To lee in Brunswick/ Quick Questions

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I've got a quick question for you - I know that Brunswick has a parent mentor

program for the school district. Has either one of the parent mentors been any

help to you in advocating for your son's needs.

Also, you mentioned that you took an advocate with you to the last IEP meeting.

By any chance did you take someone from the Ohio Coalition for the Education of

Children with Disabilities (OCECE) or from a different agency. The contact for

your area for OCECD is Lyke.

I'm just checking on a few things before I answer some of your questions.

Take care,

Vickie Fetsko, Medina

[Guest guest]

I am going through alot of this in my school district for the past 3 years. We are in Columbia Local Schools. My suggestions come from lyke two years ago. Have meetings, take advocates, keep records. You have started this. Now it is probably time to call for another IEP meeting. Yes, you do need to react when your son complains whether it be about the kids or the staff. The key is to not overreact. I usually have to calm my son down (by a ride in the car, or time on the trampoline, or time with his videos), and then calmly listen to him as he describes what is bothering him. He is REALLY accurate about the happenings when we do this. I take notes, and then use them in the meetings as factual; let the staff investigate and get back with me within 5 days. Then move forward.

Ask for a parent mentor to be there, take your husband or any other person who helps care for him, or spends time with him. The system will treat you differently than if you attend a meeting by yourself. Ask for special transportation to be written into his IEP, since he is having trouble on the regular bus. Keep record of the suspensions (even in school, or removal from classes). I believe that after several, you can use that for different placement (within the school or otherwise) because the "Least Restrictive Environment" of mainstreaming is not working.

I am currently starting the process again with my system for change of Placement. My son went from mainstream, to PEP and none of this addressed his Autism needs. He is 13 years old, seventh grade with Asperger, ADHD and dyslexia.

Email me via group or privately.

Carol