After such a bad year last year, he is really backsliding.
The staff is good, it's just our schools are so understaffed when it comes to dealing with a kiddo like my difficult child.
Here is the email I received just regarding today's issues (figured you could get the whole effect by reading it):
As you probably know, difficult child didn't have a very good day today. Sharon, I know we called you after the first incident. What follows is a written account of this incident as well as the other two that happened 5th hour and after school. difficult child did sleep for one today.
1. 3rd Hr gym-beginning of the hour: difficult child shouted across room Joe (name changed) will you get me a compound bow. Joe who was already using a different bow responded No. difficult child did not know how to use the bow that Joe was using. Time in the gym class passed with no other apparent interaction. At the end of class between the transition in the hallway, difficult child followed Joe up the stairs and started punching him in the shoulder. Joe reported that to me. difficult child conferred. He said was mad at Joe for not getting him the bow. Joe claimed he did not hear them. difficult child became very mad, balled up his fists and said loudly shut up Joe or Im going to punch your head out. Joe left the area at this time and went to class. difficult child alternated between tears and balled up fist/tense body. He took off walking in opposite direction. A few minutes later, staff reported that he had walked outside and was walking across the field. A staff member talked him back into the building. He was again alternating between crying and balled up fist/tense body at this point. He kept saying he wanted to call his dad. Staff said No as per protocol. He stated he hated this school. He also said for the first time that Joe had called him ADHD and said something about Special Education. He did not bring this up again. He then turned and walked out the door towards the parking. An SEA went after him along with the principal. The principal told him that the school would need to call the police if he chose to run away. difficult child came back into the school. He allowed himself to be escorted to SAR. Once in SAR, he recovered quickly and began demonstrating manic type behaviors. During the entire incident his speech was slurred and he was very difficult to understand.
2: Math class (5th hour)=No discernable trigger. difficult child came into the room appropriately, sat down and began warm up. He was a bit manic, but nothing extreme. He did the warm up. I handed him the next assignment. He did not look it over. He stated Im going to punch Jane (name changed) out if she touches me and Big Mama (respite lady)told me if someone touches me like that I should punch them out. Jane is a student ½ his size who has significant cognitive challenges and who the entire time had been working quietly with her aide back facing difficult child. difficult child stated talking about being in the mental math class and something about how Jane and Becky were both mental. I tried to both re-direct his conversation as well as process through it. He became fixated on punching Jane and Becky out if they touch me. (they have never touched difficult child intentionally). At this point, I removed both the other students for safety reasons. difficult child tipped over his desk and threw his paper. He proceeded to lay across the chairs and said he was tired. The principal became involved. difficult child got up and went to the 8th grader lockers outside of the classroom. He opened a few up and started touching the other peoples things. He did eventually re-direct. He did ultimately make it down to the nurses office where he slept for 1 hour.
3-End of the day after final bell. Again no discernable trigger-Was walking down the hallway after the bell rang. Stuck out his foot sideways and tripped a 6th grader who was walking down the opposite direction. The 6th grader later reported he did not know difficult child well, but difficult child bothered him sometimes in gym class. difficult child kept walking after the incident.
The consequence for the punching was 1 period of ISS. difficult child ended up missing due to either his behaviors or sleeping 3 classes today.
Please let me know if you have any advice,
Honestly, I don't have any advice any more. When I spoke to the principal today I did let her know I didn't think our sd was doing enough for children with mental illness. She was very supportive and even gave me a number of someone I can call.
Any ideas or suggestions on what I can say to the Special Education director of the district is most welcome.
by the way, Big Mama (where he goes to respite) did not tell difficult child it was o.k. to hit someone!
When I tried to talk with difficult child I just get, "shut up, don't talk to me," and husband also tries to talk with him. difficult child says he'll try and then starts obsessing over something at school and can't seem to help himself (that does not mean I'm saying it is o.k. it is just an observation).
If you made it through all of this, thank you (I think this may be my longest post ever). I'm beyond frustrated and stuck!
The staff is good, it's just our schools are so understaffed when it comes to dealing with a kiddo like my difficult child.
Here is the email I received just regarding today's issues (figured you could get the whole effect by reading it):
As you probably know, difficult child didn't have a very good day today. Sharon, I know we called you after the first incident. What follows is a written account of this incident as well as the other two that happened 5th hour and after school. difficult child did sleep for one today.
1. 3rd Hr gym-beginning of the hour: difficult child shouted across room Joe (name changed) will you get me a compound bow. Joe who was already using a different bow responded No. difficult child did not know how to use the bow that Joe was using. Time in the gym class passed with no other apparent interaction. At the end of class between the transition in the hallway, difficult child followed Joe up the stairs and started punching him in the shoulder. Joe reported that to me. difficult child conferred. He said was mad at Joe for not getting him the bow. Joe claimed he did not hear them. difficult child became very mad, balled up his fists and said loudly shut up Joe or Im going to punch your head out. Joe left the area at this time and went to class. difficult child alternated between tears and balled up fist/tense body. He took off walking in opposite direction. A few minutes later, staff reported that he had walked outside and was walking across the field. A staff member talked him back into the building. He was again alternating between crying and balled up fist/tense body at this point. He kept saying he wanted to call his dad. Staff said No as per protocol. He stated he hated this school. He also said for the first time that Joe had called him ADHD and said something about Special Education. He did not bring this up again. He then turned and walked out the door towards the parking. An SEA went after him along with the principal. The principal told him that the school would need to call the police if he chose to run away. difficult child came back into the school. He allowed himself to be escorted to SAR. Once in SAR, he recovered quickly and began demonstrating manic type behaviors. During the entire incident his speech was slurred and he was very difficult to understand.
2: Math class (5th hour)=No discernable trigger. difficult child came into the room appropriately, sat down and began warm up. He was a bit manic, but nothing extreme. He did the warm up. I handed him the next assignment. He did not look it over. He stated Im going to punch Jane (name changed) out if she touches me and Big Mama (respite lady)told me if someone touches me like that I should punch them out. Jane is a student ½ his size who has significant cognitive challenges and who the entire time had been working quietly with her aide back facing difficult child. difficult child stated talking about being in the mental math class and something about how Jane and Becky were both mental. I tried to both re-direct his conversation as well as process through it. He became fixated on punching Jane and Becky out if they touch me. (they have never touched difficult child intentionally). At this point, I removed both the other students for safety reasons. difficult child tipped over his desk and threw his paper. He proceeded to lay across the chairs and said he was tired. The principal became involved. difficult child got up and went to the 8th grader lockers outside of the classroom. He opened a few up and started touching the other peoples things. He did eventually re-direct. He did ultimately make it down to the nurses office where he slept for 1 hour.
3-End of the day after final bell. Again no discernable trigger-Was walking down the hallway after the bell rang. Stuck out his foot sideways and tripped a 6th grader who was walking down the opposite direction. The 6th grader later reported he did not know difficult child well, but difficult child bothered him sometimes in gym class. difficult child kept walking after the incident.
The consequence for the punching was 1 period of ISS. difficult child ended up missing due to either his behaviors or sleeping 3 classes today.
Please let me know if you have any advice,
Honestly, I don't have any advice any more. When I spoke to the principal today I did let her know I didn't think our sd was doing enough for children with mental illness. She was very supportive and even gave me a number of someone I can call.
Any ideas or suggestions on what I can say to the Special Education director of the district is most welcome.
by the way, Big Mama (where he goes to respite) did not tell difficult child it was o.k. to hit someone!
When I tried to talk with difficult child I just get, "shut up, don't talk to me," and husband also tries to talk with him. difficult child says he'll try and then starts obsessing over something at school and can't seem to help himself (that does not mean I'm saying it is o.k. it is just an observation).
If you made it through all of this, thank you (I think this may be my longest post ever). I'm beyond frustrated and stuck!
