SN check-in - back to school...

[mae0111]

DD1 is in 9th grade, and her history teacher is new to the school.

He is... not great. Awful, in fact. My friend's DD was placed in his AP US History class - 20 kids in the section. By the end of the first week, 12 kids had transferred out to another AP US History section.

DD1 has really been struggling in his class. Lots of analytical writing, which is hard for her with her NVLD anyway, but he's not providing timely feedback, so she keeps making the same mistakes.

I found out yesterday that she had a quiz, and she said she knew all of the material but ran out of time. She is supposed to get extra time per her learning plan. She asked for it and tried to advocate for herself. He denied it. So I've already reached out to the head of the center for learning differences, and I'm pretty annoyed that I haven't heard back yet. If I don't hear back by EOD today, I'm going to the head of the school and getting her moved to a class with a teacher that will follow her plan.

[awkwardpenguin]

DD is home from inpatient. I'm glad we have the weekend to chill and reintegrate as a family.

Because of her hospitalization we are now eligible for something called the Family Support Program. It's a state run program that provides therapeutic and family support services to eligible kids. I think we'd basically get case management, maybe some clinical services, and possibly respite services. Has anyone been in this kind of program? I am nervous about enrolling but I can't put my finger on why.

[mae0111]

awkwardpenguin, I don't have any experience with anything like that, but it would give me pause as well. I also can't pinpoint why... I think that I would be afraid that any minor setback would result in them stepping in? But they're busy enough, so I don't think they would want to do anything like that... I'm on the high anxiety end of the spectrum though...

[awkwardpenguin]

Thanks mae0111. I'm going to call and get more information. I remember reading about someone on here (maybe someone in New Jersey?) had access to something like this, but I can't remember who it was.

[penguingrrl]

Sept 28, 2024 12:06:39 GMT -5 awkwardpenguin said:

DD is home from inpatient. I'm glad we have the weekend to chill and reintegrate as a family.

Because of her hospitalization we are now eligible for something called the Family Support Program. It's a state run program that provides therapeutic and family support services to eligible kids. I think we'd basically get case management, maybe some clinical services, and possibly respite services. Has anyone been in this kind of program? I am nervous about enrolling but I can't put my finger on why.

We use a program like that in NJ and it has been life changing for us! They were able to connect my daughter to a truly amazing therapist. It took a few tries to get the right therapist through them, but they have been so patient and worked with us the whole way.

[awkwardpenguin]

penguingrrl I remember you mentioning it in a thread sometime! I'm glad it's been helpful, I'll definitely find out more about it.

[mae0111]

penguingrrl, that's great!

[penguingrrl]

Sept 28, 2024 16:28:40 GMT -5 awkwardpenguin said:

penguingrrl I remember you mentioning it in a thread sometime! I'm glad it's been helpful, I'll definitely find out more about it.

Definitely do! I hope they prove as helpful as ours has! Sending so many hugs!

[themoneytree]

Sept 12, 2024 10:50:17 GMT -5 expectantsteelerfan said:

The other issue he's having is that he can't wake himself up in the morning. I just got him a vibrating alarm, but even that's not helping. But at least that's minor in the grand scheme of things.

Have you looked into Jornay? That’s been transformative for SD (19) who had huge issues waking up. It’s honestly made such a difference.

Back to school is going…. ok for DD. At one point I thought we were going to have to pull her out of her new school, but I’m hoping we can complete 7th grade ok. We’ll have to see from there.
Parenting is really, really hard.

[mommyatty]

I have an IEP question. This is our first year with an IEP. All the goals say we will be updated at report card time. For some of DS’s goals, like the ones around social and speech development, the SLP or counselor wrote notes of where he is. For his academic goals, his SPED teacher just wrote “Working toward mastery” or left it blank. There’s nothing like “he can do one by two number multiplication with prompts” or anything. Just “working toward mastery.” Should I ask for more info?

[macmars45]

mommyatty I'd ask for specifics.

[pinkdutchtulips]

I FINALLY have an update to the school placement issue. After threatening the district w retaining either an Education Advocate or Attorney to assist me in getting her placed AND a call to the Director of Spec Ed for the district, I have a meeting tomorrow re her placement. 

Its not going to be easy. Option A (the preferred option) if off the table bc she isn't 16 WTF ?!? Neither of us are crazy about the alternative bc 1- its not the small class she wants (i get it, she needs to meet her peers here in the new town) and 2- its independent study which history tells me is an AWFUL choice. 

I get where the district is coming from w Option B. She can show them that she can handle the academic work AND attend class w 80%+ consistency which makes her admission to the program we originally wanted to place her in much more likely next year. Everyone is in agreement that Option A is the best overall option NO QUESTION. 

[expectantsteelerfan]

Sept 28, 2024 17:56:30 GMT -5 themoneytree said:

Sept 12, 2024 10:50:17 GMT -5 expectantsteelerfan said:

The other issue he's having is that he can't wake himself up in the morning. I just got him a vibrating alarm, but even that's not helping. But at least that's minor in the grand scheme of things.

Have you looked into Jornay? That’s been transformative for SD (19) who had huge issues waking up. It’s honestly made such a difference.

Back to school is going…. ok for DD. At one point I thought we were going to have to pull her out of her new school, but I’m hoping we can complete 7th grade ok. We’ll have to see from there.
Parenting is really, really hard.

We did try it for a while, and I can't remember if it helped with morning stuff (I think it did at least a little bit), it didn't last through the school day for us.  And his doctor would have been fine with him taking an Adderall booster in the afternoon (and we had an ongoing script for it), he hated to leave class to go to the nurse to take it and just wouldn't.  

But we did talk about this issue with his therapist (who he only sees once a month at this point), and his therapist prompted him to come up with something that would motivate him to WANT to get up when the alarm goes off instead of choosing to ignore it and go back to sleep, and after trying a few things, we've found something that works for the most part (which is allowing him to get up 30 min. earlier than he was and watching TV until the time he'd normally get up.  I still have to wake him up about once a week, but it's a big improvement.  He also tried getting up and going for a run in the morning, and unsurprisingly that only lasted a few days lol.  

[expectantsteelerfan]

Oct 1, 2024 8:07:14 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

I have an IEP question. This is our first year with an IEP. All the goals say we will be updated at report card time. For some of DS’s goals, like the ones around social and speech development, the SLP or counselor wrote notes of where he is. For his academic goals, his SPED teacher just wrote “Working toward mastery” or left it blank. There’s nothing like “he can do one by two number multiplication with prompts” or anything. Just “working toward mastery.” Should I ask for more info?

In my experience, sometimes being vague can be helpful and not an issue, mainly if what they are doing is working and your school is supportive of keeping the IEP, but sometimes it can be damaging, esp. if the school is one that tries to remove IEPs.  Like if the goal is just mastery, if he gets good grades for a report card, they could say, oh, he's mastered those subjects, he doesn't need the IEP anymore (even though it's clearly the accommodations provided by the IEP that are allowing him to do well).  

I think it's ok to wait and see how things are going, and if they are ok, be ok without having more specific goals, but if you are unhappy with how things are going, ask for more specific and measurable goals that are updated on a specific timeline.  And not sure what state you are in, but if your state has specific standards that are easy to understand, you could tie his goals to the state standards.  

[mommyatty]

expectantsteelerfan- the goals are pretty specific. Like “will be able to multiply two two digit numbers with fewer than three prompts 3 out of 5 opportunities.” But then the update is just basically “yeah, he’s working on it.”