Think I need another IEP meeting

[JJJ]

Kanga is becoming positively unglued about school. This is a child who loves school normally. She is exhibiting all the early signs of school refusal. I have spoken with the school counselor 5 of the last 7 school days, to the social worker, to the principal, heck even to the school nurse. The teacher forwards my e-mails to the counselor but doesn't respond herself.

How does this e-mail sound?

Kanga has another meltdown tonight and is demanding that I remove her from Current School and send her "anywhere else". I don't believe we can solve this over the phone. I am calling for her IEP team to reconvene to discuss:

1. behavioral supports for peer conflicts

2. formalizing her counseling and social work interventions

3. educational supports in her mainstream classes

4. discuss possible change of placement, preferably within Current School

I would like the following school staff in attendance at the entire meeting: Ms. Special Education Teacher, Mr. Counselor, and Ms. Social Worker. I would like the following staff in attendence for #3 and #4 - Ms. Mainstream Science and Ms. Mainstream Social Studies.

Kanga has agreed to attend school without resistence the rest of the month pending the outcome of this IEP meeting. <font color="blue"> </font>

 

[LittleDudesMom]

JJJ,

Has the school counselor responded to your emails or even made any suggestions over the phone? It appears that she is dropping the ball for not having suggested a reconvenence of the iep team.

You are right on in requesting an iep meeting. I think it is of the utmost importance to address these issues at earl onset, especially with anxiety issues. I would suggest, if you haven't sent the email yet, that all you are requesting in attendance receive a copy of it as well as the principal. I would also suggest adding "I am calling for her IEP team to reconvene at the ealiest possible date, preferably before winter break."

Since you are making your request via email, can you set the outgoing mail to send you confirmation receipt?

Good luck. Hugs to Kanga.

Sharon

 

[Sheila]

I'd set the email up in a formal letter format. Send it via Certified Mail as well as email. (The CM is a legal protection.)

I'd take, "Kanga has agreed to attend school without resistence the rest of the month pending the outcome of this IEP meeting" out of the letter. While most parents with-kids with-anxiety issues understand the what's going on with the language, other may interpret it as something Kanga can control and therefore she is being "willful."

I would close with something to the effect, "I would like the IEP meeting to occur within the next five days. I am available on date, date and date." Please telephone me at xxx-xxx-xxxx at your earliest convenience.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[JJJ]

Well, as you may have read in my other posts, Kanga ended up in the psychiatric hospital for suicidal and homicidal ideation. We are now having an IEP meeting to discuss change of placement. I will not let her go back to that school even if I have to home school her the rest of the year. I'll fight the good fight at the meeting next week but if I lose, I'll be dusting off my teaching skills...

 

[Martie]

JJJ,

I'm sorry to be late on this but this is FYI everybody: who attends an IEP meeting is dictated by law and if the appropriate staff is not present, it isn't a legal IEP meeting. Hearing Officers and courts notice this stuff and will void an agreement reached if the IEP meeting was illegally constituted. Schools count on this so make sure that IEP meeting staff conforms to legal requirements.

I am vey sorry that Kanga is suffering this way. I know the feeling very well of not returning a suicidal child to a school that cannot provide for safety needs. However, do not let your SD off so easily: they have an obligation to provide Kanga with FAPE--if that means in a therapeutic school or even residential school, it is worth fighting for.

HUGS

Martie

 

[JJJ]

Hi Martie,

There is a school in our coop that I think would meet her needs. The Special Education director is "very concerned about so restrictive a placement". Um, yes it is in the neighboring town but she already has friends in that school both in the Special Education program and the regular ed program. Her best friend lives over an hour away, this is not a child who defines her friends by who lives on her block. And don't we think that 21 days in a psychiatric hospital (plus 5 more in the outpatient day program is a bit restrictive????)

I know what they SHOULD provide but I also know the dismal stats on parents winning their cases in Illinios, especially without an attorney.

So far, I am getting an "escorted visit" to the Special Education room on Monday and the IEP will be on Thursday. I'm hoping they agree to placement in which case I will take Kanga to the new school for a visit 8-8:30am on Friday and get her to the outpatient program an hour late that day.

Overall we have great schools and staff but they are so narrow-mined that mainstream is best.

 

[Martie]

Mainstream is cheapest--no way they will change their thinking about that. And yes the DP win rate for parents in IL is bad.

I hope the "tour" goes well.

Let us know how it goes.

Martie