Our next special ed IEP meeting for our son...

[teri]

will have 14 participants.

Can you imagine!!!!

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[going2wdw]

Wow! sounds like quite a conference. Sending some pixie dust your way so that everything goes smooth and everyone has some good ideas on how to best help Marc.

<font face="BrushArt" color=#6600CC size=4>Janette</font>

<font face="BrushArt" color=#6600CC>WDW ~*~ Offsite ? - 1976, Vistana - Jun 1988
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[EpcotMom]

those IEPs are written before you get there. Everyone has their own ideas, and some( when there are that many participants) will conflict with abilities. Write down what goals you want your child to achieve, and make SURE they listen to your input. Good Luck, and Remember..You are your childs best advocate!!

 

[teri]

I wish that were true, EpcotMom... that was the way it was done where we lived before. Here, everybody brings their input, nobody has seen any of each other's recommendations before the day of the meeting, and they actually hand-write the IEP at the meeting with everyone in the room, and we all sign it (or not) right there. At least 7 pages of forms, plus recommendations, written right there as we hash it out. We have to read through the reports and testing on the spot, no real time to digest it before making a plan. This will be ...oh gosh, I have lost count... probably our 19th IEP done this way. Two kids, complicated problems.

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[mickey'sbud]

Don't forget you are your child's expert. You are your child's advocate. You should make decisions on what you think is best. Be sure and HAVE SOMEONE WITH YOU. If possible, have both mom and dad there. Do you need an outside advocate? If so, try to get one.

I didn't mean to sound so ruff. I just know how overwhelming it is to sit there being out numbered. In our district, if there are that many people there then they are trying to force their ideas on a situation and they don't think we're going to go for it

Good luck, keep your chin up!

 

[teri]

Don't worry about me, I whipped them into shape 3 years ago. They used to try to play the intimidation and blame game, but I stood up to them. We really do work as a team now, it is actually pretty nice. This meeting will be big because we are transitioning to a new school next year, so there will be a new set of administrators. It helps that my son's classroom is considered model of successful full inclusion, and that the district actually sends people to observe how it really should be done.

But 14 people...

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[SueOKW]

Is that you'd better take coffee and doughnuts - sounds like a LOOOONG morning..... and you want everyone happy and alert!

go get 'em tiger!
Sue

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[SueM in MN]

I hope it's a big room. Nothing worse than 14 people crammed in a small room all sitting on child size chairs.#

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES

 

[SueOKW]

SueM - you are making my derriere ache just at the thought of it.... Teri - only give donuts and big people chairs to the people who are doing what you want. Pretty soon you can Pavlov them right into the perfect IEP...

No therapy? No coffee!
No aid? Stay seated for another hour while I tell you why we need it.. hee hee

I shouldn't tease school people - some (many in our case) are really on the side of the family!

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[teri]

Sue and Sue, I think you are on to something here.
How do you think I whipped them into shape in the first place?

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[LvsTnk]

First time they denied our son with Down Syndrome services "he doesn't need it" LOL! Second time we pulled him out of one school and into another 2 of everyone geez! Anyway, too funny about those donuts! Good luck to you even though we know you have it under control.

 

[Michigan]

Teri have you heard of this book? A Parent's Guide to Special Education: A Practical Handbook
Dawn L. Smith

She swims on Megan's swim team. She is Autistic and has a Bachelor Degree Early Childhood from Temple but doesn't have the ability to read body language and know that if she were to teach kids they would eat her up. So she offers courses at Online University. Here is a link to her site in case you are interested.
http://www.online-university-international.com/

 

[teri]

neat - thanks for the referral and the link!

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[tink2dw]

Tackle DD's School to get her an IEP!! ONly it is so hard! because DD is ADD she has Intelligence,it just doesn't help in everyday school work!! She tests high,but fails core classes on a daily basis!!! So, they think she's lazy,when it is learning disabilities. YOU Know the drill if they don't look like they need help It is almost impossible to get help!!

Well, some pixie dust would go along way to making this easier!!

 

[SueOKW]

PD to all of you meeting with school administrators this week -

Tink - this is for you ~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

Sue (wife of recent M. Eisner basher....)

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[momejay]

Sending some pixie dust your way...
I'm close to my ds's IEP meeting. He's about to enter Kindergarten. He's already seen the school's neurologist. She's recomending meds. MEDs, the instant cure-all. It's too expensive to work with the child & provide him with enough stimulation to keep him busy. They want to drug him with something with side affects of weight gain & lazyness. (these are the side effects they were willing to tell me about so far) I believe they are going to say drugs or send him else where. I've already started looking elsewhere & his school system is going to pay for it!
It feels soooo good to vent!