Re: Have you written a letter to middle school teachers?

[Guest guest]

I always write a letter to my son's teachers at the beginning of the year and

each semester (he is in jr high). It always has good effect. But the good

effect wears off pretty quickly. I'm still figuring out what I need to follow

it up with--obviously something. Next year I am going to try simply touching

base with phone calls sooner. My son's dx mix is rather different from your

son's so I don't think it would help much for you to look at it. But basically

I just introduce Asperger, give a quick picture of my son, his strenths and

weaknesses, list what other teachers have had problems with and what they have

found to be solutions, give a list of his special interests, and wrap it up with

let us know how we can help, etc. One problem I have is that there is

apparently a rule in our school district that parents of kids with 504s or IEPs

aren't left alone with school staff without a school administrator present.

They also read all the e-mail. And the teachers kind of clam up around the

administrators (or make stuff up to cover themselves when they are being bad).

I'm finding it rather difficult to really talk to the teachers and get any kind

of serious feedback. Hence the idea of the phone calls. My son's

accommodations are always changing, always a work in progress. One of the big

challenges with middle school is getting school staff to stay in close contact

with parents when they have a tendency to want to step back.

Ruth

[Guest guest]

Yes. I wrote a letter, made copies of behavioral support plan, iep, and personally handed them out to each and every person, including librarian, office secretaries, all teachers he would be in contact with.

( ) Have you written a letter to middle school teachers?

Good Morning ALL!My ds will be going into middle school in the fall and we have an IEP meeting next week and I am so nervous. He has been diagnosed with AS, auditory processing disorder, ADHD, OCD, and possibly bipolar. I didn't know if anyone has ever written a letter to the teachers telling about their child, just so they will know what to expect...if so, is there any way I could glance at it...or is there somewhere that there are sample letters? I don't even know what to ask for at the IEP meeting. Right now, he is just being pulled out for read aloud and that's it. His teacher is AWESOME and she knows he has issues with PE and outside and doesn't make him go to PE, but I didn't know if anyone else had these issues and if there is anything to be put in the IEP about PE. He basically keeps to himself, doesn't have many friends, and hates the loud noises (from the gym and people screaming). Thanks in advance!Tonya

[Guest guest]

Tonya, I would ask his current teacher if she would just jot down some things

about him, accommodations she makes for him (like the PE and outside, etc.) and

take that to the meeting. Also a copy of his current IEP. Write down some

things yourself that you want to say about him. I've just found this helps me

to have my notes or I'll forget to mention important things about my son.

His primary problem with school was his OCD interfering and also he has a

dysgraphia diagnosis (illegible writing, which has gotten much better than when

he first got dx). So I printed out a few things on OCD, made some copies to

hand out and used a highlighter to point out things I wanted them to read. Also

I actually explained a bit about OCD and how it affected and read the

things I highlighted to make sure the teachers heard it (didn't trust them to

read a thing after the meeting). So you could do similar or type up something

yourself about how APD, the OCD and AS and all affect/come out in your son.

Mention any ways they affect him regarding school, whether with doing the actual

work, with reading, with listening & paying attention in class....

Also after I've said what I have to say, I ask them if they have any suggestions

to help, have they had other students with same problems...etc. Want them to

feel I'm not " dictating " to them but want their input/help. And THEN I will

have my own requests ready to state after I've asked them.

Just some quick thoughts. Do let us know how the meeting goes!!!

>

> Good Morning ALL!

> My ds will be going into middle school in the fall and we have an IEP meeting

next week and I am so nervous. He has been diagnosed with AS, auditory

processing disorder, ADHD, OCD, and possibly bipolar. I didn't know if anyone

has ever written a letter to the teachers telling about their child, just so

they will know what to

[Guest guest]

Hey, Tonya, We went through this same transition last August with our daughter! It was so stressful at the time. We also had the IEP in May, but had special ed support already, in reading, math, speech, and social worker. I'll tell you though, what worked for us, was calling the middle school principal in early August, and introducing myself and daughter. I then requested a meeting with all teachers that would have, including the specials, with the purpose of explaining her needs and the necessary accomadations. The principal made it happen 2 days before school started. We had 9 teachers, the social worker, speech teacher, principal, and husband and I around the table! We reviewed 's history, evaluations and assessments, IEP goals and recommendations. The staff was

interested, understanding and helpful.

I say, request the meeting, get everyones attention right before school starts!

Jillian

From: tcstallard <tonya.stallard@...>Subject: ( ) Have you written a letter to middle school teachers? Date: Thursday, April 30, 2009, 11:03 AM

Good Morning ALL!My ds will be going into middle school in the fall and we have an IEP meeting next week and I am so nervous. He has been diagnosed with AS, auditory processing disorder, ADHD, OCD, and possibly bipolar. I didn't know if anyone has ever written a letter to the teachers telling about their child, just so they will know what to expect...if so, is there any way I could glance at it...or is there somewhere that there are sample letters? I don't even know what to ask for at the IEP meeting. Right now, he is just being pulled out for read aloud and that's it. His teacher is AWESOME and she knows he has issues with PE and outside and doesn't make him go to PE, but I didn't know if anyone else had these issues and if there is anything to be put in the IEP about PE. He basically keeps to himself, doesn't have many friends, and hates the loud noises (from the gym and people screaming). Thanks in

advance!Tonya