IEP

[Guest guest]

Yes, we are too. My 16 year old son was diagnosed in June of this year. I told his school right away and told them the doctor said he needs an education assistant and the school is not recognizing it. And so, the battle continues.Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless deviceFrom: "m.snyder78" Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:24:38 -0000< >Subject: ( ) IEP Anyone having issues with the school district recognizing the diagnosis of Aspergers? Today in an IEP meeting I wanted his classisification chaned form OHI to Autism. They had me fill out forms that they could contact and get info from his psychiatrist and psychologist. I was so mad when I realized what I had signed. I called and emailed them and told them I refused to give them permission to look through his files. Why would they want to do this? I had a Dr's diagnosis and shouldn't that be enough. I is like they are invading our privacy. Instead of focusing on their jobs they are more concerned about making the meeting into a medical discussion on my son's disorders. He is 7 and was diagnosed in May with aspergers. before that he was diagnosed PANDAS OCD and Tourettes. I think they don't believe me. Anyone ever here of a school district trying to prove of a parent making the stuff up? They claim he is perfect there maybe a typical ADHD kid. How hard should it be to get an autism classification with a diagnosis?

[Guest guest]

>

> Yes, we are too. My 16 year old son was diagnosed in June of this year. I told

his school right away and told them the doctor said he needs an education

assistant and the school is not recognizing it. And so, the battle continues.

The problem could be where you got the diagnosis from. Just a simple diagnosis

from a doctor/psychiatrist/psychologist (if I'm interpreting your and the other

person's posts correctly) may not do the trick. Our school district wouldn't

accept that our son's problems were real either for a long time. Then I finally

had a neuropsych eval done by a neuropsychologist with a specialty in autism

spectrum. They did not argue with that, and he is now classified under autism

(which is where they put Asperger in my state).

Just getting the classification may not answer all the problems you think it

will though. When my son was classified as autistic, they still only gave him a

504 for a couple of years. Now he has an IEP, but it is still a battle to get

meaningful interventions put into place. Whatever the classification, they will

still be providing services based on his symptoms and evaluation results. So,

again, you might want to think about getting a more comprehensive evaluation and

diagnosis.

[Guest guest]

First of all, even if his classification is " OHI " , he would still

qualify for services. Also, because he has a dx does not mean he will

qualify for help because of that dx. He has to show these problems at

school and educationally before they will classify him as having it.

It's not always the best system in that way. But they can not give

medical dx's. So they have to look at these problems educationally.

And the dx/classification is given based on educational data. So

having a medical dx is a good help to have in getting this changed.

Some schools will take that and not give you any problems about it.

Others will do more and still other schools will make you pay in blood

first. <g>

I am also so glad to hear that you saw the problem with signing those

forms. Make sure you CC'd a copy to everyone and you might contact

your doctor/psychiatrist to let them know what happened and that you do

not want them to hand over files to the school. When the school is

asking for information, you need to be the " go between " so that you

know what is going on, who is talking to whom and why. And of course,

as you realized, you need to protect his privacy and your privacy as

well. So ask them what they want specifically and you can get it for

them. For instance, all that I had to produce was a letter from my

ds's doctor saying he has autism. They20even came back a few years

later for the re-eval and said I had to get a re-eval for autism. lol.

I said, " Sure, if you are paying for it. " Well, turns out the same

letter was usable again. lol. But that along with the educational

evaluation showing the autism problems was sufficient for the correct

classification. If all they are requiring is a letter stating he has

autism and signed by a doctor, you can get that and make a copy for

yourself (and future use) and let them have it. It isn't necessary for

them to look through his medical files, which you have realized!

Another thing to think about is that when they say he is doing fine,

usually they mean he isn't bothering them or disrupting class. If he

is struggling, as long as it's his own personal problem, they might not

see it as a problem. There are a number of things for you to do. You

can request a full educational evaluation and when indicating the

tests, be sure to include all areas of need. (pragmatic speech, social

skills, OT/fine motor, etc.) Document the problems and gather data to

back up what you mean. Save copies of papers showing the problems.

Write a diary listing things he is having problems with, date and what

happened. Go in to the class and volunteer to help out so you can see

what is going on. Or, alternately, just go in and observe. You can

get a lot of data doing t

hat.

A teacher may not recognize certain problems, especially if he/she has

no experience with HFA/AS. Or they may attribute the problem to

something else besides autism. I remember one class my ds was failing

(current events.) I did not know why and couldn't figure it out. We

were having an FBA done at the time and in the report, it talked about

this class, which was done on monitors. They played news reports on

the tv screens and kids had to fill out the questions during the news

report. Well, my ds could not process things auditorally(sp) - he

could not listen and answer the questions at the same time either.

They even talked about how he was having trouble seeing the screens

with his visual problems. But all the teacher saw was a kid who wasn't

trying, and not doing the work. This was probably the worst kind of

class for him - they could not have designed it better if they wanted

him to fail. lol. Ugh!

I've had teachers yell at us because our son was " spinning pencils and

rulers " during class. She saw this as him being a bad kid instead of

realizing he was stressing out and stimming. Spinning was always his

thing. lol. Some kids internalize things, so the problems stay inside

and hidden. Unless you know that child or can see the stress piling

up, you would not realize there is a problem. So part of the problem

and solution is educating th

em on the problems your ds is having. Make

them aware with information. Ask if the school has an autism

consultant and bring that person into the meetings to help you. Will

your doctor or psychiatrist come in and discuss problems with the IEP

team? That can be another help. See if you can find an advocate who

is familiar with AS and can help you maneuver through these meetings.

Meanwhile, put the dx in the present levels of the IEP. Sometimes they

won't care if you want to add it to the PLOP. I often wrote my own

PLOP and they would just staple it to the IEP. So here I have

documented a whole host of areas in that one action. Once it is in the

PLOP, you can have goals designed to work on these problems. In

effect, you are getting help for his areas of need regardless of the

classification on his IEP. You can keep working on getting the

appropriate classification as well. But now you will walk in with an

IEP that lists the dx and has goals dealing with the associated

problems of having AS and TS. You have data backing you up. Well,

just some ideas for tackling this...

 Roxanna

" The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do

nothing. " E. Burke

( ) IEP

=0

A

Anyone having issues with the school district recognizing the diagnosis

of Aspergers? Today in an IEP meeting I wanted his classisification

chaned form OHI to Autism. They had me fill out forms that they could

contact and get info from his psychiatrist and psychologist. I was so

mad when I realized what I had signed. I called and emailed them and

told them I refused to give them permission to look through his files.

Why would they want to do this? I had a Dr's diagnosis and shouldn't

that be enough. I is like they are invading our privacy. Instead of

focusing on their jobs they are more concerned about making the meeting

into a medical discussion on my son's disorders. He is 7 and was

diagnosed in May with aspergers. before that he was diagnosed PANDAS

OCD and Tourettes. I think they don't believe me. Anyone ever here of a

school district trying to prove of a parent making the stuff up? They

claim he is perfect there maybe a typical ADHD kid. How hard should it

be to get an autism classification with a diagnosis?

[Guest guest]

Although my daughter (6y.o. and in 1st grade) was diagnosed in April, I have

felt that the school system is under the impression that all of her (behavioral,

as they call it) problems lie in an 'unstructured home life'. This was their

assumption since, according to their observations (1 hour in the 6th week of

Kindergarten and the teachers' [who are not trained to pick up the subtle clues

that show an Aspie child's distress] observations), she seems 'fine'.

I am still in the process of trying to get them to see that she is suffering. I

see the stress when she comes home-especially at homework time, and I saw it

first hand at school when I observed her in class and on the playground

yesterday.

I feel your frustration.

[Guest guest]

Cathleen, I am very new at this so take what I have to say with a grain of salt! We have not had our IEP meeting yet (my daughter was diagnosed last month) because the school wanted to give her 8th grade teachers a few weeks to get to know her. They will then bring in my husband and I and a few of her seventh grade teachers and we will all discuss what we think will best help her. So from what I understand that the IEP is really targeted to the individual child. With my Liz, her needs revolve most around organization and social support. From: cathleen.veloria@...Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:21:39 +0000Subject: ( ) IEP

I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.

Thanks

Cathleen

[Guest guest]

This is a HUGE question to ask. What did your son's evaluations say? What were his weaknesses? What are his greatest areas of concern in school? How are his social skills? Does he have difficulties at lunchtime/recess/assemblies/P.E? These tend to be the areas that affect our kids, but in the IEP process you're supposed to be putting together the present levesl of performance to write out what the weaknesses are and then use this to write goals to help your son improve. You ought to consider going to your local library or bookstore and getting some books on how to write an IEP so that you understand the process.

Whatever you do don't sign the document at the IEP meeting. Bring it home to sift through and get some outside opinions on it. Start reading NOW!! Any chance you can get another parent to go to the meeting with you? Also, I suggest recording all these meetings. Tell them in advance you want to record so that you don't have to sit and take detailed notes. Make sure you listen to the tape, though, so you can sift through all the issues discussed. Good luck.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

thanks so much. It's always comforting to hear someone is going through the same mess as I am. I love my son so much and want the best for him, but right now in the school situation he is in, it is NOT even close to being good. After tomorrows IEP we will see, I will keep you informed, thanks for listening,

Cathleen

From: Christensen <tracy@...> Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 12:29:27 PMSubject: Re: ( ) IEP

Cathleen, I'm in the same boat as you are. Our son has an IEP for his bipolar, PDD-NOS, and sensory situations including the ODD behavior. But now I am learning and stepping into another chapter as how help our son with his Asperger's and how to get him tested when insurance won't pay for it and the possibility the school won't test him. I am hoping the school will help and can help our guy and be able to stay in the school he is in, in our district. I don't relish the idea of him going to a school 45 minutes from everyday one-way. If I learn of anything, I will let you know, just keep in mind we might be in different states but hopefully there will a general idea of how to go about this. Hang in there,

On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 2:24 PM, Barbara Pinckney <b-pinckney@...> wrote:

Cathleen, I am very new at this so take what I have to say with a grain of salt! We have not had our IEP meeting yet (my daughter was diagnosed last month) because the school wanted to give her 8th grade teachers a few weeks to get to know her. They will then bring in my husband and I and a few of her seventh grade teachers and we will all discuss what we think will best help her. So from what I understand that the IEP is really targeted to the individual child. With my Liz, her needs revolve most around organization and social support.

From: cathleen.veloria@...Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:21:39 +0000Subject: ( ) IEP

I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.ThanksCathleen

[Guest guest]

, are you replying to Cathleen? I have an IEP meeting tomorrow. I have a super Advocate going along with me. She used to be a psychologist. The evaluation was in our opinion, "very bad", it did not even include an IQ test!! Their eval of my son took all of 30 min. that's it.

I'm very upset at the school for not taking my son's condition seriously to even write a proper eval. They noticed his weaknesses were in language, both spoken and written, below average in auditory comprehension, unable to complete tasks without a lot of prompting. At recess he plays alone, spinning, or playing pretend robots. They admit to all the signs of Aspergers, without actually saying he has it.

It's ridiculous. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Hope it was me you were refering to, if not, sorry for rambling on.

Cathleen

From: <doyourecycle@...> Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 1:04:29 PMSubject: RE: ( ) IEP

This is a HUGE question to ask. What did your son's evaluations say? What were his weaknesses? What are his greatest areas of concern in school? How are his social skills? Does he have difficulties at lunchtime/recess/assemblies/P.E? These tend to be the areas that affect our kids, but in the IEP process you're supposed to be putting together the present levesl of performance to write out what the weaknesses are and then use this to write goals to help your son improve. You ought to consider going to your local library or bookstore and getting some books on how to write an IEP so that you understand the process.

Whatever you do don't sign the document at the IEP meeting. Bring it home to sift through and get some outside opinions on it. Start reading NOW!! Any chance you can get another parent to go to the meeting with you? Also, I suggest recording all these meetings. Tell them in advance you want to record so that you don't have to sit and take detailed notes. Make sure you listen to the tape, though, so you can sift through all the issues discussed. Good luck.

[Guest guest]

ABA therapy or some sort of behavior modification help in the classroom

Social skills training

OT for handwriting and sensory skills

Untimed tests

>

> I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed

ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what

accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty

much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.

> Thanks

> Cathleen

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Cathleen,My prayers are with you. It's so tough when you want the best for your son but there sure doesn't seem to be much support. What is amazing is, I am told there are so many services available for AS and other autism spectrum situations but it's the getting the diagnosis that is so hard. You'll make it. You just make not know what you'll look like when it you get to the point you need to. Just know I totally understand.

On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 5:54 PM, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

 

Hi ,

 

thanks so much. It's always comforting to hear someone is going through the same mess as I am. I love my son so much and want the best for him, but right now in the school situation he is in, it is NOT even close to being good. After tomorrows IEP we will see, I will keep you informed, thanks for listening,

Cathleen

From: Christensen <tracy@...>

Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 12:29:27 PMSubject: Re: ( ) IEP

 

Cathleen, I'm in the same boat as you are. Our son has an IEP for his bipolar, PDD-NOS, and sensory situations including the ODD behavior. But now I am learning and stepping into another chapter as how help our son with his Asperger's and how to get him tested when insurance won't pay for it and the possibility the school won't test him. I am hoping the school will help and can help our guy and be able to stay in the school he is in, in our district. I don't relish the idea of him going to a school 45 minutes from everyday one-way. If I learn of anything, I will let you know, just keep in mind we might be in different states but hopefully there will a general idea of how to go about this.

Hang in there,

On Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 2:24 PM, Barbara Pinckney <b-pinckney@...> wrote:

 

Cathleen, I am very new at this so take what I have to say with a grain of salt! We have not had our IEP meeting yet (my daughter was diagnosed last month) because the school wanted to give her 8th grade teachers a few weeks to get to know her. They will then bring in my husband and I and a few of her seventh grade teachers and we will all discuss what we think will best help her.  So from what I understand that the IEP is really targeted to the individual child. With my Liz, her needs revolve most around organization and social support.

From: cathleen.veloria@...

Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:21:39 +0000Subject: ( ) IEP 

I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.

ThanksCathleen

[Guest guest]

Cat,Your school has to offer more than that by law. Have you read the book on 's Law? I just got it out of the library and will start reading it tomorrow. It sounds like you need an advocate. We are currently looking into that situation. I'm so sorry your IEP experience was horrific.  I have to admit that the help we are getting at school isn't wha we would like it to be, but our son has a teacher that has had IEP training and so he is in an inclusion class that works with AS and other children with special needs. Does your school have IEP inclusion classrooms? Can you possibly enroll your child to another school district ( you will probably have to drive him). Do you have a children advocacy group that works with counseling and helps you get the help you need? I just found that our son will need a Developmental Behavioral Evaluation.  I am going through the hospital, UMASS, and they are wonderful. If anything, you may need to contact a lawyer who works this type of situation. I know it will cost, but you might be able to find an advocacy group that will help you with the lawyer and school advocate pro bono. This is what I am looking into at the moment. If you need to, take your situation to the superintendent and on to the district then the state if need be. I hope this helps. I know how you feel. The frustration and being most likely overwhelmed feeling of not knowing what to do or where to turn.

On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 5:50 PM, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

 

thank you for your reply, and unfortunately I already had the IEP and couldn't give those suggestions. My IEP was horrific. The school admitted my child had deep ;and troubling issues and all they offered was " Power Hour " which is an hour of intense lessons that ALL the kids at the school get, so basically I was offered nothing for my son. I am so mad!!

 

Cathleen

Help Me

From: bucaroobonzai2003 <bucaroobonzai2003@...>

Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 6:17:48 PMSubject: ( ) Re: IEP

 

ABA therapy or some sort of behavior modification help in the classroomSocial skills trainingOT for handwriting and sensory skillsUntimed tests

>> I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.

> Thanks> Cathleen>

[Guest guest]

If you didn't already get your requests on record at the iep meeting, do it now in writing. Ask the school for prior written notice. On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 5:50 PM, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

 

thank you for your reply, and unfortunately I already had the IEP and couldn't give those suggestions. My IEP was horrific. The school admitted my child had deep ;and troubling issues and all they offered was " Power Hour " which is an hour of intense lessons that ALL the kids at the school get, so basically I was offered nothing for my son. I am so mad!!

 

Cathleen

Help Me

From: bucaroobonzai2003 <bucaroobonzai2003@...>

Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 6:17:48 PMSubject: ( ) Re: IEP

 

ABA therapy or some sort of behavior modification help in the classroomSocial skills trainingOT for handwriting and sensory skillsUntimed tests

>> I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.

> Thanks> Cathleen>

[Guest guest]

What is she going to take to the super?That she didn't get what she wanted for her kid? You think the super will care? Trust me the super knows how things are run--he's the guy in charge and he's fully aware how things work and don't work.

 What she needs to do is to document everything. 's Law will tell you if it isn't written down it didn't happen or wasn't agreed to. Without a paper trail it's their word against yours and the school will always win as they have and will use all your kid's teachers to back them up on whatever they said happened. 

Unless you're willing to start documenting your meetings and reading your state regulations nothing will change. You have to navigate the special ed route through your IEP process. Do not have discussions with your child's teachers outside of the IEP meeting. It will mean nothing (in the terms of commitment from them) and you will be circumventing the IEP process. 

On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 11:52 PM, Christensen <tracy@...> wrote:

 

Cat,Your school has to offer more than that by law. Have you read the book on 's Law? I just got it out of the library and will start reading it tomorrow. It sounds like you need an advocate. We are currently looking into that situation. I'm so sorry your IEP experience was horrific.  I have to admit that the help we are getting at school isn't wha we would like it to be, but our son has a teacher that has had IEP training and so he is in an inclusion class that works with AS and other children with special needs. Does your school have IEP inclusion classrooms? Can you possibly enroll your child to another school district ( you will probably have to drive him). Do you have a children advocacy group that works with counseling and helps you get the help you need? I just found that our son will need a Developmental Behavioral Evaluation.  I am going through the hospital, UMASS, and they are wonderful. If anything, you may need to contact a lawyer who works this type of situation. I know it will cost, but you might be able to find an advocacy group that will help you with the lawyer and school advocate pro bono. This is what I am looking into at the moment. If you need to, take your situation to the superintendent and on to the district then the state if need be. I hope this helps. I know how you feel. The frustration and being most likely overwhelmed feeling of not knowing what to do or where to turn.

On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 5:50 PM, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

 

thank you for your reply, and unfortunately I already had the IEP and couldn't give those suggestions. My IEP was horrific. The school admitted my child had deep ;and troubling issues and all they offered was " Power Hour " which is an hour of intense lessons that ALL the kids at the school get, so basically I was offered nothing for my son. I am so mad!!

 

Cathleen

Help Me

From: bucaroobonzai2003 <bucaroobonzai2003@...>

Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 6:17:48 PMSubject: ( ) Re: IEP

 

ABA therapy or some sort of behavior modification help in the classroomSocial skills trainingOT for handwriting and sensory skillsUntimed tests

>> I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.

> Thanks> Cathleen>

[Guest guest]

Definitely document everything including doctor's appts, specialist appts, and request the doctors notes and all you can get. It's a big help when you have to go back to retrieve information. Also, & Nobles has a journal for parents of children with autism. It's called, " A Day At A Time " by Jen Merheb. I wish I had found it sooner.

On Sun, Sep 19, 2010 at 8:26 AM, <doyourecycle@...> wrote:

 

If you didn't already get your requests on record at the iep meeting, do it now in writing. Ask the school for prior written notice. On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 5:50 PM, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

 

thank you for your reply, and unfortunately I already had the IEP and couldn't give those suggestions. My IEP was horrific. The school admitted my child had deep ;and troubling issues and all they offered was " Power Hour " which is an hour of intense lessons that ALL the kids at the school get, so basically I was offered nothing for my son. I am so mad!!

 

Cathleen

Help Me

From: bucaroobonzai2003 <bucaroobonzai2003@...>

Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 6:17:48 PMSubject: ( ) Re: IEP

 

ABA therapy or some sort of behavior modification help in the classroomSocial skills trainingOT for handwriting and sensory skillsUntimed tests

>> I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.

> Thanks> Cathleen>

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

Thanks again for your support. I always feel better when I come to this forum. And actually, I do have an Advocate and she told me it's all part of the process. That this is just phase 1. I'm the kind of person who wants help NOW though. Her game plan was to sit back, say nothing, and let the school look inept. Our next step is the school district and more evals.

In the meantime, I have an appt. today with Dylan's ped and I'm going to tell him everything that's been going on. When Dylan was 3 I remember talking to the ped. about possible Autism, but we ruled it out. Now 4 years later were coming back to it.

By the way, enough about me, how are you? How long have you been going through this?

Cathleen

From: Christensen <tracy@...> Sent: Sat, September 18, 2010 8:52:37 PMSubject: Re: ( ) Re: IEP

Cat,Your school has to offer more than that by law. Have you read the book on 's Law? I just got it out of the library and will start reading it tomorrow. It sounds like you need an advocate. We are currently looking into that situation. I'm so sorry your IEP experience was horrific. I have to admit that the help we are getting at school isn't wha we would like it to be, but our son has a teacher that has had IEP training and so he is in an inclusion class that works with AS and other children with special needs. Does your school have IEP inclusion classrooms? Can you possibly enroll your child to another school district ( you will probably have to drive him). Do you have a children advocacy group that works with counseling and helps you get the help you need? I just found that our son will need a Developmental Behavioral Evaluation. I am going through the hospital, UMASS, and they are wonderful. If anything, you may need to

contact a lawyer who works this type of situation. I know it will cost, but you might be able to find an advocacy group that will help you with the lawyer and school advocate pro bono. This is what I am looking into at the moment. If you need to, take your situation to the superintendent and on to the district then the state if need be. I hope this helps. I know how you feel. The frustration and being most likely overwhelmed feeling of not knowing what to do or where to turn.

On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 5:50 PM, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

thank you for your reply, and unfortunately I already had the IEP and couldn't give those suggestions. My IEP was horrific. The school admitted my child had deep ;and troubling issues and all they offered was "Power Hour" which is an hour of intense lessons that ALL the kids at the school get, so basically I was offered nothing for my son. I am so mad!!

Cathleen

Help Me

From: bucaroobonzai2003 <bucaroobonzai2003@...> Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 6:17:48 PMSubject: ( ) Re: IEP

ABA therapy or some sort of behavior modification help in the classroomSocial skills trainingOT for handwriting and sensory skillsUntimed tests>> I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.> Thanks> Cathleen>

[Guest guest]

Thanks , ok.

Cathleen

From: <doyourecycle@...> Sent: Sun, September 19, 2010 5:26:30 AMSubject: Re: ( ) Re: IEP

If you didn't already get your requests on record at the iep meeting, do it now in writing. Ask the school for prior written notice.

On Sat, Sep 18, 2010 at 5:50 PM, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

thank you for your reply, and unfortunately I already had the IEP and couldn't give those suggestions. My IEP was horrific. The school admitted my child had deep ;and troubling issues and all they offered was "Power Hour" which is an hour of intense lessons that ALL the kids at the school get, so basically I was offered nothing for my son. I am so mad!!

Cathleen

Help Me

From: bucaroobonzai2003 <bucaroobonzai2003@...> Sent: Wed, September 15, 2010 6:17:48 PMSubject: ( ) Re: IEP

ABA therapy or some sort of behavior modification help in the classroomSocial skills trainingOT for handwriting and sensory skillsUntimed tests>> I have a new question re:IEPs. We have one this Thurs. My son is diagnosed ADHD but not Aspergers because this is very new to us. Does anyone know what accomodations I should be getting from the school for a kid with Asp.? I pretty much know what he needs for the ADD, but any info would be a great help.> Thanks> Cathleen>

[Guest guest]

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.Thank goodness.Robyn-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

I'm glad to hear you had a good meeting!

Roxanna

"I

predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Jefferson

( ) IEP

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.

Thank goodness.

Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

congrats - would love to know how you pulled that one off- that is the stuff dreams are made of for most of us!

From: Robyn Iuliano <hamptonroadsaspergers@...>Subject: ( ) IEP" " <Aspergers Treatment >Date: Friday, October 15, 2010, 9:16 PM

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.Thank goodness.Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

You mentioned that you don't look at this address much but you are on FB. I'm Cathleen Byrnes Veloria if you want to friend me. I have an ADHD and PDD_NOS son whose 7. I'm always looking to connect with others. Thanks

From: Robyn Iuliano <hamptonroadsaspergers@...>" " <Aspergers Treatment >Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 7:16:53 PMSubject: ( ) IEP

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.Thank goodness.Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

My name is Robyn Iuliano on Facebook.-- Sent from my Palm PreOn Oct 16, 2010 16:11, Cathleen Veloria <cathleen.veloria@...> wrote:

You mentioned that you don't look at this address much but you are on FB. I'm Cathleen Byrnes Veloria if you want to friend me. I have an ADHD and PDD_NOS son whose 7. I'm always looking to connect with others. Thanks

From: Robyn Iuliano <hamptonroadsaspergers@...>" " <Aspergers Treatment >Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 7:16:53 PMSubject: ( ) IEP

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.Thank goodness.Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

It's as simple as accountability.I did this single-handedly too. No lawyers, no special people involved.Knowledge is power. Seek out the State Regs for Special Education and study. Attend classes and conferences through PTIs and agencies in place to help empower you.Simple as that.Anyone can email me with any other questions.-- Sent from my Palm PreOn Oct 16, 2010 18:09, Jadczak <bjadczak@...> wrote:

congrats - would love to know how you pulled that one off- that is the stuff dreams are made of for most of us!

From: Robyn Iuliano <hamptonroadsaspergers@...>Subject: ( ) IEP" " <Aspergers Treatment >Date: Friday, October 15, 2010, 9:16 PM

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.Thank goodness.Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

I have done all these and even had disability rights involved- I never took it to dpi level or federal but I documented, read, and reread, researched, went to conferences and seminars statewide, got professionals to document, and still it took me three years to get an IEP for my son, then they tried to put him in an EBD classroom when another child was hurt, I got him and aide for most of the that ear, but now we are back to doign as little as possible and waiting until he gets worse. Hopefully we haev the righ combo in place and that won't happen but I would have prefered private placement long ago, and everyone thought I was off my rocker to ask for that much

From: Robyn Iuliano <hamptonroadsaspergers@...>Subject: ( ) IEP" " <Aspergers Treatment >Date: Friday, October 15, 2010, 9:16 PM

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.Thank goodness.Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

I don't agree that dealing with the school is "simple." I think it is important to learn the rules of the game, definitely!! Go to conferences and parent information meetings. Read books on special education topics to gain knowledge. Still, it is not easy. I always fear that when we talk on the list, we leave out all the frustration it took to get from point A to point B! I might say, "This is what you need to do" and then people could think, "It's that simple but it isn't working for me. I must be an idiot." The parts I don't mention are the years I have spent arguing with sped people. My oldest dd is 29 yo now and she had a "language processing" LD. Getting her services was just the worst experience of my life really - trying to get a kid who was struggling help in a system I had no clue about. Then came my ds with HFA and dyslexia, an NT dd who got sped for ST (stuttering), a ds with HFA and gifted, and finally a ds with dyslexia.

There are some school staff and administrators that do their best to deny services or make it harder. Some teacher really do believe that kids could "do better if they tried harder" and do not really grasp the concept of learning disbilities. Or in many cases with our kids, they don't understand how a kid can be "that smart" and not do simple things like remember to bring a pencil to class. If I just had a dime for every teacher who lectured me on how irresponsible one of my kids were over "simple" things like bringing a pencil to class. lol. I could buy China today. <g> I do not understand how a person could be in such a position to help kids and not be helpful. But I can attest to the fact that they really exist in large supply in districts all across the country, mine included.

I have a lot of knowledge now about sped processes, tests and measures, and autism issues. But I still dread going to an IEP meeting. I still make mistakes or find myself in an argument with some staff member over services. When it's your own kid, things just get that much more intense for us parents, I think. And we still run up against staff who work hard against us. So it is not simple. And nothing happens quickly in a bureaucracy. Usually by the time parents are seeing and admitting the problem, they want help now and the problem has gone on for a long time. But it will still take tons of time to process the situation, testing, paperwork, meetings, etc. And you can still walk out without the help you started out wanting to get. So it's pretty frustrating.

Roxanna

"I

predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Jefferson

( ) IEP

" " <Aspergers Treatment >

Date: Friday, October 15, 2010, 9:16 PM

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.

Thank goodness.

Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

[Guest guest]

I really

disagree that this is simple. I have seen a lot of people who know the

laws and still struggle to get basic things. There are lawyers who struggle to get services for students and they know the law and are trained to use it. Some school systems are a

lot tougher to deal with than others. I once was an advocate for a family way down in a tiny school district, far from my area. OMG. They

were the most awful people. I thought the principal was going to hit me at one point, lol. And we had the documentation and the data to support requests that were really not big requests. But they were going

to fight to the death no matter what the parents requested. We brought

in the state and the parents brought in a lawyer and still had not accomplished a lot. They had to spend months arguing for things I could

easily have gotten in my own district just by asking. And my district was not a cakewalk either. We have filed due process a number of times against this district - with and without a lawyer. So they have their share of gatekeepers here, doing their duty to protect educational access from disabled kids. lol.

Anyway, what you might get in one place, you may not be able to get in another. even if you have the data and know the laws. Some schools have very committed staff. Other schools seem to have figured out how

sped should work and while you can't just run in and grab services, if you have the data to back up your requests, you will get what your child

needs. Still, when you are in a district that prides itself on denying services, you can be an amazing advocate and get nowhere or lose

your mind trying. It's just not simple as knowing the laws and having documentation, IMO.

Roxanna

"I

predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Jefferson

( ) IEP

" " <Aspergers Treatment >

Date: Friday, October 15, 2010, 9:16 PM

Woohoo! We got private education in IEP for another year for our Aspie Angel.

Thank goodness.

Robyn

-- Sent from my Palm Pre