seeking input about an idea for a charter school

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Hi all,

I have posted this to a couple of local forums, but I know how many great minds and great ideas, and great experience all of you have out there in the adoption and special needs life style (as well as a few select individuals whose ideas I trust and appreciate). So I thought I would post it to you all and see what additional inspiration, ideas, and connections I can make.

For those of you who don’t know or who need a refresher, as I don't posts to the boards as often as I read them, I am the Mom of 2 kids with special needs, one who is on the autism spectrum and the other who has cerebral palsy and lung disease. I have been thinking for a long time about opening a school that can better meet the needs of all children through more thought out individualized education plans, and not just for kids with extra challenges but for typical and gifted students as well. There are many children who are not "special needs" that could also benefit from a learning environment that recognized that every child learns differently and that there is no one style that will work best for all. I have found that 0-3 and preschool programs here in the south central NY area focus on the child as they are, but

once they enter Kindergarten, there is a row of little round holes, and no matter what the child’s strengths and weaknesses are they try to make every child fit into the little round hole. Even the IEP goals are set up in a way to make each child get into that little round hole.

My goal is to take away the holes and have a school in which each child can be who they are, and progress academically, socially, physically, and developmentally towards reaching their full potential as individuals (which for many is much higher than the public systems will give them credit for). I am now at the point that I am ready to turn that dream into a reality, and I am beginning to network to find other parents, teachers, advocates, therapists, investors, and other interested parties in joining me in getting the school plan fleshed out. I am looking for anyone interested in joining me in this, or just any ideas or advice that anyone wants to share. I also am seeking information about possible investors, partners, foundations and what have you that could help with the financial resources to get such a school off the

ground. The reason I am focusing on the Charter school is that many people who could benefit from such a school do not have the funds to pay for private school, and due to the costs associated, private schools really do need to charge a substantial fee to support basic programming. As a charter school is an independent public school, families will not have to pay anything more out of pocket than they would for their child to go to the local public school. Also, school aid to help the school cover 60% of the cost per child as they would at a regular public school, and the in-school services for PT, OT, ST, etc… are also covered as they are in a regular public school. Fund raising will be a huge part of the school though so that it can provide for more in-depth therapies than would normally not be accessible at a regular school. I know kids with multiple disabilities often have the most struggles in the public school ,

particularly if they are non-mobile AND non-verbal, function at a lower intellect level, or have many developmental or medical challenges. I have heard many stories from parents of children who are not really even paid attention to due to others not understanding how to work with them, whether they have severe CP, hydranencephaly, HIE, or other brain related disabilities, BOCES and the public school system may not be aware and active enough in helping them reach their full potential. I keep thinking of a parent on one of the lists who went in to school to drop something off and found her non-ambulatory, non-verbal child facing a blank wall with NOTHING to watch and NOTHING to do, NO stimulation whatsoever--that is not an appropriate education, just as a mainstream classroom would not be an appropriate education for them either. A good multisensory area (even a sensory tent instead of a blank wall) with quality interaction with

peers and teacher alike would be far more appropriate. That is the kind of school I hope to get a charter for, so ALL children, even the ones who aren't potty trained BUT can read at a 3rd grade level at age 5, can be treated with the respect they deserve, and can work at their own level in each individual area. Okay, I am long winded now, but here is a bit more:

What would YOU want to see in a school setting for your child? Do you have any curriculum ideas or any concrete suggestions for school program design? Following is a brief write up of the vision and ideas I have for the school.

I am seeking to open a public charter school that will address the individual educational needs of all individual students within a comprehensive curriculum regardless of a child’s strengths and weaknesses, whether they have learning or other disabilities or are gift, or both. The current mainstream public schools are the optimum learning environment for a large percent of children, and there is a percentage of children who can function well within the typical public school framework. However there are many children who, even with official IEP’s in place are not able to reach their full potential in a typical public school. Children who may be of above average intelligence but who have the challenges of ADHD, autism, emotional disabilities, or multiple medical needs face many obstacles in the current

framework. Also, many children with developmental disabilities have strengths that can help them achieve great academic success and personal independence given a program that truly tailors the teaching and educational opportunities to their specific needs. I this area of south central NY, children in the 0-3 programs and in the preschool programs, have many option for truly individualized learning that can help them reach their full potential. But once they reach Kindergarten age, the public school system is not truly equipped or designed in such a way that it can truly support all children with special needs (including gifted and talented, creative thinkers, and other typical children who have a different optimum learning style) in reaching their fullest potential. For some children it is an appropriate environment, but there is a need for parents to have an option for a child whose developmental, learning styles, and academic

instruction can be tailored more to their specific needs.

This Charter School will be designed with small classroom size, six to ten children per classroom, which for children with a variety of special needs, sensory integration issues, and distraction challenges would present a more appropriate and less overwhelming learning environment. The size is also large enough to accommodate appropriate social interaction. The school will also have a peer mentoring program for ALL students, in which a child with a particular strength is paired with a child who struggles in that area, and will not be limited to interactions within a single grade or age level. Since each child has at least one strength (be it social interaction, math, reading, compassion, a positive attitude, science, organization, etc…) and at least one weakness (most have more than one of both), each child will learn

how they can both help their peers and can benefit from accepting help from their peers. As mentioned previously, the school curriculum will be a comprehensive framework, and be designed in a way that can be taught through multiple styles, so as to work with each individual child’s strengths and optimum style for learning.

Also if you have any articles on school structure, curriculum development, the advantages of individualized education, etc… Please let me know. Thanks for any ideas, suggestions, etc... that you want to share, *************************************************** Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. -Ralph Waldo Emerson *************************************************** "I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness and the willingness to remain vulnerable." -- ph