Mama vs School... Is it time??

When do you think it is time to blow the whistle on the school when they are not following an IEP?  I understand that it is illegal not to follow the IEP; but at what point do you really pull the 'you're not in compliance with this legal document' card?  Advice, opinions, and thoughts are greatly appreciated.

I found out yesterday, through casual conversation with Sadie's aide, that there are a few issues with this year's schedule.  First, I have to say that Sadie has the BEST aide on the planet.  She is wonderful, kind, works hard, and takes the extra steps to help Sadie with inclusion.  Her aide is going to school to become a teacher and you can tell that she loves to teach and really cares about the kids: especially Sadie.  Also, the reason Sadie has an aide is because she is a runner.  The school is an open campus and there have been two different times she ran into the parking lot (and once more she was released by a teacher and she wandered around trying to find me in the parking lot).  This parking lot is located next to a very busy street. 

So here's the scoop:

1) Her aide does not stay with her during lunch (because this is her break time) and there have been two 4th graders assigned to walk Sadie from the lunch area to the playground. Nobody is assigned to making sure she stays on the playground and doesn't run off.

2) Her aide drops her off for resource then goes back into the general ed. classroom to help the teacher out.   (My thought is this would be a great time for her aide to see how to modify her work and follow through with what she is learning on her level)

3) Her teacher does not modify her work- the aide does. 

4) Because of the mix of children in the school this year, Sadie does not go to Math 5 times a week for 30 minutes a day as stated in her IEP.  She only goes 3 times a week- which means she is shorted 60 mins a week or 36 hours a year.  Considering the fact that she is already behind and it takes her longer to learn, this seems like a huge disservice. 

I was able to briefly talk to the resource teacher to ask her what was best for Sadie, but she seemed worried about making sure the IEP was honored and said that she may have to put Sadie in class with older kids when higher math is being taught.  Sadie is really enjoying and thriving in school this year and I would hate to enforce the IEP just to put her in a class where it stresses her out because the material is beyond her level and the kids are too old.

Please... any thoughts?  I am not a complainer; but I feel like 36 hours less of math is huge!

A 17 yr. old, 900 miles, a roomate, and a new life....

What do you see when you look at this picture?

I see someone who has found her wings. 

Someone who has discovered her divine potential

and has found courage and confidence...

I see someone who is happy, validated, and hopeful....

and I am GRATEFUL!

Stubborn Sadie - Day #4

I hate to keep harping on the stubborn side of Sadie; but, it really has started to consume our lives! Last year she lost her snack on two occasions because she decided she didn't want to line up and go in from recess. The first time I was horrified that her teacher could be soooooo mean as to make her sit there and watch all her classmates eat without her. I quickly learned Ms. Katie knows what she is doing and that Sadie would understand there are consequences to actions.

Guess what???? I think Sadie forgot about the "no snack if you don't line up" rule over the summer. We have been in school for 3 1/2 weeks and she has missed snack THREE TIMES already. That's not the worst of it. She has even gone to line up and decided to look Ms. Pam right in the eyes and run off to take another turn at the slide!!!

Also, one day a little boy named Adam didn't like the task they were doing so he decided to throw his book in the middle of the circle. Sadie quickly told him, "No Adam, no throwing!". (This is what they call- "helping classmates keep on task". I call it "being bossy"; nevertheless, it is a new behavior Sadie has acquired this year!) Ms. Pam told Sadie, "I'll help Adam- you go finish your project."

I don't think Sadie liked this to much because she went and got her book, looked Ms. Pam in the eyes, and threw her book in the circle. Can you say stubborn????

I know that this whole 31 for 21 is suppose to be for down syndrome awareness... and I think that means to help others see how wonderful living and caring for a child with ds is. So, know that all of these "behaviors" are exciting, frustrating, interesting, a pain in the butt, but most of all NORMAL 4 YEAR OLD BEHAVIOR!!! And what is more wonderful than looking at your child and seeing beyond the ds?

Ancient Chinese Writing- how much do you know about it???

Madison came home on Thursday and told me she had a research project due on Monday. What??? Are you kidding me??? When I asked her why hadn't she told me earlier, she responded, "We've been working on it in class- it's no big deal!" No Big Deal?? Ok, so I didn't even ask her what her topic was until Friday- because I was a little to upset to deal with it any sooner. Ancient Chinese writing. Oh, that should be easy (hear my tone of voice??) Well, yesterday I told her to take everything out and start working on it.

I've always had to walk the kids through their projects- they are smart enough to do it on their own- maybe not that motivated or sure of themselves. Well, you know what?? She has taken so many good notes. Nothing plagiarized. Just a lot of good notes. She is ready to start typing up her paper and she has had little help from me. I still expect to help her for about three hours tonight after rehearsal; but, wow- she really has become a self motivated, hard working and responsible student.

Some notes from Sadie's IEP

Just thought I would share another post from downsyn I made right after the IEP...

"I'm toast!!! I can't believe how exhausting these past few days have been. I decided early that I wasn't going to stress out and make my family miserable while I waited to see what the school district thought about Sadie. I was doing a good job until yesterday about 2 pm. Last Tuesday she was assessed. I loved the team and thought that although she didn't do everything she could- she also did things we don't see her doing consistently- so everything pretty much came out even in the wash! After the assessment they keep saying how attentive she was, what a long attention span she had and how determined she was even though she didn't complete a lot of the tasks. Ok- I'm reading between the lines.. that means she will do well in therapy because she will sit and try- and she needs more instruction because she wasn't completing the tasks. Yesterday my husband got the report faxed to his office. He started reading it to me, and I am a visual person, so I tried to listen and not make judgments. I agreed with almost all of the results. What she could and couldn't do- or at least how she was testing. I've been told she isn't a good tester- but you just need to observe and see she does really well. Every therapist, dr., you name it tells me how high functioning she is. As I'm hearing the results I hear, her cognitive level is very low functioning. Ouch!!!!~ What is he talking about? The tester called and I asked him 4 times who she is being tested against, all three year olds, typical 3 yr olds or just kids with special needs. He tells me just kids with special needs. So she is in the 1 % of kids with special need? Like kids who won't give any eye contact, kids who have no control of their body?? I was devastated. I cried for 4 hours. I finally decided he didn't know Sadie and I knew she was sitting on my floor reading her book, singing songs and was happy. I have one kids who scores 99%-100% across the board on all her standardized tests and can't follow a three step command, freaks out in a bind and who struggles to be happy everyday. She's the one I would worry about- but the school system thinks she has it made. Long story short- he tested her on an average IQ range. She scored in the middle of 1%. I'll take that. I know she is mentally retarded. As much as I hate it, it comes with the Down Syndrome. 1% on an average IQ is not in the mentally retarded range. So, even though she did not do as well as we know she can- and even though she was delayed- they said she is within normal IQ range. Not by much- but she is. Then they spent the first 20 mins. telling me how great she did and how much they think she will thrive in school. I'm so exhausted. I should have never listened to them in the first place. Sadie is Sadie and no test is going to change that. I will have to brag a little- her receptive language is 34 months (she was 35 at testing) and her social emotional is 38 months. How could any kid with that kind of receptive score be very low functioning??? I think I'm the one who needs help since I listen to him!"


And here is an update after some replies (I'm not sure they understood what I was saying)...

"Thanks everyone! I happen to have my friend who came into town a couple of minutes before the IEP with me. She is a special ed. teacher for severally profound disabled children in Utah. She was horrified they would give her a test that they do not use on children with Down Syndrome (because it is for typical children). Which is really not a good test for her anyway, because she is more audio and it was a visual acuity test with fine motor skills- and she has poor wrist and shoulder strength and movement. I think they were trying to compliment Sadie because she was so cooperative- but the misunderstanding was devastating. I really thought they were telling me she was profoundly retarded. Which would be hard no matter what- but came out of no where! Every therapist she has ever worked with has been amazed at her abilities. Good news... they gave her more speech than usual because of her attention span. And they were so worried about the misunderstanding-that they gave her OT through the summer with an evaluation due by the start of the school year and a PT and APE evaluation. She is actually getting more therapy than I thought she would. Currently she does not qualify for speech because she does not have enough of a delay. Don't get me started on that one!!!! Her articulation has a lot to be desired and she still is delayed."