Trying to Cross County Lines & School Districts

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement and experience you have provided in my plight with Olivia's school issues.

I have decided to go against the IEP recommendation to put her in the special school for two days per week. I have three BIG reasons for this....

1. I have been told that I can visit the classroom for observation, but only with an LEA rep present.

2. The director of services for the school will not return my phone calls to deny or confirm whether Olivia's TSS can ride on the bus with her. (I think I forgot to mention that she has a condition that puts her into shock if she ingests a milk product - she actually qualifies for a NURSE to be with her, but I have avoided that due to her TSS being able to watch and see if she grabs something of another child's or if she is presented with a food product by another child.)

3. The travel time between our home and the school is 45 minutes! I know Olivia will fall asleep on the bus, wake up, and have no idea where she is! Talk about trauma for a child of three!

OK.....so starting ALL over.....I called the IU in a neighboring school district to see if I can cross lines and have her attend their classroom for two days per week. That classroom is only 10 minutes away. I do know of another family in my town who went through a LOT of red tape but successfully had their child admitted to the school.

We happen to live the furthest distance away from the IU classroom in our school district.

The classroom in the neighboring school district is a REMARKABLE program! I know others who have sent their kids with DS there and they made wonderful progress. The school is locked, but the parents can ring the bell and are allowed to come and play, bring in cupcakes, whatever - at ANY time! I can drive Olivia to the classroom without interrupting my work day too much - of course, she comes first, but it would become a hardship to drive 45 minutes one way, sit in my car for 2.5 hours, and then drive another 45 minutes to have her in the classroom in our school district!

Has anyone else ever tried something like this? I don't mind red tape - I don't mind any of it! I just want to know what to say if they call today and say she can't attend the class in the other school district!! I'm certainly lucky that a precedent has been set, but I'm just a Mom - not an attorney!

THANK YOU!Carolyn

http://stores.ebay.com/ck-antiques_W0QQsspagenameZL2222QQtZkm

We've gone co-op! Come and see our newest location at Black Diamond Antiques in the Schuylkill Mall, Frackville, PA!

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[Guest guest]

I didn't do it, but we have kids from three different school attending out little school's program. So I know it's very possible and sometimes the school prefer it. Carol in ILMom to , 8 DS My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.VOTE NOBAMA '08Join our Down Syndrome information group - http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ DownSyndromeInfo Exchange/ http://downsyndromeinfoexchange.blogspot.com/Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace. com/vennamusicTo: ourmostbeautifulchildren ; DownSyndromeInfoExchange ; July98Mothers Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 9:28:13 AMSubject: [DownSyndromeInfoExchange] Trying to Cross County Lines & School Districts

Hello everyone,

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement and experience you have provided in my plight with Olivia's school issues.

I have decided to go against the IEP recommendation to put her in the special school for two days per week. I have three BIG reasons for this....

1. I have been told that I can visit the classroom for observation, but only with an LEA rep present.

2. The director of services for the school will not return my phone calls to deny or confirm whether Olivia's TSS can ride on the bus with her. (I think I forgot to mention that she has a condition that puts her into shock if she ingests a milk product - she actually qualifies for a NURSE to be with her, but I have avoided that due to her TSS being able to watch and see if she grabs something of another child's or if she is presented with a food product by another child.)

3. The travel time between our home and the school is 45 minutes! I know Olivia will fall asleep on the bus, wake up, and have no idea where she is! Talk about trauma for a child of three!

OK.....so starting ALL over.....I called the IU in a neighboring school district to see if I can cross lines and have her attend their classroom for two days per week. That classroom is only 10 minutes away. I do know of another family in my town who went through a LOT of red tape but successfully had their child admitted to the school.

We happen to live the furthest distance away from the IU classroom in our school district.

The classroom in the neighboring school district is a REMARKABLE program! I know others who have sent their kids with DS there and they made wonderful progress. The school is locked, but the parents can ring the bell and are allowed to come and play, bring in cupcakes, whatever - at ANY time! I can drive Olivia to the classroom without interrupting my work day too much - of course, she comes first, but it would become a hardship to drive 45 minutes one way, sit in my car for 2.5 hours, and then drive another 45 minutes to have her in the classroom in our school district!

Has anyone else ever tried something like this? I don't mind red tape - I don't mind any of it! I just want to know what to say if they call today and say she can't attend the class in the other school district!! I'm certainly lucky that a precedent has been set, but I'm just a Mom - not an attorney!

THANK YOU!Carolyn

http://stores. ebay.com/ ck-antiques_ W0QQsspagenameZL 2222QQtZkm

We've gone co-op! Come and see our newest location at Black Diamond Antiques in the Schuylkill Mall, Frackville, PA!

'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today.It's already tomorrow in Australia ' ( Schultz)