How was the first day/week of school?

[MN Dis Fans]

I know there was a thread about dreading the start of school. So, how did it go? :confused3 My DS10 with AS started 5th grade and I think we are off to a good start for a change. However, in the past he always has said that everything was great, fine, super, etc... and then I get a note or call from the teacher who has a vastly different take on the situation. :crazy:

[mbb]

good thoughts to everyone already back at it!:)

:sunny:

[missypie]

Yes, I started that thread a couple of weeks ago. We have three weeks under our belts and so far, so good. Yes, there have been tense, exhausting nights...that is what I was dreading...but no major train wrecks...YET!

I am really worried about a family we know whose son is a freshman at the same HS and his Asperger's is a LOT more severe than our son's. He is not doing well at all. I seriously don't think our public schools CAN provide an appropriate public education for him. He has above average intelligence, but his behavior is more than most teachers are willing to handle. I don't know if they have the finanical means, but if I were them, my son would have been at a private school several years ago.

[MN Dis Fans]

You are so right! Private parochial school was the best thing we ever did after trying public school kindergarten for one horrible year. But I know jr high and high school are considerably more costly and we are starting to plan for that.
Congrats on 3 weeks done! Go team! :cheer2:

[JenJen]

I am advoiding the sudject all together LOL.

[jennydep]

Mickey, my 8 year old daughter with Down syndrome and leukemia, has only been able to go to school 3 days so far due to chemo schedules and being in the hospital. Her homebound education starts tomorrow and we are all very excited. The other 2nd grade teacher is doing it and can't wait to work with Mickey. I think this year will be better than last year because her teacher this year is very excited to have Mickey in her class. Last year's teacher didn't mind having her, but I don't think she would have chosen her if given the option. This year's teacher would have asked for Mickey, I think!

On the other end of the spectrum, I have a 6 year old son in 1st grade. I think we're going to have to work hard to keep him challenged and keep him from being bored. He's one sharp cookie!!

[Nik's Mom]

My ds started 1st grad Tuesday. He refused to take the bus to school yesterday and today (Wednesday). Of course, it's double difficult for him because I returned to work today, after being home for over a year. And DH just left to China on a business trip. So, poor guy is going through a lot of change. I'm hoping he'll get on the school bus tomorrow morning. If not, then I'll just have to drive him in and be a little late to work. I'm just so glad that my Mom moved in and is being loads of help!

[Jennay]

LOL! Oh, your serious. Well, my school district thought they could "put me off" and "ignore" my concerns regarding my daughter's placement so she is currently being homeschooled until a more appropriate placement can be made for her. They were quite shocked to hear that I really did keep her home. Guess they'll have to get their butts into gear real quick if they want to get their federal funding. (Yes, this is a very irratating/frustraing situation that I'm trying to make light of because it's 3 am.) Of course, why in the world they would continue to hire someone who was charged with a felony drug charge is beyond me. Not to mention that we have a harrasment restraining order against this person as well.

I better sign off. Not only am I sleepy, but now grumpy. (Gotta love the seven dwarfs.) Oh my. Goodnight. :rotfl:

[dyna]

DD 15 who has CFS/Fibro Central Pain Processing Disorder and Stress has been back about 4 weeks. So far so good. She not been absent or tardy. She's on the Volleyball team. Grades are honor roll right now. Just hope it all continues as DD missed at least 3/4ths of the 7th and 8th grades. Now that we are dealing with high school no way she can pass her classes if she not there.

Don't even get me started on the homebound school tutoring thing. The stories I could tell there would make your heads spin.

[mbb]

so far, we've had:

1) Two boys running, screaming from the classroom in total meltdown...
2) Two weeks of endless sleepwalking...
3) Twenty-two areas of anxiety related hive outbreak...
4) One mother who is VERY glad it is Saturday...

:teeth: :teeth: :teeth:

So far, a pretty good "back to school" week, all in all;)

Our twin boys are 7, and both have ASD, and we're coming off a fabulous, relaxing, "best we've ever had" summer...

That's after the "Worst We EVER had school year"..(and they were only in Grade one!!)

We were anticipating a difficult transition, and it has been, but I think things are going to be fine:) Their teacher is wonderful...we've got a new VP, and Principal, and *MY* anxiety;);) is lots less than it has been in the past two Septembers.

The rash is clearing, the sleepwalking wasn't so bad last night, and the boys are actually looking forward to Monday:)

So am I...I'm going to have a nap!! :teeth:

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: to everyone...

:sunny:

[LisaBi]

New school = bad news. Connor (12, Down Syndrome) has always loved school. Of course, he's had the same awesome special ed teacher since kdg. He's now in 6th grade, which in our area starts middle school. The teacher just doesn't seem very caring. Connor left the building twice last week. This week he refused to participate, and tried to hide in a locker. We never had this kink of problem in elementary. He just doesn't like it. This teacher is also big on worksheets - he must have brought home 20 math worksheets just this week alone.

We go to WDW next week, and I'm thinking that when we get home I'm going to look into changing to the other middle school (which I hate to do, because the school he is in now is our home school). But the teacher over there is great!

LisaB

[Karalynn]

Well, we've got four days under our belt! DD Grace is 5 1/2 and started kindergarten (full day!) She has cp and is in a wheelchair. At the end of the school year there was a question as to if the class she was going into would be able to have an extra aide for her. There was one special ed teacher and one paraprofessional to 12 kids. So, great news, she got her aide!!! well, there really was no question about that, I guess whats great is that I didn't have to fight anyone for it! :cheer2: So, all that went great, she seems to be enjoying school, and the teacher is wonderful!

Ok, now for the not so good part! The first day the bus pulled up, no wheelchair lift! Dispatched another bus, 20 minutes later, no bus monitor!! Just Grace and the driver! Needless to say, I followed the bus to school while calling them! For some reason, they are having a problem getting a monitor on this kids bus! She is still the only one on this bus and there has only been a monitor on there 1/2 the time. I have several calls into the school on this. If its not resolved on Monday, I'm going to start kickin butt!!! :headache:

Other than that, it has been a good 1st week for her and my ds who started 2nd grade!

[riu girl]

We have been back to school 6 days so far. This is DD8s first year ever without one on one support. The teacher is wondering why she interrupts and doesn't follow instructions as well as the other kids. Well, duh, she has ADHD and has no in school support, what do you think????

She started off the conversation by saying to me: Don't worry its not like she will fail Grade 3 or anything but there are a couple of minor behavioural issues..... WELL, I HOPE she won't fail grade 3 since she got almost straight A's last year with you as her teacher (I didn't actually say this to the teacher, just in my mind) .

This was all yesterday..
Well today the teacher said DD did not speak out once and will have DD say the instructions back to her before she is allowed to start her work.

Also: for the first time ever the teacher yelled at DD (the teacher told me not DD), since DD got into a LOUD argument with a boy about how to play chess.
This is the same teacher who she had last year (but DD also had an aid with her last year). This teacher never yelled at her last year.

I hope the worst is over and the rest is smooth sailing.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I should be happy, the school feels she no longer needs an Educational Assistant (support person) but I don't know.

[missypie]

We ALL need huge hugs! :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:
A bus for a girl in a wheel chair with no wheel chair lift.
Your child does so well with an aide that they determine that she doesn't need an aide.
Meaningless worksheets.
Welcome to life as the parents of kids in school!

[SueM in MN]

I only have one in school this year.
Last Spring my oldest DD graduated into adulthood.
My youngest DD was happy because her bus was driven by her favorite bus driver. That's what she cares the most about. I wish that she would allow people to see what she knows so that she gets to do more interesting things.

[itsagloomyday]

Did a 2 day delayed start so school could have their act together for Kevin (10, autism, epilepsy). First day bus doesn't show up after me calling to remind them how important it is to have consistency and the bus MUST be there on the first day. Bus ride home=brawl due to no bus aide and seating arrangement. Been in school only 8 days and have been called twice due to "Kevin might be getting sick." I think I'M sick...of school :rolleyes:
On a good note his worst behavior in school so far has been refusing to carry his picture schedule because they put it on a blue background instead of a green one (his favorite color). 99 cents and a green notebook...problem solved. I wish it were all that easy :)

[Earstou]

Well, last week we got the 9 weeks grades, all A's except for a B+.
This week, he suddenly has 2 C's, 2 B's and 2 A's. I got a call yesterday from the gifted teacher because his study hall teacher was having some kind of problem with him. Why the gifted teacher called, I don't know??? Also I couldn't figure out what really happened, and when DS came home, he said nothing happened???
Then this noon, my DS calls sobbing, "get me out of here!!" He was in Asst. Principals office, and no one knows what set him off (I'm hoping I can get him to talk later!) but he was hiding in the bathroom. Only came out when they promised they would call me.
He did make the comment that there was "too much to remember". I think the change to middle school has been harder on him than I knew!
I just want to cry and have someone pamper ME!!!

[mbb]

Well, last week we got the 9 weeks grades, all A's except for a B+.
This week, he suddenly has 2 C's, 2 B's and 2 A's. I got a call yesterday from the gifted teacher because his study hall teacher was having some kind of problem with him. Why the gifted teacher called, I don't know??? Also I couldn't figure out what really happened, and when DS came home, he said nothing happened???
Then this noon, my DS calls sobbing, "get me out of here!!" He was in Asst. Principals office, and no one knows what set him off (I'm hoping I can get him to talk later!) but he was hiding in the bathroom. Only came out when they promised they would call me.
He did make the comment that there was "too much to remember". I think the change to middle school has been harder on him than I knew!
I just want to cry and have someone pamper ME!!!

Oh.... :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug:

Have a good cry, you'll feel better - would flowers help?
:flower: :flower: :flower: :flower: :flower:
..keep us posted - we're here to listen..

:sunny:

[Earstou]

would flowers help?
Thanks, MBB! :goodvibes
That and dinner out at my favorite restaurant ! ;)
I think I'm going to have to pull my DS out of his study hall. He is refusing to do anything for this teacher. He has never ever done this before. He might refuse to do something once, but after he calms down, he cooperates. He told the teacher yesterday (okay, he wrote her a letter, he probably would never "tell" her anything) he couldn't concentrate, but she didn't believe him because there were only three people in the room. So they both have an attitude, and we are going nowhere!
I finally found out what caused him to hide in the bathroom. He forgot his lunch card, so they told him to go to the end of the lunch line! That was all it was. He did have an elevated temp, 99.1 later that day (he's often below 98.0!) and he hadn't slept well due to thunderstorms, so I think he wasn't feeling very good and couldn't handle as much as normal.

[Earstou]

Update on our school problems!
We had teacher conferences last night, and I have to say I'm impressed with all the teachers EXCEPT the study hall teacher. All the others have a pretty good idea of his disabilities, and had even caught on to his writing difficulties even though they weren't aware of it when school started. They ALL said he was pleasant and cooperative and that, aside from his Asperger tendencies, they have no problem with him.
I talked to all of the other teachers about my son's attitude with the study hall teacher, and was told that her personality probably wasn't a good match for someone like him. Two teachers even recommended pulling him out of her study hall!!! They told us to talk to the counselor, so we did. She agreed after visiting with us that a change needed to be made. She will be calling a meeting to do this, since the study hall was in his IEP as a support (he still had many missing papers, so it's doing no good whatsoever). So it will not happen immediately, but the wheels are rolling!!!!
So I feel better, knowing that most of the teachers are very caring and the one that isn't, should be history for us soon!!!

[MN Dis Fans]

That is great to hear!! Isn't it nice to hear positives for a change?! ::yes:: We had parent teacher conferences today and it was a great experience for the first time ever. Fifth grade has made such a difference for us and his teacher is so great and makes allowances for those Asperger's tendencies. I think we're gonna make it.

[Earstou]

Update again:
Oh no! I can't believe it. We received a letter in yesterday's mail giving my son detention from this study hall teacher. I am so mad. She didn't even mention it when we saw her on Wednesday and it happened a week ago on Friday. My DS left the room when the bell rang, she claims she told him not to, and he says he didn't know that. But all the other teachers understand you can't change his routine (they even made a rule that his class's lunch schedule will never be changed due to this). She also circled "lying" on the form for reason for detention. Many asperger kids don't or can't lie, and his Orchestra teaching even told us on Wednesday he didn't think our DS could lie to save his life! My DS doesn't understand why she did this.
The gifted teacher had been helping out to lessen this women's impact, but I guess this wasn't enough either.
So, I guess I go back in on Monday and talk to Asst. Principal, who signed the letter.

[MN Dis Fans]

What does this study hall person have to gain by this type of unreasonable behavior? I can't for the life of me understand why some people feel the need to be so rigid. :sad2: I hope your DS is out of her study hall as soon as possible. Don't let this one person destroy all the other good stuff happening. Good luck with the Vice Principal.
What instrument does your DS play? Mine plays the piano and drums but he recently informed me that he doesn't play drums, he is "a percussionist." LOL

[Earstou]

What does this study hall person have to gain by this type of unreasonable behavior? I really don't know. She interupted our conversation with the gifted teacher to ask if we were grounding our DS from ALL of his extracurricular activities. We thought she was referring to his missing work. Afterwards my DH said, "Wow, she's really something. She seems as though she is eager to see him punished".
What instrument does your DS play?
He plays the cello. Poor kid, his sister played the bass for 8 years, and I keep calling the cello a bass. SO he always has to remind me what he really plays! :rolleyes1 Motherhood and short-term memory loss don't go well together!!!!

[SueM in MN]

I really don't know. She interupted our conversation with the gifted teacher to ask if we were grounding our DS from ALL of his extracurricular activities. We thought she was referring to his missing work. Afterwards my DH said, "Wow, she's really something. She seems as though she is eager to see him punished".
She sounds like she has no conception of Asperger and thinks that punishment will work. She probably thinks that the things on his IEP are not helpful and she needs to take a firm hand because (in her mind) everyone else is letting him get away with things. My sister had similar problems with a teacher a few years ago - at least that teacher was "out front" enough to say that he felt the IEP was totally wrong and the child needed to be pusished into better behavior. That certainly makes it easier to say the teacher and child don't fit well together (and find a different teacher).

One of the things you posted earlier where he told her he couldn't concentrate and she couldn't believe that because there were only 3 people in the room is sort of telling. It shows that she is able to look at things only from her own point of view (ie She could concentrate, so if he said he couldn't, he was telling a lie). My youngest DD has ADD (among other things) and also has a lot of obsessive/compulsive thoughts. She can be unable to concentrate with just herself in the room because she's thinking obsessively about the car parked in the driveway and whether it is far enough up the driveway and whether the brakes will hold, etc, etc, etc.
If he doesn't know what the teacher thinks he lied about, my guess is it's something to do with a similar situation where the teacher can't believe someone would not think the same way she does.

Since the study hall was a support in the IEP and it isn't working at all as one, I'd think you could go back to the school and say "this support isn't working."
If you have no alternatives, I'd find a good article/book about Aspergers and ask that people who work with him read it as preparation.
Good luck.

[Earstou]

SueM in MN,
On the 5th day of school, I printed out pages from the internet and highlighted the areas that really described my son. The teacher sent this real gushy Thank You (my DH asked if she was being sarcastic, I still am not sure) and informed me the next time I saw her that she knew all about Aspergers, and had just worked with an Asperger child last year.
But she can't really understand Aspergers and be acting the way she does. She is an "in your face" sort of person, from what I've seen, and that definitely doesn't work with my DS.
I was going to wait for the IEP team to meet to remove him from her class, but now I'm going in first thing Monday and ask that the change be made immediately.
We told DS on Saturday that we asked he be removed. He started crying and asked us if we could tell the school to fire her!! So now I know it's REALLY been bothering him, I just wish he could talk to me about these things before they get so bad!

[mbb]

SueM in MN,
..... I just wish he could talk to me about these things before they get so bad!

That is the hardest thing for me..our guys can "start" to tell me..but things go to Stitch, video games and VMK references pretty quick...or something that happened 2 years ago...It's like a protective reflex for them - they get so overwhelmed..

More hugs.. :grouphug: :grouphug: Dinner...coming right up:) What's your favourite comfort food?

A crappy school day, and I self-medicate;) with sour cream and onion chips...(Dr. Phil is wagging his finger at me somewhere right now. :teeth: )

Let us know what happens on Monday.
:sunny:

[SueM in MN]

The teacher sent this real gushy Thank You (my DH asked if she was being sarcastic, I still am not sure) and informed me the next time I saw her that she knew all about Aspergers, and had just worked with an Asperger child last year.
But she can't really understand Aspergers and be acting the way she does.
Sounds like you (and your DH) are right.

[Earstou]

::yes:: Let us know what happens on Monday. Talked to Asst. principal early yesterday. He explained the teacher's behavior as "needed" to motivate the majority of the kids that she gets. But, he did agree that my ds didn't do well with that behavior, especially when I said missing work had really snowballed in the last few weeks. He still wouldn't remove him without the IEP meeting, but the meeting is now for Thursday. I did have to do a lot of talking to get to that point, but the missing work snowballing, and the concentration thing got his attention. He commented that he sometimes has to close his office door to get HIS work done, so he could understand my son having trouble!!!
My DH is trying to get off work to go with me on Thursday. ::yes::

[Earstou]

We had the IEP meeting yesterday and all went well. My ds is now out of study hall! :cheer2:
He came home and went :banana: :banana: when he heard the news. Study hall teacher was NOT in the meeting, and everyone else was SO nice. But as I was leaving, she asked what had been done, then started running around saying we hadn't done it right, so we had to reassemble. She insisted I had to sign the old IEP with the handwritten changes, instead of the school typing up a new one and signing it later (which is the way it's always been handled in the past). One of the other teachers was rolling her eyes, so I know I'm not the only one who doesn't like this person's drama!!!
My dh and I talked to VP again, because we are unhappy about the lying accusation. He agreed with us that Asperger kids usually don't lie, but said he needed to talk to the teacher before doing anything. He had taken points away from my son instead of detention, but, as the situation has been explained so far, I don't think any punishment is deserved.
Thanks for letting me vent. You people are the greatest! :goodvibes

[missypie]

I'm glad you're proactive in helping your son. DS (in 9th grade) has very mild Asperger's. Another boy in his grade as a lot more severe Asperger's. We've known the family since kindergarten and the son is constantly being punished by teachers for "Asperger's-like" behavior. The teachers are at fault BUT it seems like by now that the parents would have conferences with every single teacher IN ADVANCE of their interacting with their son.