOID.......is that a good name or word to use today? You tell me what you think....................I know it's an outdated word and used much like the word retard or retarded.......used by a schoolboard member? Something just isn't right here.....

BENSON WON THE NOVA LOTTERY!!!

My phone started ringing off the hook a week before school began on 8/24/09. Why? The beginning of new school year means many things to different people, if your a teacher, it means a classroom full of new minds to help inspire and teach. To parents, it means a new teacher for their child and early morning routines and homework struggles. To a parent raising a child with unique learning challenges, it means wanting to make sure proper help and support will be in place at school to help their child learn this year.

My phone started ringing daily exactly a week before August 24th with calls for help in advocating for their child and needing to know some advice on "what to do" and "what to expect" next week on the first day of school.

One mom has a little girl that is entering Kindergarten and is suppose to have a Para to ensure she recieves her G-tube feedings 2 times a day and also for help in the classroom with redirection and safety concerns. The Para was never hired and it didn't look like one would be anytime soon. This mom has spent the first 2 weeks of school on her daughters campus, to do her G-tube feedings and to make sure her daughter was SAFE doing well. She lost 2 weeks of work (so far) being on campus to help her daughter with what the IEP was suppose to provide.

Her daughter had been attending ARC BROWARD DEVELOPMENTAL PRE-SCHOOL for 2 years and at the TRANSITION IEP meeting which only had 19 people sitting around one of the biggest conference tables I have ever seen for a Broward School District IEP meeting. Mom and dad attended this meeting prepared and ready to have an IEP document written up with all the supports and services they knew their daughter needed to be safe and successful in Kindergarten. It was important for her health and safety that she have a PARA on the first day of school when she started in Kindergarten on August 24th. No matter how many district personnell show up and attend IEP meetings it's amazing sometimes how little gets done when it really comes time for the child to receive the supports and services the IEP "TEAM" had rich discussion about. Parents go thru so much stress at these IEP meetings!

Another mom, her son won the NOVA Lottery!! She applied and filled out all the papers to have her son attend the same school all his 4 sisters attend, one sister has already graduated and 3 are still attending there. Mom registered and turned in all the correct forms the school asked for, the BLUE & YELLOW medical records forms had been turned in, all the other forms & cards were filled out and turned in. On one form she even put on it that her son BENSON had Down syndrome. Everything was completed and the Kindergarten Round-Up date was next. She called me 2 days before school started upset that she was now being told her son wouldn't be able to attend Nova at all!! She never recieved anything in the mail or a letter stating this sad news. She was told that because of how his IEP document that was created on June 1st, 2009 was completed, saying he needed to be in a SEPERATE CLASS 100% that they didn't have 'the program' that was on his IEP! She was hurt and angry that this was never told to her...ever...all the way up to just 2 days before school was about to begin. How could this be? How could it go for so long that everything seemed to be going smoothly with getting her son signed up and started in Kindergarten at Nova Eisenhower Elementary? Why wasn't she notified that there was a 'glitch' with what was on his IEP!?

Mom needed me to help make sure her son BENSON attended NOVA and to help make things right. First things first...there needed to be an INTERIM IEP immediately to go over it with a fine tooth comb. She attended the last IEP on June 1st and it was completed then, it was only good for 2 days till June 3rd. Then the dates of the IEP started back up on August 24th, 2009 with his placement being 100% in a SEPERATE CLASS. (Mom did not have anyone or an advocate attend this very important transition IEP meeting with her!) This is NOT what the mom wanted for her son and let it be known at that meeting on June 1st, she said she told everyone at that June 1st meeting he had been accepted as a student at NOVA, and her desire to have him attend a 'regular Kindergarten' classroom and was not interested in anything that had to do with a 'special classroom' for BENSON because she was DONE WITH SPECIAL CLASSROOMS!

BENSON since the age of 3 years old had been attending 3 of the 4 DEVELOPMENTAL PRE-SCHOOLS in Broward County. I asked her why had he gone to 3 different DEVELOPMENTAL PRE-SCHOOLS in 2 years time? She said that too many 'things' happened to her son BENSON in those 2 years time and now she only wanted to protect him from yet another SPECIAL classroom that would not be good for him! I asked her what she felt he gained from going to all three of those SPECIAL DEVELOMENTAL SCHOOLS and she very quickly said to me:
"HE GOT BITE MARKS"
"REGRESSION"
"DEPRESSION"
"BEHAVIORS NOT RELATED TO DOWN SYNDROME'

This conversation was all within the first 10 minutes of just meeting her on the phone and her reaching out to find help for her son!

Of course I was upset to hear this, who wouldn't be upset...no one wants to hear of a child 'being hurt' in anyway...especially at places we entrust our precious little ones to everyday 'for school'!

In our world of raising a child with Down syndrome, we look for the best place to have them to go so they will learn and do well, not a place that is going to make their 'disability worse'!!

I want to help BENSON, I want to help this mom, I want to help BENSON get into a Kindergarten classroom that will ACCEPT and help him progress. I want to make sure that what has possibly happened to BENSON is known about and doesn't happen to another. I WANT TO HELP BENSON and his mom. I am going to do the best I can to help get BENSON into Kindergarten at NOVA Eisenhower or even NOVA Blanche Elementary. It doesn't matter which NOVA, but he won't be 100% IN A SEPERATE CLASS according to his mom! This is the school her 4 daughters, BENSON'S 4 older sisters go to. Three of them will be able to ride the morning bus with BENSON! His sister's are excited about that! They were arguing about who was going to get to video tape BENSON on his first day of going to a REAL SCHOOL! That day never came for this family...BENSON wasn't allowed to go to Kindergarten on the first day of school, or the next day or even the next week...BENSON IS STILL AT HOME WAITING....BENSON didn't get to have his first day of Kindergarten like anyone else. BENSON sits at home everyday with his mom. BENSON'S mom has lost her job because of this! She is a single mom and now has to watch him instead of going to work! What has happened to BENSON and his family should never happen to anyone! Why did things turn out like this for BENSON and his mom? Because mom just didn't know how important it was to have the IEP 'document' say the right things for BENSON'S sake. Now BENSON didn't get to experience the first day of Kindergarten like most 5 year olds.

BENSON HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND before the his first day of school!!

BENSON WON THE NOVA LOTTERY!!!

*I have permission from BENSON'S mom to retell this story and to use his REAL NAME.

Thank you BENSON'S mom!

INCLUSION VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9-XX9227ek

Nova Lottery Window Opens to the Public Nova Schools applications will be accepted through March 31 for the 2009/10 school year. An online application is available on the District’s Web site homepage at (www.browardschools.com) or accessible directly at (www.broward.k12.fl.us/casdl/reassignmentproject/checkstdt.asp). Copies of the application are also available at the NCLB & Reassignments Department at 7770 W Oakland Park Blvd. in Sunrise. Applying online is recommended. When applying online, print confirmation page to acknowledge processed application. Only one application per student can be submitted during the window.

For additional information, contact:

NCLB & Reassignments Department, 754-321-3035.

FAQ ~ NOVA LOTTERY
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/educationalprograms/pdf/NovaSchoolsFAQs09v2.pdf

A PURPOSE

Each life has a purpose,
Each purpose a plan;
Great minds find a reason
To do what they can...
A hope for tomorrow,
A task for today,
Through troubles or sorrow...
Each trial on life's way...
A purpose for living,
A test you must meet,
Accepting each challenge,
The bitter, the sweet...
Cast aside every problem,
Rise above endless fears,
Keep the dream you are dreaming,
Wipe away hurtful tears...
Understanding - forgiveness,
A soul that knows peace,
The joy of believing
As heartaches then cease...
The courage that's needed
To travel each mile,
A purpose unequaled -
A life that's worthwhile.

by Garnett Ann Schultz

DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOLS

Developmental Preschools are available for our children that need extra help developing the milestones that come naturally for some. These schools are great for our little kiddo's that need help with walking, talking, coloring and socializing.....Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Speech and Language Therapies are provided at these schools with a doctors script. Thru the early intervention program these therapies can be provided when a little one attends a developmental preschool.

Some counties don't have these places and other counties do. Broward County happens to have a nice handful of about 5 of them. They are all located in different parts of town, so no matter where a family lives, one is sort of nearby or they can have their child take a Broward County school bus to one. Our developmental preschools in Broward provide early intervention services and supports and also have classrooms set up for 3-5 year old that qualify for Exceptional Student Education supports and services.

As an a Advocate, I love working with families that have children that need to access the full spectrum of supports for their child in order for their child to move forward in their development. Parents are provided information and the option of placing their Child in one of these DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOLS so they can receive OT-PT-ST therapies during their school day and be provided a language enriched classroom to get them ready for Kindergarten at 5 years old.


My daughter attended UCP and I have only good things to say about UCP and the teachers she had when she was there for such a short time between the age of 3 - 4 years old. The BEST teacher in the entire world there was Mrs. Gayle Clinker!! She cared so much about each and every child that came into the ENTIRE school and it showed by how much FUN she made sure each Child had on any given day. For example she took pictures of her students with a different seasonal theme...like for April it was "April Showers". She would dress them in a raincoat holding an umbrella...take the picture and laminate these pictures onto different colored heavy construction paper and made them into their lunch time placemats that thay used for that entire month...each month was a different theme. My daughter was a popular "June Bride", she had several 'boyfriends' and absolutely LOVED putting on the wedding dress her teacher brought in for that 'theme'!! I still have these beautiful placemats of my daughters moments in time...and what a wonderful time it was for me as a mom...to have her at a place that was going to help her be successful! Having her as Mariah's first 'real teacher' was a great experience for me as a 'nervous mom' sending my Child off to school at 3 years old! Mariah was provided with a quality foundation to her future learning because we did have a good experience and she did have a teacher that truely cared. Attending a developmental preschool for my daughter was a good thing!


The one thing that was hard for me to accept was when my daughter first started attending UCP at 3 years old was that she was not provided with any of the OT-PT-ST therapies that she had been recieving while under the Early Intervention 'umbrella' aka Part C services. I was amazed that she was able to go from having so many daily therapies to not receiving not even one therapy service!...NOT ONE THERAPY!!! NOT ONE!!


Her first 6 months of attending a DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL SHE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OT-PT-ST SERVICES!! She only started receiving her therapies only because I was persistent in FIGHTING FOR HER to receive any of those therapy services! I didn't get it...why did I have to fight so hard at the beginning of her journey of going to school? I had no idea what was going on or why all of a sudden my daugher that has Down syndrome could go from having so many different therapies everyday from birth to 3, that now as soon as she was under the 'umbrella' of DOE = Department of Education aka Part B services, that she 'didn't qualify for'....NOT ONE THERAPY!! I didn't get it...I was mad, I was lost, I was confused and very very ANGRY! My daughter needed her therapies and she was loosing precious time with her development by not receiving them! Didn't they care??!

It was at this time I learned very quickly what an IEP was!! I had an IEP EVERY MONTH (about every 4 weeks!!) for the first 5 months after she turned 3 years old and started attending a "DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL". I had an advocate with me for my first three IEP meetings and quickly found out that 'my advocate' wasn't really speaking up or for me during those first three meetings. I even asked her to step outside during one of those first IEP meetings and had to ask her, "Why aren't you speeking up in there for me??"...her answer was, "You are doing fine on your own in there!" ~ That was the last time I had 'my advocate' attend any of my IEP meetings ever again! I wanted someone that was going to teach me how to be a good advocate and how to help get my daughter what she really needed while in school. The only thing I learned from her was, she always told me to, "learn the language"....learn the language of what? Learn the same language that 'they' the IEP "TEAM" uses...but what did that really mean to me then? I didn't understand what she was saying...really....but I do now! Boy do I understand 'their language now'!!! I read the STATE RULES ON SPECIAL EDUCATION now in my 'spare time'!! I pass out 'the RED BOOK' like it's candy, if you don't know what one is...call or email me and I will make sure you get you first copy! *This is the STATE RULES for Special Education, if you don't know what the rules are, how can you play the game and advocate for something you don't know what your Child is entitled to receive! Call or email me!


I fought hard to have my daughter evaluated for her to receive Speech and Language Therapies, Occupational and Physical Therapies while attending UCP DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL. It only took me 5 months to FINALLY get her 'approved to be tested' for her Speech! What a joke my first IEP meetings were! I learned so much during those first five meetings! I learned very quickly that all the time that seems to be wasted on these IEP meetings, they could have spent what they pay their employees on providing therapies for a Child instead of having the therapist attend all those stressful and negative IEP meetings to talk such nonsense on what the Child CAN NOT DO and WHY THEY CAN NOT RECEIVE THERAPIES at their DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL!...what the heck is going on? What is the point of having our Chilren that are classified as 'developmentally delayed' and eligible to receive ESE supports and services attend these kinds of places, if they won't provide to them such basic supports such as OT-PT-ST therapies? Does this make any sense?!

After I was able to "learn the ropes" of just what these IEP meetings were suppose to accomplish....which from the parent perspective is to get us all stressed out and turn us down for our Child to NOT receive anything other than just being able to 'attend their Develpmental Preschool'....nothing more than that...they do not want to provide the very therapies we parents know our Child needs!


After her first 6 months I was finally able to secure all her OT-PT-ST supports and services that I knew in my heart she absolutely needed! I have graduated not only as my daughters first teacher but now I was my daughters BEST ADVOCATE! At the time I didn't know I would go on to teach n release many other parents to learn the ropes of what to expect at an IEP and how to help parents be their Child's best advocate for life! Thank you Broward County Schools for making me the advocate I am today! I tell people that I attend the 'University of Broward' for my Advocacy skills! Broward County is the 6th largest school district in the nation!

The Early Intervention program for 3 years had no problem providing my daughter with LOTS of OT-PT-ST to help her 'develope', yet her DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL provided me with the biggest fight for her to receive just ONE HALF HOUR of any therapy! It took me close to 6 MONTHS of going to yet another IEP "team" meeting to discuss her need for therapies and whatever else she needed at the time! My husband would attend some of those meetings with me, but in the end, this was 'my mom job' as he needed to continue to work and make the money for our family to be able to pay our bills, so as a mom, this was my new job, to make sure my daughter was being provided with what she needed to be successful in school and ultimately in life!


My daughter is now in the 4th grade and doing beautifully. Over the years I receive phone calls regularly from parents that are also raising children with Down syndrome and other unique learning challenges, but mostly families with Down syndrome contact me needing help with school issues, IEP's and inclusion. Many parents are going thru the same thing as I did back so many years ago...when my daugher was new to the Part B program, starting at 3 years old, when they get to start attending 'school'...and usually it's a DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL or sometimes they attend a 3-5 year old program that is in a classroom at the neighborhood elementary school. I thought my daughter was too young, too little, and so not ready for the big campus.


The stories....oh my goodness the stories I have heard...each phone call paints the same picture....different family, different Child, different school, same type of story! I could write a book just on the different 'things' I have heard parents tell me of their experiences having their Child attend a DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL. Some are good stories...others are not good stories.

If we as parents are trusting those at these IEP "team" meetings to the care of our most precious Children, why are parents voices not being heard at these IEP meetings for what they know their Child needs and why our Children are not being provided with the most basic supports and therapies that they hopefully had been provided with during their Early Intervention years? Parents need to be provided with trainings on what to expect at an IEP meeting and other things pertaining to raising a Child with Special Needs. Many times parents go into these important IEP meetings not realizing just how important 'the decisions' that are being made and written into those IEP documents. The DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOLS should be providing parents with so many resources and trainings and helping them get connected with disability specific support groups, anything that will help empower parents to help advocate for their Child to receive the supports and services their Child needs. Are these schools connecting parents with the other parents and helping them find local disability specific support and advocacy groups? Are they providing parent trainings to help parents understand 'the next step'? I hope so, but bet not...over the 11 years I have been 'in the business' of helping families....not one referral has ever come from a 'developmental preschool'....that tells me something.....resources are not always being provided to the families that need help.


DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOLS ~ some are absolutely fantastic and do a great job, while others seem to be a 'closed door society' that keep the parents shut off from being an active and involved parent volunteer in their Childs school. UCP had an open door policy and I was able to volunteer everyday, I got to know the daily routine and the other teachers and all the wonderful therapist, the friendships with the other mom's and interacting and getting to know the other Children and taking pictures of the fun activities! It was a wonderful time for me as a mom, it was a fun learning time for my daughter! My daughter had a great time at UCP, she had teachers that really cared about her growing 'developmentally', the teachers and therapist really did a nice job at UCP for my precious little girl! (THANK YOU!)


I hope that no matter which DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL your Child attends that it's a good experience and your Child grows in leaps and bounds. I know there are lots of 'stressors' for parents when they have to attend one of 'those IEP meetings'....believe me...that is where I started my journey of learning to be my daughters BEST advocate. The short time she spent at UCP was a wonderful time that I will always cherish the memories and the fun we both had and the pictures her teacher made of her there will always flood me with the love I had for her teacher for doing all she did, to help my daughter be successful. My daughters 'school foundation' started at a really wonderful DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL and then she went off to her neighborhood Elementary school at 4 years old. It was called: the PLACE Program (Preschool Learning and Classroom Experience. Today it maybe called something else and each county has their own name for their 3-5 year old ESE program.) she attended that for 2 years because her birthday falls after September 1st and was 5 years old for just 1 month once she finally did start Kindergarten. She has been at that same school ever since!


If you would like to share your story of your experiences of your Child attending a DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL, I would love to post them here to share with others. Either email me at: nancy.harris@dsadvocate.com or post your story as a comment to this posting.

Dust off last years IEP.....

School is about to start up soon....too soon for some, not soon enough for others! Time to get your WISH LIST updated on the things you want to make sure GO RIGHT for your Child this coming school year!

Close your eyes and start typing out what you know your Child can and should be able to do in a year from now....with help from teachers and school of course! This is my annual ritual I do for my daughter, I ponder on what my hopes and dreams are for her to be able to accomplish in a school year. I take from those and try to get them inserted as her new updated IEP goals for the coming year.

Creating 'the plan'....the plan of action so that what did or did not happen last year doesn't happen all over again if it wasn't the right things. A new school year is before us, a clean slate to start on. Who will her teacher be, still don't know, how will it be now that her school will be doing the new 'departmentalizing' of all 3rd to 5th graders, all changing classes every hour just like in middle school. How is this going to work out for my little girl that could possibly have 'transition problems'....but then again...maybe she will do just fine. How will all the different teachers accommodate her in each of their classrooms? So many concerns for a little girl that already has a hard enough time 'keeping up' let alone needing to change gears with a different teacher every hour! How will each of the teachers teach her? Will she be in the back of each of the classrooms with her aide doing all the 'teaching'? That is not what inclusion is suppose to look like. I so hope all of the teachers embrace my little girl and her unique learning style and will allow for good collaboration between all of us involved.

So get out those IEPs and look them over, cross out with a big black marker the goals that are not ACADEMICALLY strong enough to help your Child learn how to READ and do MATH and all the other academically sound standards that you know your Child should and could be able to do a year from now. Get back to basics and make sure your Childs IEP goals TEACH ACADEMICS this year!

Collabortion and communication is the key to a successful school year for sure! Looking forward to a new school year and leaving last years behind.....!

Schools try to make progress while addressing special-needs students

The Gainesville school system is appealing the analyses of two special-needs students who were evaluated by the alternate assessment, Macken said. If the state Department of Education grants just one of the appeals, Gainesville Middle will be granted AYP status in the second determination to be made this fall.

Kathy Culver, Hall’s special education director, said she’s hopeful the state will adopt a third assessment for students with mild disabilities. She said the test is on the horizon and would more closely match the intellectual capability of that "2 percent group."
"We all want to be measured on what’s appropriate for us," she said.

*click link below to read full article:
Schools try to make progress while addressing special-needs students

Daughter of Murdered 'Super Parents'...

Daughter of Murdered 'Super Parents'...

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Blatant Socially Accepted Discrimination @ SUMMER READING CAMP?

Blatant Socially Accepted Discrimination @ SUMMER READING CAMP?

Blatant Socially Accepted Discrimination
3rd Grade Reading Camp June 22 - July 24, 2009
Riversand Elementary School - Broward School District FLORIDA

*Yesterday I received a phone call from Mariah's 3rd grade reading camp teacher, his name is Mr.R. He has such a nice strong friendly articulate voice and was glad to meet me, asked me if I was still planning having Mariah attend the 3rd grade reading camp. To be honest I completely had forgotten and hadn't logged the date and times into my fancy iPhone calendar to remind me! Of course I was still planning on Mariah attending the 3rd grade reading camp I told him...we talked on the phone a bit as I had lots of questions for him. He has this wonderful booming voice that just makes you want to sit and listen to him, as I was listening to him on the phone, I was envisioning how my daughter would like him and how his strong voice was going to be a positive influence on her for the few short weeks that this 3rd grade reading camp is for. He has that kind of "wonderful story telling voice" that would make anyone want to sit and listen to him read them a story!

After a little bit of a conversation on what the reading program is about and how it is presented to the students, I just knew this was going to be a positive experience for my daughter. I told him about the Headsprout reading program www.headsprout.com Mariah has been using since the 1st grade at home and how she has been accessing the Odyssey program aka the Compass Learning Odyssey Online Program her entire 3rd grade year. http://compasslearningodyssey.broward.k12.fl.us/childu/index.html I also mentioned that her ESY was just a 'home packet' this summer, instead of her attending the Extended School Year program aka ESY. Telling him how she is very computer literate and enjoys using several computer and online reading programs that documents her academic progress. He was thrilled to hear how involved I have been in working with my Child and at one point even suggested that maybe she didn't need to attend the reading camp! Oh...no...she WANTS to attend school and meet new 'friends' and go to a new school for the summer....I was flattered he thought that I was 'doing all I can' to help my daughter learn to read..that's when I asked him if he knew she had Down syndrome..."no", he said he did not know that...well of course he didn't...that doesn't need to be written all over her paperwork to attend! He didn't seem to be too overly concerned about it, so we moved on with our conversation. Brain Pop Jr. is another wonderful online program that Mariah really likes too. www.brainpopjr.com

I gave him some more information on the home reading programs Mariah has been using. Told him I would send in a few of her little books that can be printed out from the Headsprout program just so he could see and get an idea on what she is using. I asked him for his email so he could be sent email updates after she completes a lesson, he agreed and gave me his email. He said it would be good and was looking forward to meeting Mariah in the morning at school. I told Mariah about her going to school in the morning, she was happy and excited about meeting her new teacher and making some new friends.

Mariah and I woke up wayyyyy too early for a 'summer vacation day'....the alarm went off at 6:15AM. The coffee was brewing, we both got dressed, brushed our teeth, combed our hair and I poured my cup of coffee and out the door we skedaddled into the wet overcast morning to the car...looks like a long raining day today! Mariah was very excited to be going a different way in the car and to a "new school". I told her this was the school that her brother James went to and her Aunt Barbie did too! That made her so happy to know her brother James went to this same school! The things that make her smile!

We were one of the first to be out front of the school so early! A lady came out and even commented how early a few of us were and directed me to go to the office since today was her first day. We went to the office, met the nice office ladies and had a nice chit chat with them and were directed to go to the cafeteria for the breakfast. We didn't get any 'slip of yellow paper' with her name or teacher info on it at that time, but now know in hindsight that's what I was suppose to receive from those nice office ladies.

We went to the cafeteria and got in the breakfast line, she put the few breakfast items on her tray, of course I had to let the kitchen staff know that she can't have milk, so she got the dry cereal, applesauce and biscuits with jelly. We found our way to the table and met some of the other students and enjoyed some conversation. Mariah was quiet and slowly was eating her breakfast, when she was done she threw her stuff away and then went to sit at the table that had her teacher's name on it...we looked for Mr.R's name card on a table and sat down with the other students.

Other parents were waiting with some of their Children until it was time for them to go to class, so I stuck around and waited too. Mariah was so excited to be there and sat waiting like everyone else...a little anxious for the start of a new 'school day'! Everyone was just waiting for 7:45AM...then I saw a previous years ESY Principal Ms.L, she recognized me too and said, hi to me from across the room and then the same lady that met us outside the school when we first got there, came up to the table that Mariah was sitting at and started talking to Ms.L and said something like why was Mariah sitting there isn't she suppose to be in Ms.T's class, not Mr. R's class? I spoke to Mr.R and knew who the teacher that was assigned to her was and it was NOT Ms.T! This was all so odd the way this person was talking about which teacher Mariah was suppose to have!...I even said to her, "no she's not in Ms.T's class...she's in Mr.R's classroom, we spoke on the phone yesterday!" She strongly stated that I needed to "step outside' with her.......what??? I needed to step outside with her?! This sounded like she was looking to fight with me by the tone of her voice and the stern look on her face!Ok....I followed these two women just outside the cafeteria doors and the discussion went like this....The lady that was a tad stern with me, started telling me in a confrontational tone that my daughter was suppose to be in Ms.T's ESY classroom! Ms.L was standing right next to this lady that I had no idea who she was, but she obviously was a person in authority...I am guessing now that maybe she the summer school Principal??...there was no introduction or shaking of hands....like when I met Mr.R for the first time in the front office a moment ago...no decent polite respect for one adult to another....she was trying to pull the rug out from under my daughters right to ATTEND THE 3rd GRADE READING CAMP...right now and right here!!

There was an intense exchange of words from this person that I still had no idea who she was or why she was acting so out of line and somewhat mad about the fact that Mariah was in Mr.R's reading camp classroom! She said several times something about Mariah's reading level and what is BEST FOR THE CHILD...and what was her reading level? That is where I looked at Ms.L, who I do know and she is somewhat familiar with my daughter, but does NOT know my daughters reading levels or anything about her other than she is a student with Down syndrome that attended an ESY school that she was the Principal of a few years back...neither one of these women know my daughter at all....and yet here I am on our first day of 3rd GRADE READING CAMP and I now part of a conversation that sounds just a tad confrontational to me in the fact that she is 'in the wrong program' and that "we" needed to do what was going to be in the "best interest of her".....absolutely...I agreed and absolutely want what's best for Mariah more than these two will ever know!!!...Gosh....I didn't know I would have to wake up so early only to be met with such a 'resistant combative person' over my daughter attending A 3RD GRADE READING CAMP?!

The person that was being confrontational to me, finally told me, "SHE IS THE Principal of THIS program and if she NEEDS to be IN ESY than that is where she will be attending!".....I calmly said that my daughters ESY "program" is a HOME PACKET that included the Odyssey computer program and that it is NOT written on her IEP that she attend an ESY 'site', but just a 'home packet'....which is the computer academic program. I had to remind "this Principal"...who I still did not know her name....I had to remind her that it was an IEP team decision that she have a "home packet' for ESY this year. I asked her, "why was she being so confrontational with me on this", she said she didn't believe she was!! Is this how professional Principals 'meet' parents on the first & second day of school? She was so rude and disrespectful to me as another adult and especially as a parent bringing my child to school for the first time to attend the 3rd Grade Reading CAMP over the summer! We did talk about her IEP and what it says about her 'attending ESY'....I mentioned that if my daughter was put into the ESY program and not be part of the READING CAMP that I would file for a DUE PROCESS because what she was saying was wrong and I wasn't going to stand there and be BULLIED BY HER either! Mariah was signed up to attend the READING CAMP not ESY this year!

I had to walk away from this woman before I lost my composure as she was already showing towards me....I was shaking inside and had to feel good about leaving my precious little girl on this campus, to know that she was going to be safe and in the class she was suppose to be in! I walked away from 'this person' down the hallway a little bit and prayed a little prayer that I could stay calm and think clear. I turned around and went to go back into the cafeteria to stay with my daughter till it was time for her to go to class...all the other parents were still there...and I would be too!

I asked "the Principal" what was her name and she told me, "Ms. T". I reached out my hand to shake her hand and introduce myself...to start on a different foot? I dunno...don't think her 'mind-set' will ever change...as she seems to have the 'majority mind-set' of what many Principals and many General Education teachers still have today....I'd like to call it: BLATANT SOCIALLY ACCEPTED DISCRIMINATION!

Because my daughter has Down syndrome...she was being SINGLED OUT by this PRINCIPAL to NOT be part of the 3rd Grade Reading Camp today!!!...because why? She certainly didn't know my daughter AT ALL or her abilities...she certainly has never laid eyes on her IEP...her IEP was not part of this 3rd Grade Reading Camp! BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER "HAS THE LOOK"....SHE WANTED HER TO GO TO THE "SPECIAL ED CLASSROOM" WHICH WAS NOT PART OF THE 3RD GRADE READING CAMP PROGRAM!After I reached out to shake her hand, I asked what is her name, she told me, "T". I asked her what was the READING PROGRAM they would be using in the ESY Program? She said she didn't know anything about ESY!!! (...and she has been standing there saying that's where my daughter is suppose to be and she doesn't know anything about what curriculum they use in ESY for reading?!) She earlier had asked me 'what level' was my daughter in reading and my reply was that she was, "BELOW GRADE LEVEL" that's why she's here for the reading camp! I asked, "if all these students were reading on grade level?" "Of course they're not...that's why they are all here attending this reading program!" "...well that is why my daughter is here too!" "...and what was the reading program they would be using?"..."a district approved reading program"...I asked, "if I could see how the program works so that I can have a better idea on what would be BEST for my Child...." She said, "I could observe anytime." I will absolutely be coming for a few visits to see how this wonderful "district approved reading program is being delivered to MY GIRL"...also just to make sure she is in the correct classroom with Mr.R!

Why do some school administrators have to act the way they do because of their own outdated thinking? Ok...so now what....how is a mother suppose to feel at this point? It's not even 7:30AM in the morning and I have already been asked to, "step outside"....almost sounded and felt like a bar room brawl was about to happen to me!...the way she asked me to "step outside"! Dang...what is with people anymore...where is the decent human respect for one another? My daughter and myself didn't do anything to be 'singled out' and be treated with such BLATANT DISCRIMINATION to have my daughter attend the 3rd GRADE READING CAMP!!! She is allowed to be there like any other Child!!...SO WHAT SHE HAS DOWN SYNDROME!!! SO WHAT!!???

My daughter was so excited to GO TO SCHOOL today! I was excited for her and to have her be part of a wonderful READING PROGRAM with a new teacher that had called and talked to me on the phone the night before...he's the new teacher that I was looking forward to meeting and getting to know. He's the teacher with the wonderful voice...he's a teacher that has been teaching for years and enjoys teaching Children how to read! He had already told me it was a small group of about 7 students that showed up on the first day and he was looking forward to meeting my daughter. He knows I am working with her at home and she is using the Odyssey computer program...he even said to me...."you seem to be pretty involved with helping her, maybe your daughter doesn't need to attend the program, since you are doing so much with her at home already."... Mariah loves going to school and being around new people, she likes to make new friends. She wants and needs all the extra help she can get, especially in regards to reading....all academics really...as she needs all the opportunities available to her to help her be her personal best!

Mariah loves books, she is learning to read and reading simple stories independently. She just needs those in the teaching profession to BELIEVE IN HER and provide her with whatever it takes to help her move to the next level........to automatically say that a person is suppose to be in a certain classroom because of 'how they look'...or because of a certain type of disability...is wrong and society...our schools are a 'society'....our Principals and teachers are part of that school society....they need to STOP THE BLATANT SOCIALLY ACCEPTED DISCRIMINATION that continues to happen everyday...student after student....MY CHILD HAS A RIGHT TO BE....a right to be taught how to read, a right to be included in general education classrooms, a right to attend whatever program everyone else attends, a right to participate in extracurricular programs and clubs, a right to a FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION and more than anything a right to be RESPECTED!!!Show some respect to not only my daughter....but to all those parents that are raising beautiful Children that 'need a little extra' BELIEF in them that they CAN DO...what everyone else can do...just give em the chance and be respectful of their RIGHTS!I picked up Mariah at noon, she was standing next to Mr.R her wonderful summer reading camp teacher! He is friendly, nice and more than anything...he is respectful! I like that in a teacher especially!

Thank you Mr.R for making Mariah HaPpY today!!...by INCLUDING her in your class today...she LOVES her new class, her new teacher and her new school...for the summer!

Tuesday June 23rd, 2009Nancy Linley-HarrisParent and Inclusion Advocate for my daughter Mariah

*Actual names of those involved in my stories are changed, the name of the school I change to be a made up school name. I do post the name of the district the story took place. I can use my own daughters name, because she is my daughter and this is her BLOG. Please post comments if you have a similar story or can relate, would love to know what you think! If you have a similar story that you would like to see posted to my BLOG send me an email at: podsangels@bellsouth.net

Walking OUT of the IEP meeting!!!!

Yup...getting up and WALKING OUT!!!...if you're feeling the disconnect and you KNOW your PARENT INPUT isn't being heard by the IEP 'team'....(btw...the word team...does that mean opposite sides and 2 different teams?...or all on the 'same team' working together???)....then by all means try to salvage what you can of 'the IEP document' that is good and DISAGREE with what you do not believe to be right! GET UP AND LEAVE!

Yes they can continue to finish creating THEIR document..because at that point if parents aren't being 'heard' and their input isn't being considered important..then why be part of something that isn't what you believe to be in the best interest of YOUR CHILD?!

I was given a little GOLD NUGGET PIECE OF ADVICE from a dear friend when I was just learning 'the ropes' of advocating for my daughter when she was just a little iddy biddy CUTE 3 year old...did I say little iddy biddy? She was severely delayed in her COMMUNICATION SKILLS...and all I wanted was some 'speech therapy' for my little iddy biddy. That is all I wanted at that time, after all when she was receiving EARLY INTERVENTION THERAPIES...she had been receiving ST 4 hours a week, she was also receiving OT 3 times a week and PT 2 times a week! *Today...a child will be lucky to receive 'something' once a month!!!!! Yup times sure have changed in 9-10 years time! When my daughter went 'under the umbrella of DOE at 3 years old...SHE GOT NOTHING!!!! Nadda...ziltz...N O T H I N G!!...was I upset?...was I livid?...was I concerned for my daughters progess? ABSOLUTELY!!

...what was THE GOLD NUGGET PIECE OF ADVICE?....
If you are involved in putting together your son or daughters IEP..and things are going smoothly and just going along nicely, no problems keep it going and finish it. But if there comes a time during the meeting if you feel you are overwhelmed with the amount of 'new information' you have to take in at these often times very intimidating IEP meetings for parents new to the system aka newbies then its ok to ask to take a break and ask for the DRAFT of what has been accomplished 'so far'...and CONTINUE IT AT ANOTHER DATE and TIME. IT'S OK TO SAY...time out and let's finish this up next week or whenever is good for everyone.

What IF, you start to feel YOUR PARENT INPUT IS NOT BEING CONSIDERED and your voice isn't being heard and your concerns aren't being taken into consideration on the decisions being made at these meetings...then you can say; "I'd like to STOP THE MEETING RIGHT NOW"...which means screech...the meeting STOPS DEAD COLD and everything is CANCELLED ERASED like a meeting was never held! So all the 'hard work' everyone has done up to that point is like it all never happened and the original IEP document is still in place!

I have used this several times, have shared this little gold nugget with others I have met over the years...it works like magic every time!

Today....the parent I was helping today, felt that no matter what...his concerns were, he was not being heard and he felt 'bullied' to just GO ALONG WITH WHAT "THE TEAM" was FORCEABLY going to do NO MATTER what!! The principal in this case and in MOST cases...takes a stand on just how and where they want 'those students' to receive ESE Services and the entire 'team' absolutely has to do what that principal DICTATES! Bottom line...it is never a COLLABORATIVE TEAM DECISION...but a PRE DECIDED DECISION that is made by 'the Administrator'...THE BOSS of all those sitting around the IEP TEAM TABLE!

Does this sound like one of your IEP 'team' meetings? Don't be too alarmed...it is happening across the nation! EVERY DAY...decisions are being made about OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION that is really not about 'the Child' at all and many of y0u are learning that it is also not about what YOU WANT FOR YOUR CHILD...it's about how that Principal wants to 'run their business' of running YOUR CHILD'S SCHOOL...your tax dollars, state and federal dollars....yup...it's all about THE MONEY!...and of course the school 'grade'!

If you have to...GET UP AND WALK OUT! The message that sends is: we are NOT AGREEING here and I'm not going to sit here and be part of this nonsense any longer! Be prepared to file for a Due Process!

Mediation can be a fair and easy way to work out the kinks of not agreeing. STATE MEDIATION....don't ever do a local conflict resolution, that just does NOT make sense to me how anyone that gets paid by the very district you are in disagreement with can be fair and a good mediator! Don't do it! Find out the difference in the two and understand why it could never be a fair 'mediation' process to help iron out differences.

YEAH....'a dad' did it today...he had enough and WALKED OUT! Proud of you 'dad'!

See Wrightslaw for more advocacy 'training'!
www.wrightslaw.com

FCAT or Alternate Assessment....which...

When is the best time to DECIDE which STATE ASSESSMENT TEST is best for your Child? Oh the decisions we have to make for our Children and their education. No one ever told us all this Special Education stuff would require us parents to make these kinds of decisions that will mean getting a REAL Diploma or a Special Diploma.

When is the best time to make the decision to go alternate or to take the regular FCAT?...THIS is the question of the day!

At my own daughters IEP when she was in KINDERGARTEN the 'IEP team' had the discussion: if she should be on the Regular Diploma track or the Special Ed Diploma track! Being the 'mom' to this little Kindergarten Child they all were referring to IF she should get a real diploma or not, I was having heat flashes of NO NO NO they aren't talking about MY GIRL not getting a high school diploma here are they?! I was mortified that such an IMPORTANT life changing decision could or should be even considered at such a young age! Why in Kindergarten..at 5 or 6 years old would my daughters IEP team think they knew enough about her to even know if she would be 'capable' or not of learning 'academics' like the other students in her Kindergarten class?

Well of course in Kindergarten no student is taking 'the FCAT'...so it wasn't a real issue at that point in time...but each year at her ANNUAL IEP the 4 QUESTIONS would be asked during the meeting and each year I felt that I had to STAND MY GROUND that yes she was capable of doing well in her ADAPTIVE SKILLS and WAS CAPABLE of things age appropriate. *Funny (actually very sad) how these "IEP TEAM" people sit around IEP table after IEP table facing parents that are raising wonderful Children and doing the best they can to help their Child acquire skills that will help them be as independent as possible...and yet without batting an eyelash...they can 'recommend' so easily that they will be on an ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT and earn a SPECIAL DIPLOMA...because why...are "they" really in a position to make that kind of MAJOR DECISION for a PERSON at such a young age? Do these kinds of decisions REALLY need to be made when a Child is just 5 & 6 years old?

I just wish that ALL STUDENTS were given a FAIR SHAKE at TAKING THE FCAT the 1st time and a 2nd time and as many times at it takes to give them a FAIR SHAKE! If a student FAILS the FCAT...they get INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS to help them do better on the next State Exams. Schools should be teaching ALL STUDENTS TO READ AND WRITE AND DO MATH, and that includes students receiving special education services! They need MORE INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS and extra help!

Do ALL STUDENTS PASS THE FCAT? NO.....do some students need extra help? Absolutely!! Are students that have an IEP and have an ELIGIBILITY to receive Special Ed Supports & Services really being PUSHED to learn to read and write? I think MORE CAN BE PROVIDED in the way of INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS...the same interventions that are provided to students that don't pass the FCAT! It doesn't even have to be 'special ed'...it needs to be INTENSIVE...and what about RtI...?? (Response to Intervention) RtI is something that has been in place for a couple of years now....still haven't heard of anyone actually DOING IT for our students...and why is that?...no training...or no interest in understanding what RtI actually is and how it's suppose to work for those students AT RISK!

Alternate Assessment or FCAT...which is it?...if a student is on Alt. Ass...how many teachers and principals believe that because a student is on Alt. Ass that they can't be fully included in a General Education Classroom? I do know that if a student is on the Alt. Ass. that it's NOT a reason to not be educated in a General Education classroom!

If more students receiving Special Ed services were given the opportunity to receive INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS in READING AND MATH EARLY and everyone did their part in helping students really learn academics EARLY...more students would be learning and passing State Exams and showing progress in all areas of academics.

Do I think the FCAT is a good thing?...yes and no....it does help with accountability...but when so many of 'our kiddo's' are put on the ALTERNATE ASSESSMENTS at such an early age...it doesn't help that student...it lowers the expectations for that student and it certainly lets teachers and schools 'off the hook' in providing INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS to help them read and do math! I don't agree with putting so many on the Alt. Ass. at such a young age...everyone should be provided with HIGH EXPECTATIONS TO LEARN and be provided any and all the extra help that it takes to get ALL STUDENTS TO READ AND WRITE.

What are you comments on this? Would love to have a discussion on 'the expectations'...or lack of them...I expect my daughter to be taught to read...I expect her to need extra help, I expect she will be a good reader...someday...she needs INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS...just like others that are below grade level and not passing the State exams to measure how she is doing and how 'the school is doing'.....ahh...how is the school doing...isn't that what it's really all about? ...and if we have YOUR Child take the State exam and it brings the 'school grade' down....oh well...just push to get em on the ALTERNATE ASSESMENT and then it won't matter anymore...the students on Alt. Ass. don't have anything to do with 'how the school is doing' anymore...that takes care of that problem!

Special Diploma....I hate how it looks and sounds...and what it stands for!! NOT MUCH!

ESY during summer break

ESY during summer break...

Does everyone know what ESY is? It's 'like' summer school for special ed. The IEP goals a student works on during the school year are carried over into the ESY program. It is only for a few short weeks and this year in Broward it is possible it will only be for 4 days instead of 5 days per week.

The PRIOITY GOALS that will continue to be worked on from the IEP are the things to be discussed at the ESY IEP meeting...this determines what supports and therapy services will be provided. Be sure to keep the speech and writing goals if you want to make sure your Child continues to receive ST & OT services. READING and WRITING are skills things that always need to be worked on...but your Child may need the Social Skills to continue to be worked on during ESY. It is individual and what is most important to you 'the parent'.

Some students get just 2 weeks or 3 weeks or the full 4-8 weeks of ESY, however long ESY actually goes on for. The amount of weeks and times a student attends ESY depends on what the IEP team decides would be best for a particular student. The amount of 'therapies' the student receives during the regular school year are provided during ESY but many times at a much reduced time...the therapy times can not be MORE THAN what is provided during the school year...and many times is way LESS THAN. If everyone would look up the policies in place in the your State and your District, I believe it specifies that the therapy times do not have to be drastically reduced but can not be MORE THAN. This seems to always be the bone of contention at the ESY IEP meetings...how much therapy will our Child actually receive during ESY.

If you want to know more about ESY and what it all about and what it is suppose to 'look like'....be sure to read your State Special Ed Rules and your local school district policies and guidelines for this program. Reading Federal, State and Local Special Ed Rules is a good practice all of us should be doing anyway!

My daughter has attended the ESY Program here in Broward for the past 4 years. I have even gone a couple of times to OBSERVE the class she was in so that I was confident that it was the right thing to provide to her. I have always been delighted and impressed with what I observed. Taking the time to get to know the ESY Program is a good thing if you want to have your Child attend. Don't say yes or no to something if you truely don't know anything about it.

ESY is a good thing for our students that need that extra so they don't forget or loose skills that were gained from the school year.

How many of you have your ESY IEP coming up? Read all you can get your hands on knowing as much as you can about this 'support' that is available to our Children.

ESY is a good thing!

NO MORE - EMH-TMH-PMH !!!!! Hooray!!!
*Parents need to know this NEW RULE CHANGE like the back of their hand and understand what it is REALLY SAYING..especially 'the SAMPLE WORKSHEET' on the last page! This is now in effect and will have to do with many of our Children with Developmental Disabilities especially those with Down syndrome!

Contact FL DOE if you have any questions about it, be sure to really take the time to READ AND UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS SAYING...this is the main FL DOE RULE THAT becomes 'the label' aka ELIGIBILITY for our Children to receive ESE Special Education Services!

Instead of your Child being "called" for example: TRAINABLE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED aka TMH your Child would now be identified as InD eligible on their IEP Document. (Or EMH=Educationally Mentally Handicapped or PMH=Profound Mentally Handicapped)

The Department of Education has issued the following memorandum regarding the DPS:2009-014 Questions and Answers: Rule 6A-6.03011, Florida Administrative Code (FAC.), Exceptional Student Eligibility for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. The memorandum may be viewed at: http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5296/dps-2009-014.pdf
PRINT OUT READ AND REREAD THIS TILL YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS NEW ESE RULE CHANGE IS REALLY SAYING! (*Mark it up with pencil like it's a college textbook!)

*I was invited and was part of the rewriting of this ESE Rule change and have a personal passion to make sure it serves our families correctly!

Slide Show from Holiday Party 2008

PODS Angels Holiday Party 2008 Pictures
Photography by Nancy Harris

Bradley's name was NOT on the list...

Bradley's name was NOT on the list....
My grandson, Bradley, is an awesome kid. He brings great joy into my life. He is eight years old, attends first grade and he just happens to have Down syndrome. Today his mother and I attended his class Valentine's Party. When I arrived after her, I could tell his mother was very upset. She leaned over and showed me that he had only received three Valentines and also shared that when she arrived his teacher said that she (the teacher) had passed out all his valentines for him. Bradley also did not receive a bag of goodies that had been put together by the classroom mom. Bradley was very excited about the party---just like all the other children.

My daughter talked to a couple of the other mothers and found out that Bradley's name was not on the list that was sent home. The class list was not sent home with Bradley or my daughter would have caught the error. My daughter got a list of students from the school web site so she could help Bradley prepare his Valentines. His name was on that list. I know his teacher personally so I called her tonight with my daughter's permission. She said, "it was an accident"---"someone must have interrupted me when I was typing it"---she said this very matter-of-factly and without feeling. She said she was sorry it happened. She also said that she passed out Bradley's Valentines because "he was out of the classroom when the children exchanged cards."

What do you think the teacher should do? Anything? I don't want to be petty, but this is a Child. It would bother me if it happened to any child. Thank you for sharing your ideas. Bradley seemed to handle it okay, but his speech is very limited, and my daughter was too upset to stay for the whole party. I ran to the parties of two other grandchildren.
Jeanne - Bradley's Grandma

*The above story is a TRUE STORY that was just emailed to me by a friend that is in contact with this family. Permission to post full story here has been granted by Grandma. *(Names have been changed)

Please post your comment here on this blog and let it be known how YOU would react if you were Bradley's mother or grandmother and this happened to someone YOU LOVE ON VALENTINE'S DAY!?!?

Personally....
I feel this teacher is an uncaring idiot and acted shamefully and needs to know that what she pulled off will NOT GO UNOTICED or tolerated by those we entrust our Children to everyday at our schools! Teachers if you are reading this...and you have 'an attitude' towards any of your students which are our precious Children...WAKE UP and get it together and BE RESPECTFUL towards each and everyone of your students! Shame on some you for the attitudes you have towards our "babies!!"

Inclusion...it's really basically simple!

Inclusion...it's really basically simple! If those that teach would just be more open to the possibilities...the possibilities can be endless!! What is so wrong with being flexible to think-outside-of-the-box and try new ways in how today's classrooms are run and curriculum is 'delivered'...ALL can benefit when trying a different approach or teaching just a little bit differently than how things have always been done, especially if you have been teacher the same way for so long. TRY A NEW APPROACH with a new attitude about it! Inclusion...what is so wrong with wanting to create a truly inclusive environment...not just ONE CLASSROOM but entire school campuses!

I wish our principals and teachers understood more of why it's so important for EVERYONE to be included. Everyone wants to belong, everyone NEEDS to feel they belong but because some are born with something that makes them look or act or think differently than the majority, is not a reason not to be 'allowed' what everyone else is allowed...freedom, it's now a basic CIVIL RIGHT to be allowed! They have to live with the fact that out there in the real world they will be looked at with stares, treated differently, treated unfairly and bullied. Ignored and overlooked...etc...lots of negative 'things people do' to make others feel bad and left out.

At our schools...gosh, why can't INCLUSION be the norm and encouraged to be practiced? With all the Character Education 'curriculum' that is used today to teach how to treat others...inclusion if allowed...would do that!

Seems everyone has their own idea on what Inclusion is or is not...What do you think about Inclusion in our schools?

I will be posting more on Inclusion thoughts...stay tuned....subscribe to this blog!

Your Child's IEP Goals Should Be To Succeed In Regular Education

Your Child's IEP Goals Should Be To Succeed In Regular Education
http://www.concordspedpac.org/articles/RM-Your%20Child%27s%20IEP%20Goals%20Should%20Be%20To%20Succeed%20In%20Regular%20Education.pdf
*Click link for original article or copy & paste into new search window

Special Education Law Reed Martin, J.D.
Taken from Reed's manual: Getting Your Child's Regular Education Teachers
To Do What The Law Requires Them To Be Doing For Your Child

When your child's annual goals are related to academics that are objectively measurable,
the goal should be to raise the student to grade level equivalency -- just like any other
student in regular education. A common problem for many students with special needs,
as acknowledged by Congress in the 1997 IDEA, is the lowering of expectations by regular education teachers. Students are often allowed to progress at a slower rate so you should make sure the goal for your child is to achieve one grade level of growth for each year of instruction. If your child's disability makes that difficult then that is exactly what evaluation is to explore, it is exactly what the IEP committee is to discuss and it is exactly what the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development is required for -- to acquire and disseminate promising educational practices that will enable your child's teachers to attempt to enable your child to have the same rate of accomplishment as other children in the class. It is common to see regular education teachers expecting students with special needs to have a difficult time and to be performing below grade level. So if your child's evaluation shows a deficit, for example in reading of several years below the grade level of the rest of the class, then your goal should be more than one year's growth for one year of instruction -- it should be to get up to grade level. Your child has a right to the same goals and expectations of everyone else in regular education. Being behind in reading will drag your child behind in everything. Worse, being behind in a regular class can lead to teasing by other students in the class and that must be addressed as well. Recent federal court cases such as Leslie B. v. Winnacunnet Coop. Sch, Dist., 28 IDELR 271 (D.NH 1998) showed that regular education teachers could be liable, as well as the school district being liable, when a student is allowed to fall behind and allowed to be teased to the point that they can no longer attend school.
*Click on above link for complete article or copy & paste into a new search window.

Parents Can Sue School Officials Under Discrimination Laws by Pamela Darr Wright, MA, MSW & Peter W. D. Wright, Esq.

Supreme Court Issues Unanimous Decision in Fitzgerald v. Barnstable: Parents Can Sue School Officials Under Discrimination Laws by Pamela Darr Wright, MA, MSW & Peter W. D. Wright, Esq.1

A kindergarten girl, Jacqueline, was sexually harassed by a third-grade boy while riding the school bus. The child's parents brought this to the attention of school administrators immediately. The principal offered to transfer the child to another bus. Her parents asked the school to put a monitor on the bus or transfer the boy to another bus. When the school did not accept these alternatives, the parents drove their daughter to school for the rest of the year.

The police concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against the boy. The principal concluded there was insufficient evidence to warrant discipline.
Jacqueline continued to describe disturbing interactions with the boy for the remainder of the school year. Ultimately, she began missing school. Claiming that school officials did not make adequate efforts to protect their daughter, Jacqueline's parents filed suit in federal district court against the school's governing body, Barnstable School Committee, and the superintendent. Their complaint included a claim for violating Title IX of the Education Act Amendments and claims under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983. Claims Under Title IX and Section 1983 Claiming that school officials did not make adequate efforts to protect their daughter, Jacqueline's parents filed suit in federal district court against the school's governing body, Barnstable School Committee, and the superintendent. They alleged that the sexual harassment violated Title IX of the Education Act Amendments. The suit also alleged a violation of 42 USC 1983 which states that: "Every person who, under color of any (federal or state) statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage . . . subjects (someone to be deprived) of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured ... "

If a statute, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 USC 1400) provides a clear remedy for statutory violations, then the ability to sue under IDEA precludes an ability to sue using Section 1983.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE provided by: Wrightslaw.com COPY & PASTE below link directly into your search window to go to this link if you have trouble viewing the full article. http://www.wrightslaw.com/law/art/fitzgerald.barnstable.supct.htm

This is all so DISTURBING!!!!!!! A 3rd GRADER on the bus acting out of line with a little Kindergartner and THE SCHOOL offers to move the little girl to another bus and NOT do THE RIGHT THING?!! What are our PUBLIC SCHOOLS coming to? GOOD FAMILIES and our innocent children are the victims more and more today!!! WE ALL HAVE TO continue to make our schools ACTIONS & ADMINISTRATORS ACCOUNTABLE...our Children's lives & eductaions are at stake here! Thank you 'parents' of this little girl for paving the way for the rest of us!

Mediation!!!

Mediation!!! How many have attended one? If it's pertaining to your own Child it gets you to the CORE of your being! If you are attending to be supportive and be someone else's ADVOCATE it still gets to the CORE of your being...especially if you are FIGHTING FOR THE BASIC RIGHTS to have someone INCLUDED in what is everyone's basic right...to be ACCEPTED & INCLUDED into whatever and everything! THE LAW IS THE LAW...yet school after school, IEP 'team' after IEP 'team', PRINCIPAL after PRINCIPAL run their schools the way THEY WANT to run their schools and believe you me...there really are still so many more that DON'T believe or understand what INCLUSION really is, even today with so much technology available with YouTube, PowerPointPresentations, online web conferences etc...to help EDUCATE THE EDUCATORS and ADMINISTRATORS!

I do believe that MOST of our school districts today are run by HIGH PAYING 'Specialists' that are truly only specialized in keeping the doors shut on our kiddo's to benefit from being fully included into their classroom 'societies'...where in the real world...is there a 'special' or intensive or varying exceptionality PLACE ANYWHERE ELSE in our society today? Is there a SEGREGATED side of the lobby of the Bank that only certain people can go...how about a Special Wal-Mart or a Special Target? I don't get this OUT-DATED mind-set anymore..there is no excuse for it to still be common place and encouraged to be allowed anymore!

Mediation...is the beginning steps to a DUE PROCESS when we don't AGREE to what is being proposed at our Child's IEP meeting! Something that does have benefit! For one its a great place to lay your cards on the table and see how individuals really feel about 'those kids' and why....omg...you wouldn't believe the nonsense that is still going on in peoples minds!

Somehow...there has to be a way to EDUCATE those that run our districts DUE PROCESS departments...to educate the ones that ATTEND IEP's...teachers, Principals and just about all those that GET PAID from the money OUR KIDDO's BRING into their schools! Parents need to stand firm in their beliefs of what they KNOW TO BE BEST for their Children! Not enough will go to Due Process and stand firm in their beliefs...!

I am fired up and disgusted at how so many PRINCIPALS...because they are the ones that RUN THE SCHOOLS and for so long have been able to get away with spending our Children's GREEN MONEY the way they want...they have gotten so used to doing things the way they have always done...they aren't going to budge!

Mediation is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you just want to see how far you can get with a bigger opportunity to have a place where you can actually have a good COLLABORATION meeting to really lay every one's cards on the table and have a State Mediator facilitate...ALWAYS check off that you want STATE MEDIATION not the LOCAL CONFLICT resolution as the person that will be facilitating then would be a district paid employee!

Thank you for allowing me to help you with the good fight of FULL INCLUSION and looking forward to seeing things move forward into a more positive direction for you and especially for your little one!

Yahooo.....that meeting is over with!! What a ROLLER-COASTER RIDE of EMOTIONS!

*No names of Child is used, name of school is not used, to protect privacy. I will at times insert a MADE-UP STUDENT NAME & I could possibly MAKE UP A SCHOOL NAME in order to write what is really happening out there 'in the trenches' of Special Ed Advocacy and what many parents are really going thru 'out there' for the sake of EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.

My blog today is in response to a mom in an email she told me the school says her daughter HAS TO BE EVALUATED in order to see what services she would qualify for and in order for her to get an aide in Kindergarten!

Will she be attending the same school you are working at?...isn't that the school that has the cluster with 'all those kids'?? The school better not even TRY to think for a millisecond that they are going to try to get your little girl into anything other than "REGULAR" KINDERGARTEN...don't worry that she has to be 'tested all over the place or IQ'd' in order to go INTO KINDERGARTEN or to have the support of an AIDE!! NOT TRUE....and hey...what's the WORST that could happen IF she went INTO Kindergarten WITHOUT an aide...'they would GET ONE EVEN QUICKER' and the bottom line is they are responsible for keeping ALL of their LITTLE students SAFE! Don't you worry...do not set a date for anything BUT an IEP to determine ESY for this summer....and unless she needs her ANNUAL IEP to update for her year while IN Kindergarten, that is when you would request an INTERIM! That is thee only reason you would need an IEP...UNLESS she has not had something done in 3 years since the original EVALUATION...which I do not believe it's been 3 years since her original evaluation, she's just 4 turning 5 soon isn't she??...and just deny them to IQ test her no matter what up until almost the day before she turns 6 years old...ok not exactly 6 years old but at 5 years 9-10 months old PERIOD! This is MY suggestion anyway...other than that always get your IEP updated at an INTERIM IEP to make 'adjustments' to something that you have a concern about...that's it in a nutshell...if she is 5 years old before September 1st and unless she has a really significant disability..and I really don't believe that her having DOWN SYNDROME is a significant disabilitiy..it's actually one of the more 'common' ones...it is NOT a reason to deny her access to GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS with Supports and Services she will need to be successful in her Gen.Ed class!

Good luck and let me know how things go and if you need me to attend the next IEP meeting with you...you know "YOUR GIRL IS MY GIRL when it comes to getting her all the help she needs at school to help her!

This is going on THIS WEEK for this mom and her trying to do what's best for her little sweetie!