Barbara/

[Guest guest]

Barbara:

I hear you about the " difference " from school to home! We experienced the

same with . And we were being told that there was a chance of being

kicked-out of school also. (She was actually suspended in-school about 8

times from January to the end of May; and suspended out-of-school three.

These were after numerous write-ups, quiet room episodes, and time out of

class per her behavior plan.) The Perkins evaluation has reinforced what I

have known all along: is multiple sensory impaired and our school

doesn't know how to work with that. We had a hard time with getting them to

understand that she is truly deafblind, as well as having other sensory

and/or processing problems. The visual component that wasn't being met was

frustrating to her and resulted in negative behaviors. Again, these

behaviors aren't seen at home, church, grandparents (even though they don't

sign well), friends' homes, etc. - only at school. They liked to believe

that it was a medication issue, but even the school psychiatrist didn't

agree when it was discussed and refused to increase her medication.

I think I've missed what some of 's issues were - if you stated them on

this list - but I would urge any school team to look at everything,

everything, EVERYTHING!!! And I mean ALL the staff has to know what is

going on. We got 's OT Summer packet with recommended activities.

One set of things was practicing cursive writing. We had just written (in

March) into her IEP that handwriting is not a good option due to

visual/motor issues and she was to practice keyboarding (which didn't

happen, either) during the time the rest of the class practiced cursive

writing. The team agreed that she only needs to be able to read it (for

when someone writes her a letter) and write her name in order to sign things

when needed. Then this cursive writing practice information comes in the

mail! (This is not a " cookie cutter " package sent to all the kids: It is

usually individualized very well.) I'm very disappointed in the OT.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, yes, there may be behavior issues.

And, yes, there is a need for discipline and possibly a behavior plan. But

you need to find a school team willing to learn about what 's issues

really are and why they are happening. Did you have a Manifest

Determination Hearing? It is called if the student has been suspended 10

times. If a student is in danger of losing educational placement due to

discipline issues, my understanding is that a hearing needs to be held to

determine if it is the result of the disabling condition. If it is due to

the disability, they cannot kick the child out of school or even have

out-of-school suspension without some mighty hard justification. And watch

how any behavior plan is written; it came back to bite us: The last two

times of out-of-school suspension did not count towards having a Manifest

Determination hearing. Due to the Behavior Intervention Plan being written

into her IEP with the progression of consequences noted, including the

out-of-school suspension, those two suspensions didn't " count " and did not

enable us to have the hearing. was actually suspended from school a

total of 12 times last year. With the time in her quiet room (which was

really not set up correctly), the number of in-school-suspensions, and

number of times we had to bring her home (usually 2-3 days each time) she

spent little in the classroom actually being educated.

I wish you luck in finding an appropriate team to help . And even more

so in finding a placement that works for him. It stinks when we know our

children are capable but are not given the chance to prove what they can

accomplish.

Friends in CAHRGE,

Marilyn Ogan

Mom of (14, CHARGE+, JRA)

Mom of Ken (17, Aspergers)

Wife of Rick

oganm@...

Barbara wrote:

..Attention and needing help with that is very different than 's issues

at school

(although he too was a different child at home...reverse of Tim).

Barbara