Re: Want to introduce myself

[Guest guest]

ann, I'm 60. I had surgery at age 59. E-mail me

at zjcole@.... I clicked on your name, but did

not get your address.

=====

Jeanette

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

, does your son have an IEP including a Transition Plan? Also have you contacted the California Department of Rehabilitation? They could perhaps help your son with employment and driving lessons if needed. Pam

IDEA 2004 Close Up: Transition Planning - GreatSchools.net

California Department of RehabilitationMake your life easier with all your friends, email, and favorite sites in one place. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

Yes my son has an IEP - but it took a long, long time. I wasted

several years trying to work nicely with the school district and

then running into dead ends. I realized that I was making the same

phone calls and writing the same letters over & over and nothing was

happening. And in the meantime, my son was having more problems in

school and socially. My son reached a point where he was afraid to

go to school anymore and he refused to leave his room when the

tutors from the school came to the house. It's a long story, but his

doctors backed me up and told me that it would do him psychological

harm for him to return to the public school.

Things really changed for the better when I hired an advocate and

later hired a lawyer. Suddenly my phone calls to the school district

were returned and the meetings with the school district were much

more professional. I kept a good paper trail and the lawyers for the

school district quickly offered to pay for my son's tuition at a

private school I found that specializes in kids with AS or similar

learning disabilities.

The classes are small (6 to 8), the setting is peaceful (they rent

part of a church with a lovely stream and waterfall on the

property). And my son is finally happy to go to school. He's being

challenged intellectually and the social outings sometimes push his

limits, but that's good. I found the school on my own and had to pay

for the first semester out of pocket, but now the school district is

picking up the rest of the tab, which I could never afford on my

own. His new school has changed his life & has made our family life

more peaceful, too.

I will contact the Cal. Dept. of Rehab. It's on my list. I am trying

to work with our local Regional Center. I had an interview yesterday

that went badly. I know for a fact that they have taken students at

my son's school as clients and are offering social skills classes to

them, but when I talked to a counselor yesterday, I was told that

they only offer services to the mentally retarded. The gatekeeper

said that she doesn't provide services to kids with AS since the IQ

is high enough that they should be able to figure things out on

their own....(I used to hear this from the school district, too.)

Anyway I'm trying to regroup and figure out what to do after meeting

with the Regional Center yesterday. Oh well, one step forward, two

steps back.

I thank you all for your warm welcome & am looking forward to

working with you all on figuring this all out.

[Guest guest]

Can I ask what city you are in and can you tell more about the Dept. of Rehab options that you have heard about. We are in Central California here and I am just starting to look into transitional services/adult services.... Any info would be really helpful.

Thanks!

Debbie

( ) Re: Want to introduce myself

Yes my son has an IEP - but it took a long, long time. I wasted several years trying to work nicely with the school district and then running into dead ends. I realized that I was making the same phone calls and writing the same letters over & over and nothing was happening. And in the meantime, my son was having more problems in school and socially. My son reached a point where he was afraid to go to school anymore and he refused to leave his room when the tutors from the school came to the house. It's a long story, but his doctors backed me up and told me that it would do him psychological harm for him to return to the public school. Things really changed for the better when I hired an advocate and later hired a lawyer. Suddenly my phone calls to the school district were returned and the meetings with the school district were much more professional. I kept a good paper trail and the lawyers for the school district quickly offered to pay for my son's tuition at a private school I found that specializes in kids with AS or similar learning disabilities. The classes are small (6 to 8), the setting is peaceful (they rent part of a church with a lovely stream and waterfall on the property). And my son is finally happy to go to school. He's being challenged intellectually and the social outings sometimes push his limits, but that's good. I found the school on my own and had to pay for the first semester out of pocket, but now the school district is picking up the rest of the tab, which I could never afford on my own. His new school has changed his life & has made our family life more peaceful, too.I will contact the Cal. Dept. of Rehab. It's on my list. I am trying to work with our local Regional Center. I had an interview yesterday that went badly. I know for a fact that they have taken students at my son's school as clients and are offering social skills classes to them, but when I talked to a counselor yesterday, I was told that they only offer services to the mentally retarded. The gatekeeper said that she doesn't provide services to kids with AS since the IQ is high enough that they should be able to figure things out on their own....(I used to hear this from the school district, too.) Anyway I'm trying to regroup and figure out what to do after meeting with the Regional Center yesterday. Oh well, one step forward, two steps back. I thank you all for your warm welcome & am looking forward to working with you all on figuring this all out.

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[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Can I share your story with Texans on another listserve? In Texas,

many families homeschool <many times forced to in order to avoid

litigation> and if they can afford they send a loved one to a private

school. It is 99.9% sure you will lose in Texas if you litigate with

an attorney. Even then, you are also looking at debt to litigate.

I am being generous in that 0.1% would win a private school placement

and be paid for this option.

I understand you live in California. What part of California and

what school district if you do not mind sharing? I often tell

others that I am " California Dreaming " LOL

Mark

>

> Yes my son has an IEP - but it took a long, long time. I wasted

> several years trying to work nicely with the school district and

> then running into dead ends. I realized that I was making the same

> phone calls and writing the same letters over & over and nothing

was

> happening. And in the meantime, my son was having more problems in

> school and socially. My son reached a point where he was afraid to

> go to school anymore and he refused to leave his room when the

> tutors from the school came to the house. It's a long story, but

his

> doctors backed me up and told me that it would do him psychological

> harm for him to return to the public school.

>

> Things really changed for the better when I hired an advocate and

> later hired a lawyer. Suddenly my phone calls to the school

district

> were returned and the meetings with the school district were much

> more professional. I kept a good paper trail and the lawyers for

the

> school district quickly offered to pay for my son's tuition at a

> private school I found that specializes in kids with AS or similar

> learning disabilities.

>

> The classes are small (6 to 8), the setting is peaceful (they rent

> part of a church with a lovely stream and waterfall on the

> property). And my son is finally happy to go to school. He's being

> challenged intellectually and the social outings sometimes push his

> limits, but that's good. I found the school on my own and had to

pay

> for the first semester out of pocket, but now the school district

is

> picking up the rest of the tab, which I could never afford on my

> own. His new school has changed his life & has made our family life

> more peaceful, too.

>

> I will contact the Cal. Dept. of Rehab. It's on my list. I am

trying

> to work with our local Regional Center. I had an interview

yesterday

> that went badly. I know for a fact that they have taken students at

> my son's school as clients and are offering social skills classes

to

> them, but when I talked to a counselor yesterday, I was told that

> they only offer services to the mentally retarded. The gatekeeper

> said that she doesn't provide services to kids with AS since the IQ

> is high enough that they should be able to figure things out on

> their own....(I used to hear this from the school district, too.)

>

> Anyway I'm trying to regroup and figure out what to do after

meeting

> with the Regional Center yesterday. Oh well, one step forward, two

> steps back.

>

> I thank you all for your warm welcome & am looking forward to

> working with you all on figuring this all out.

>