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Dec 15, 2006 8:54:36 GMT -5
Post by sweetpea on Dec 15, 2006 8:54:36 GMT -5
Hello all. I'm new here and need to vent. My ds 11 dx ADHD. Has had iep since 3rd grade. Tuesday i get a letter in the mail that they will be having a iep meeting on Thursday. What the heck that gives me one day to prepare. I call the spec ed teacher shes says its just a reval, Ok thats fine its been 3 yrs since hes been tested. So i go to this meeting. The math teacher comes in and the team proceeds to ask him how my son is doing. He starts out with well he has 10 assignments missing. I said WHAT!! Couldn't you tell me when it was like 3 or 4 missing. I just told him he could have called me and let me know he was that far behind. He has called me before to tell me that my son talks way toooo much and he doesn't stayed seated, he tappes his pencil. All the stuff that i have heard from every teacher since hes been 2 and started school. So i ask this math teacher for a math book that i can take home (cuz my son doesn't bring his book home) so i can make sure he gets this done. He actually gave me one. All the other teachers i have asked for books to keep home said they don't have enough. My son did 6 assignments last night. So i was happy he got some done. I asked him if he wanted to do them now or do them over Christmas break. He said he would rather get it done befor. They did except him into spec ed for another 3 years and i will be having a meeting with the spec ed teacher to do accommodations and goal and objectives. I am just lucky she does so well with him. He just loves her. She is in 4 of his 6 classes. I'm sorry this is so long. I'm just frustrated, sometimes i don't know what to do with him.
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Dec 15, 2006 9:27:34 GMT -5
Post by misty on Dec 15, 2006 9:27:34 GMT -5
Thats uncalled for! The teacher should've clued you in before the missing assignment count was so high! Do they use daily planners at your son's school? My daughter's school does & her teacher has agreed to make a note to me in Shannon's when she sees assignments missing. I also give my email address to all her teachers so they can reach me easily with pertinent info. If you want books for all his classes, try going to the principal instead of each individual teacher. When Shannon was in 4th grade I did that & they complied. Only one book couldn't be sent. It was a workbook & the school let me use their copier to make copies of the next few chapters....I did that a few times during the school year. I also made copies of all her spelling word lists so we could study them at home without her excuse of forgetting to bring the list home. By the way,
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Dec 15, 2006 10:27:24 GMT -5
Post by puzzled on Dec 15, 2006 10:27:24 GMT -5
That is what I did...didn't even ask the teachers..went straight to the principal, and got the books that same day! He went around and collected them up for me...
My son has no IEP, or 504...so far it is working for me..and his grades are so high I think that I would have difficulty getting anything like that for him, so I just keep asking teachers, and the principal when accomodations are needed. Maybe because it is a small school system, they are more willing to help...I am not sure..
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Dec 15, 2006 10:36:40 GMT -5
Post by sweetpea on Dec 15, 2006 10:36:40 GMT -5
Thanks Misty and Puzzled. Today they are starting a daily planner. From what i understand he has to take it to every class. It has different things to be checked off (example- daily work turned in, if he has homework that needs to be completed, and a comment section for the teacher) we will see how it goes. I will be expecting it after school. I think i might go to see the principal today to see if i can get the rest of the books. We are in a big district and always hear we have no money for this or that.. Thanks for the warm welcomes..
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Dec 15, 2006 10:51:48 GMT -5
Post by Charlie Girl on Dec 15, 2006 10:51:48 GMT -5
sweatpea, The school can't use not having money as an excuse for denying your son anything if its really needed. They do get government funding specifically for ensuring that every child receives a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). If you find that he is falling further behind because of his disability and know that something specific will enable him to keep up, you have the right to call an IEP meeting yourself and request that he receive whatever it may be. If his only diagnosis is ADHD and there are no comorbids, he should be ok with accomodations and not need expensive equipment. If you want to tell us of your concerns we can let you know what we have found that helps our ADHDers. I'm glad to see the school does seem to care and are willing to work with you to help him. When they try to schedule an IEP meeting and don't give you enough time to prepare, you can notify them that you need more time. They have to try to accomodate your schedule and not cause a great hardship for you or make it impossible for you to be there.
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Dec 15, 2006 11:16:44 GMT -5
Post by jj on Dec 15, 2006 11:16:44 GMT -5
I really don't have anything to add to what Misty, Charliegirl, and Puzzled posted. However, I did want to say it is great having you join us and anytime you need to vent, we'll be here.
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Dec 15, 2006 13:34:57 GMT -5
Post by sweetpea on Dec 15, 2006 13:34:57 GMT -5
Charlie Girl. My son was dx with mood disorder also. But i haven't seen any depression in the last couple of months. He does go to counseling outside of school. He will have a new pshy, but cant get into her until Feb. I did not cancel the iep meeting becuz i was told it was just to see if he was to qualify for spec ed for another 3 yrs. Otherwise if it was about what was going to be in the iep or accommodations i would of defiantly canceled. The special ed teacher is going to set up another meeting for us to go over that stuff. My concerns with my son are he is very hyper. Also he does take Focalin xr they just upped the dose today to 25mg. He really cant or doesn't concentrate. At school ive told a couple of teachers they need to sit him up front by them. I was told they have 20 other kids that need to sit up front also. That kinda just ticked me off. I understand they have alot of children with problems but dang they are asking me what they should do.. He talks all the time. Every report card i have, there is a negative mark next to excessive talking. I really haven't figured out what to do about that. Ive told them i cant send him in school with tape over his mouth..LOL Hes pretty much always fidgety. Doesn't really sit still. Unless hes at his computer. At the moment thats about all i can think of right now.. JJ- Thanks for the welcome and letting me vent...
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Dec 15, 2006 13:47:56 GMT -5
Post by Charlie Girl on Dec 15, 2006 13:47:56 GMT -5
Charlie Girl. My son was dx with mood disorder also. But i haven't seen any depression in the last couple of months. He does go to counseling outside of school. He will have a new pshy, but cant get into her until Feb. I did not cancel the iep meeting becuz i was told it was just to see if he was to qualify for spec ed for another 3 yrs. Otherwise if it was about what was going to be in the iep or accommodations i would of defiantly canceled. The special ed teacher is going to set up another meeting for us to go over that stuff. My concerns with my son are he is very hyper. Also he does take Focalin xr they just upped the dose today to 25mg. He really cant or doesn't concentrate. At school ive told a couple of teachers they need to sit him up front by them. You can have that put in his IEP so they would have to put him there. As an adult ADHDer, I can assure you he can't concentrate. He can learn to control his focus considerably but he has to work at it and the teacher has to help him by reminding him to get back on task. The chances of him ever having the same control as that of a non ADHDer are slim.I was told they have 20 other kids that need to sit up front also. That kinda just ticked me off. I understand they have alot of children with problems but dang they are asking me what they should do.. He talks all the time. Every report card i have, there is a negative mark next to excessive talking. I really haven't figured out what to do about that. Ive told them i cant send him in school with tape over his mouth..LOL There are a coupld of things the teacher can do to cut down on that. She can seat him next to children who won't pay any attention or will tell him to be quiet or she can arrange seating so he doesn't have anyone nearby to talk to.Hes pretty much always fidgety. Doesn't really sit still. Unless hes at his computer. At the moment thats about all i can think of right now.. JJ- Thanks for the welcome and letting me vent... Here are a couple of great articles of things teachers can do when teaching an ADHD child. www.caminomedicalgroup.com/adhd/teacher_tips.html www.ourspecialkids.org/teachers1.htmlYou can go over it and see what might be good for your son. You could even print it and give a copy to the teacher so she has it for a reference in the future.
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Dec 15, 2006 15:25:49 GMT -5
Post by unicorn-tiff'smom on Dec 15, 2006 15:25:49 GMT -5
sweetpea - I too as puzzled, do have an IEP or 504 in place for my daughter. She hasn't needed one yet, but I did ask for some textbooks for home at the beginning of the year and did get them. We have a planner too that is used daily. What they came up with for her this year was that she is able to keep all her subjects in one notebook, like a trapper keeper. That way everything is in one place and she hasn't forgotten or misplaced assignments since beginning this process. I do agree with the others that you should have been notified way before the 10th missed assignment. I am glad that he is being allowed to make them up. And welcome!
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Dec 15, 2006 21:47:28 GMT -5
Post by bugsmom on Dec 15, 2006 21:47:28 GMT -5
Sweetpea...I think you'll be very pleased with the daily planner. It has been a God send for my 10 year old son and works very well for us. He is able to keep track of what he has done and his teachers just put a check mark next to the subject if he's finished his assignments for the day. I can't believe they didn't contact you before the 10 assignments were late...that just unacceptable. At my son's school, if any assignment is a day late, they get a "Pink Slip" by the next day that we have to sign and have my son's work attached to it. It really helps to keep late work at a minimum.
Welcome to the boards...its great to have you here. Everyone here has been in your shoes at one time or another. It a super place to come and vent!
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Dec 16, 2006 1:21:34 GMT -5
Post by lillian on Dec 16, 2006 1:21:34 GMT -5
Hello! I want to point out something for future reference, just so you know. Whenever you meet with the school to discuss the SPED placement of your child, you should be given a Notice of Procedural Safeguards Handbook or told where you can quickly get one. I would like for you to look in that handbook under "Written Notice." This will tell you the amount of time the school has to contact a parent about a scheduled ARD or IEP meeting. I am very curious what it is in your state. In Texas, where I live, it is five days. If they schedule an ARD or IEP meeting in less than five days, they must have my written consent to do so. I have to "waive my right to a five-day notice," and this is done at the meeting. I am given a sheet of paper to check off that says I have waived my right, then I sign the paper. I don't know what the time limit is in your state, but I think you should try to find out. As stated in my Procedural Safeguards Handbook, written notice is given "to provide you with the information you need to be able to participate in the decision-making process." You are correct when you say one day is not long enough to prepare. It most certainly is not. And I am confused by their saying, "It is just a reevaluation." It doesn't matter. You are part of the IEP team, and you must be given every opportunity to be present for any decisions that are made about your child's placement or evaluations. One day does not give you that opportunity.
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Dec 16, 2006 9:43:37 GMT -5
Post by sweetpea on Dec 16, 2006 9:43:37 GMT -5
Hello all. Thank you for the replys. Yesterday i did get the daily report. Only one teacher (art teacher) said he was out of his seat. None of them said he was talking excessively. I cant really figure out if it is the Focalin being upped or what. I did ask him how he felt, He said tired. But i will also be able to watch him this weekend. Charlie girl i did check out those websites. I am going to print them out and take them when i meet with the spec. ed teacher. I know she already said we will put him in the seating arrangement up front in the iep for every class. Lillian Thank you. You are right they are suppose to give me more time to notify me. I do have the book it is buried. Im in Illinois and i do believe it is either 5 or 7 days legally. They said they called me and left a message. I asked everyone in this house if they got the message and said no. I went because i talked to the counselor and spec. ed teacher and they said his 3 yrs was coming up. And it was just to determine if he would still be in special ed. But i also know if i didnt go. I wouldnt have been able to get it until next year. And i know there needs to be changes made to his iep. Because whats in there now obviously isnt working. They are not retesting him because they said he needs special ed anyways. And i agreed to that. I did ask if they did test him what would happen. They said that if he scored too high that he could not qualify. I know from the first eval he does have a very high iq. But i know he needs the extra help. Im going to dig for that book this weekend. Uni and Bugsmom. Thank you. You all have very kind words. Tonight we are going to a Christmas party and im going to be having a few stiff drinks..LOL
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