So I have come to a bit of a decision. Enough to get us started, anyway.
I made a list of all of the things, knowing what I know now, I would have done differently with Isaac, school-wise. To this list, I added my school goals (read - "dreams") for O.
MESD and PPS have a policy of putting kids in the "least restrictive environment" possible. But that didn't work for Isaac. It should have been the other way around. He should have had time to adjust to a restricted (but academically typical) Kindergarten, then slowly moved into a typical room.
So although O is a different kid with different needs, there is no way a "sink or swim" methodology is gonna cut it. PPS does not like this way. It is more expensive, I am sure, but also PPS gets a little ding on its record when a child has to be in a restricted environment. Does not work with their Inclusion Model. I will fight, bitch, moan, and manipulate to get this. I have learned all about that damned squeaky wheel, and am bitter that PPS has made me so freakin' noisy.
Back to this fall, and EI. We are not starting in September, unless by some miracle we find the perfect private program. In the fall, O and I will visit a few programs once week one has passed and calm has settled. I am not going to rush to make a mistake - O is just too sensitive. She even became overwhelmed at Edwards around Halloween 2009, and had to be pulled for two months while we worked with private therapists. If none work, that's OK. We will also be visiting private programs and go on waiting lists. Unlike so many other parents, I have one resource I can use - time.
So please, please let me know how your kids are doing in the fall. What do you think of Grout after two weeks, one month? How is Childswork going? Sharing so others can learn is the idea here.
Kids are leaving for grandparents in two days. Then 6 days with hubby doing nothing more than road trips to Eastern Oregon and the Wine Country. Will load up on Pinot. Might go to a movie that is not in 3-D.
Hi there - another parent from Holly's class this summer mentioned that Sara (the speech path) mentioned that MESD can provide supports in the home if EI isn't a good fit, potentially including a social group where a very small group of kids get together and work on social development stuff. She also mentioned that Sara is her child's case manager. I wonder who our case manager is for Dashiell? Not sure I'm navigating the system very well at this point.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I just wanted to say thank you for writing this blog! It's so helpful to feel like I'm not the only one wrestling with some of this.
And hello to Karin! I think it was Ruby who charmed Mike and I in the hall the last week or so of Holly's class...
Hi, I'm a parent of two Edwards kids, Chloe and Taylor. We were pretty bummed out too...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we've signed the two of them up for Childswork, and we're putting Chloe with her little brother at Immanuel Lutheran for a couple of days. We'll let you know what we think of those places, but off the bat Childswork's orientation felt more like college than pre-k. On the other hand, Chloe's class at Immanuel has only 8 kids.
Keep fighting the good fight, and be sure to post if you hear anything about Holly and Amanda's plans.
Thanks --