Comments on: ‘The special-needs kindergarten crunch’ http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2008/09/25/special-needs-kindergarten/ Disability News | PatriciaEBauer.com Sat, 10 Jan 2009 04:45:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Kathy Mackey http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2008/09/25/special-needs-kindergarten/comment-page-1/#comment-2787 Kathy Mackey Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:49:38 +0000 http://www.patriciaebauer.com/?p=3301#comment-2787 It actually starts earlier than that. Finding a good pre-k program is tough too. For kindergarten, I did what you're not supposed to do. I took out the phone book and called the local schools. That of course failed, because they're not supposed to speak with you, but some kind administrators do. It allowed me to compile some information. One of my son's therapists told me of a truely unique program that focused on Occupational Therapy and how it should relate to Speech. I visited the program when the administrator took pity on me. Since Speech and OT were my top priorities, I made a case that this program alone would address my son's needs the best. My local district gave me a hard time and suggested alternatives. One of the sites they sent me to boasted that they had obtained a variance that would allow them to keep kids in the kindergarten room until they were 8 years old. The idea of keeping my sweet little 5 year old with Down syndrome in a class with older kids who may have emotional problems was out of the question. I created a matrix comparing all the programs they sent me to. By the time I had jumped through all the hoops, my district put me through the program I wanted him in was full. So I emailed Joel Klein (the chancellor) on a Sunday evening telling him that the delays the district created took away my son's rights to an appropriate education. On The following Tuesday morning I got an email from a deputy superintendant. Miraculously they found an opening. He's now in fifth grade in the same program and it has been great. Totally worth the extra effort. It actually starts earlier than that. Finding a good pre-k program is tough too. For kindergarten, I did what you’re not supposed to do. I took out the phone book and called the local schools. That of course failed, because they’re not supposed to speak with you, but some kind administrators do. It allowed me to compile some information.

One of my son’s therapists told me of a truely unique program that focused on Occupational Therapy and how it should relate to Speech. I visited the program when the administrator took pity on me. Since Speech and OT were my top priorities, I made a case that this program alone would address my son’s needs the best. My local district gave me a hard time and suggested alternatives. One of the sites they sent me to boasted that they had obtained a variance that would allow them to keep kids in the kindergarten room until they were 8 years old. The idea of keeping my sweet little 5 year old with Down syndrome in a class with older kids who may have emotional problems was out of the question.

I created a matrix comparing all the programs they sent me to. By the time I had jumped through all the hoops, my district put me through the program I wanted him in was full. So I emailed Joel Klein (the chancellor) on a Sunday evening telling him that the delays the district created took away my son’s rights to an appropriate education. On The following Tuesday morning I got an email from a deputy superintendant. Miraculously they found an opening. He’s now in fifth grade in the same program and it has been great. Totally worth the extra effort.

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