it feels so wrong

[tansie]

I'm sorry the class was not what you exprected. That happened to us also. We had to see three before we KNEW the right one.
Please know that what you saw is not indicative (sp) of all developmental classes. DS's class does start 10 mins later and end 10 mins earlier, but that is just to get them on and off the buses without all of the other kids and big buses around. His school is a rural school that is entirely bussed.
Other than that, they follow the same schedule as the school day, go to all assemblies, participate in all school functions - change bandits (his clas is in control of counting the coins), school fairs, carnivale, track and field at school, summer fun days, waste free Wednesdays, etc.
His class is open to students in Grades 1 to 9 and they all work together on the curriculum, it is just modified however needed be for each child. So, they all do calendar together, all do math at the same time, music, art, gym, so on and so on.
I hope you are able to find the right fit for your DS. We had to go and see the schools on our own initiative, and THEN the rep from the board took us when she realized we would not take no for an answer.
I would check the other schools in your area and find the classrooms, then contact the school for a tour.
Good luck!

ETA: Wanted to say I understand how you felt. One of the classrooms we went to visit... they were on a field trip that day.
"hello, Mr and Mrs Tansie. Here's the room. What do you think?" Laughable!

[one ordinary girl]

how frustrating. Are there any other options

[Tanya-Mae]

Yeah, I know what I saw cannot be the whole picture because I refuse to believe that Daegan's academic needs are that remote. The class you describe Tansie sounds like the sort of thing I am looking for... as if the KW area doesn't have such a thing.. .duh!

If I follow the rules, I accept that I've seen the options... with the Waterloo Public Board, the “only“ way you can access the DevEd rooms is through the consultant... the woman I really have zero respect for. However, I been known to not always follow the rules... “coincidently“ it was hours after calling the school I visited and talking to the principal directly, did I get a phone call from this consultant to schedule a tour... who was agitated that I called the school myself, lol.

Things should never be this complicated and/or time consuming. This is why I do not work and have no life.. trying my best to single-handly juggle the diverse needs of both my kids while ignoring my ex's criticism for sitting on my but all day doing nothing but living off his support check

[tansie]

Originally Posted by Tanya-Mae

Yeah, I know what I saw cannot be the whole picture because I refuse to believe that Daegan's academic needs are that remote. The class you describe Tansie sounds like the sort of thing I am looking for... as if the KW area doesn't have such a thing.. .duh!

If I follow the rules, I accept that I've seen the options... with the Waterloo Public Board, the “only“ way you can access the DevEd rooms is through the consultant... the woman I really have zero respect for. However, I been known to not always follow the rules... “coincidently“ it was hours after calling the school I visited and talking to the principal directly, did I get a phone call from this consultant to schedule a tour... who was agitated that I called the school myself, lol.

Things should never be this complicated and/or time consuming. This is why I do not work and have no life.. trying my best to single-handly juggle the diverse needs of both my kids while ignoring my ex's criticism for sitting on my but all day doing nothing but living off his support check

Well, that's kind of what we did too. While DS was in JK, we ask to see the room at school A and were told it would be years before he would get it and that the kids were too high nieeds for him. So, the next year when DS was dx with autism on top of his down syndrome, we asked again. Still nothing available. My MIL's best friend is a retired spec ed teacher and still has a ton of friends in the school she taught at. She arranged for us to go there and another school. Both principals had no problem with it. We loved the one school even though it was more for kids with high medical needs, and the other was the empty classroom. But, it was waaaaaaaaaay on the other side of London and we are in Strathroy.
So, we called the spec ed supt and told her we wanted to see the classroom at school a again. We told her that we had toured the other schools and wanted to make a decision for grade 1. Lo and behold, all of a sudden there was an openig at ANOTHER school that we didn't even know had a dc! We toured the school and fell.in.love! It's a perfect fit for us. But, we feel like we had to find it in a round about way.
Don't give up momma. You will find the place that you are comfortable with for DS.

[Tanya-Mae]

Amazing how things just “open up“ eh? I was told by the principal of the school I toured this morning that the class was full.. uh, no... deved classes caps out at 10.

[barkingboys]

Tanya-Mae - sorry to hear the classroom wasn't what you were hoping for. I hope you're able to get Daegan into a class the works best for him!

Tansie - you're making me nervous for what our future might look like. I keep hoping it will all fall into place for DS.

[tansie]

BB, I don't want to make any one nervous, but you will have to advocate for your child. Unless you hit the jackpot, the sschool will do the minimum necessary to meet the requirements of your child attending. You will have to fight for the bare minimum and then some.

BUT... once those supports are in place and you have found the right environment for your child, it is so rewarding! I know it will never be perfect, but it isn't ideal for my DD either!

[Tanya-Mae]

Barking Boys.. no need to start getting nervous now about entering the school system... save your energies til you need it . My biggest suggestion... it is vital to develop your own personal style by which to effectively advocatre for your child. Educate yourself and have the confidence to stand up for your rights. I believe these are the two things that separate the strongly successful advocating parents of the children who get resources from the compliant, trust the “authority“ of the school staff to know what is best for your child parent whose children eventually fall through some pretty big cracks and never reach their full potential.

You can do it.. you already have a wonderful resource.. London-Moms. Not only is it amazing the experiences that this group represents.. but the experiences that it's members so freely share

[Tanya-Mae]

Well.. I just sent an email to the board consultant. I simply told her that the site she showed me was not suitable for the needs of my kid and I want to tour other sites. I also made mention of the other “high functioning“ class that she has repeatedly mentioned to me.. despite it being “full“.

.. let the games begin, lol.

[MrsSunshine]

im so very proud of all you. keep up the fight ladies.. its so worth it.!

[barkingboys]

I am sometimes willing to sit back and allow staff to do as they see fit when it comes to DS (because they've BTDT to some degree and we haven't before). It is good to know how others are handling things and I guess I'll have a lot to learn before he enters the school system. But...right now I'm trying to find out if he'll be able to remain in daycare for JK and most of SK as some daycares are losing their 4-5 year old licences...and I want him to get the best supports he can before entering the school system and potentially losing out on some support.

Tanya-Mae - Good luck with your email. I hope you get some more options and are able to find the right fit for Daegan.

[Tanya-Mae]

lol... nope, no options

I'm sure this serves as yet another example where some people can describe me as a hearless beotch to which I will just reinforce that by saying I will not make any apologies for my thoughts or behaviours. I look at everything unemotionally and business-like... I have a professional relation with people representing the medical/theurapeutic and/or educational systems. You guys are here to provide me with a service... I am respectful but I am not your friend. I personally have no interest in hearing excuses for why things didn't happen... nor do I apprereciate attempts to convince me what a great job you do or how qualified you are. Tooting your own horn has no real value to me... I place much greater value on what others report on your performance.

The Special Education Consultant called me yesterday in response to my email. We had a telephone chat and got nowhere in my opinion. I was told that I was lucky to even have this option (the school I toured) because if I lived in Cambridge I would have none... uh, how is this info relevant to me?

I expressed my concerns over the fact that the school year is virtually over and such matters should be settled by now. Daegan was observed back in March.. I did my part in all this and I am not impressed to hear vacancy issues now.. that should not be my problem. Passing the buck (IMO) as to why there was no call from her after observing Daegan back in March... says she was waiting for me to contact her because she does not contact parents unless she knows they are interested in a placement... she does not “hound“ families. Uh, I initiated all this didn't I? I approached my principal to say that I wanted to look at potential DevEd rooms. My principal promptly contacted her and she observed him in early March.... does this not scream “interested“. At this point I had to inturrupt her extended personal horn-tooting about how she always returns her messages very quickly... really, at this point what is done is done... this topic is pretty irrelevant now.

Despite mentioning the name of another school with a “high-functioning“ class numerous times... I cannot see it because it is “full“ with 8 students. I know classes top-up at 10... but Daegan can't be student #9 because she has a responsibility to her classrooms and the needs of the students in them. I asked about my kid... what about his needs, where is he best suited... in a room with 20+ other students and a few EA hours or in a room with 9 students and access to multiple EAs. No real answer was given. She absolutely refuses to consider any other placements for Daegan. I asked what sort of authourity she has if he were to remain in a regular classroom (services and/or EA hours).. none.

I did learn that student #8 is tentative and if the family declines I could tour the room. I asked what sort of time-table was this other family given to make a decision... considering I toured a site on Monday and was given Wednesday as a deadline. No real answer. This is where she started to deflect and get defensive (IMO). She starts off saying that she did not feel it was necessary to explain this to me when we met for the tour because we didn't know eachother and were not friends, but she has had a couple of deaths in the family and had just returned from one out-of-town funeral, going straight from it to the tour with me... explaining this is why she had no curriculum papers that day... and was leaving town again for another. She will call this other family next week if she does not hear from them... you mean “hound“ them (she did not appreciate that comment, lol) and get back to me. She refused to commit to when I could expect to hear from her.. would only say early next week. I'm sorry... but with regards to this other family: what about forfeiting your option if you do not meet your deadline? Clearly, this family had toured the site before I went on my tour. My deadline had come and passed already.

Well, not good enough for me... Sorry, if I sound heartless.. but I don't care about her personal family circumstances that have her out-of-town (funerals) because we all have hard-ships. Either you do your job or have someone else do it for you while you are away dealing with personal “stuff“. I asked her who is filling in/responsible in her absence.. no one.

Just like old times (dealt with “her“ with my retention battle last year) soon as we finished talking, she called my principal... to fill her in about me (just like last year). I know this because I called my principal to ask her about what Daegan's placement would be like if he were to continue at Glencarin... trying to keep all my bases covered. My principal tells me that the board consultant was concerned that I did not understand her position...

Anyways, as it stands now my principal will proceed on the assumption that Daegan will continue at his current school and will be placed with the grade 2 teacher he was initially matched with for this year. I follow-up again with her on the 18th to discuss services.

The saddest part of all this IMO... this issue surrounds a placement I may or may not even want. I am having difficulty justifying the time and effort to “make things right“ at the board. Last year was so much easier.. I knew Daegan was going to repeat grade 1.. there was no other alternatives. This year, unless I see the options, I don't know.

[barkingboys]

I don't quite understand why you can't tour the location...I mean I'm sure you could consider putting Daegan into that class the following year, or not...depending on how you felt about the school and vacancies. Sorry you're having such a hard time. Hopefully it gets resolved soon.

[JeWill]

Big hugs! I do not understand why they have people working in spec ed who do not understand special needs! Do you not already have enough on your plate, do you really need this crap too!

Here is hoping you get some answers next week!

[MrsSunshine]

((hugs)) and hope you get some answers too..