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Tss...iep...ack!!!
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 325721" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>I have done the personal delivery, but you need to go through a bit of a rigmarole to make sure it's officially entered and this can be a bit confrontaional and is STILL no guarantee that it will be entered in officially. However, what you do is - you front up with two copies of your letter. You get them both stamped with the date received and the school stamp. You then sing both copies yourself andalso get someone official to sign both copiesalso, as recieved. If you really want to make sure, you then get a photocopy of the school's copy and take that copy home with you. Don't take home the photocopy of your own letter.</p><p></p><p>You now have original and copy proof that the school has recieved your letter on such-and-such a date, and it was signed for as recieved by a person you know (make sure the name of recipient is also printed).</p><p></p><p>I was able to do this at the local school because the office staff understood the need for bureaucracy and didn't feel threatened by this in any way - they understood it would be needed for a possible paper trial, since they had to then send the application further afield and didn't want to risk the school not being able to track their own paper trial, they were happy for me to have my own back-up.</p><p></p><p>I did the same thing when I was filing a formal complaint over the school's discipline policy - I wanted to make it clear that I was making this official and would perhaps expect to follow up if i failed to receive a reply.</p><p></p><p>Another important point you may need to consider - ask for a reply in writing. You still may not get it - just about all the time, all I ever got was a phone call (often abusive) and tey would never put what they said to me, down in writing. So I always took my own notes, often doing my best to get what they said down exactly (put quote marks around it if you are sure you have them word for word, and keep your own copies on file). As a result, I had little recourse but at least I had my own proof.</p><p></p><p>Asking for response in writing is often the fastest way to make it clear that you really mean business, in the politest but most effective way. In a number of cases, I pulled up my computer file containing the letter I sent, and put the minutes of the resulting phone call as an addendum. I put the date, who called and what was said. Then if I have another ongoing file on the topic, I went to it and cross-referenced it to the title of the file I had the detailed notes in. Or duplicated the contents.</p><p></p><p>Keeping detailed records is really important. It also helps avoid reinventing the wheel. </p><p></p><p>Another important point - whatever you get told is the way it is always done, is not always the right way. You may be the first to rock a particular boat, in which case - go in gently but firmly. Often people don't know any better, because someone higher up has decreed that this is how it's done and it's amazing how many people take what they're told, at face value.</p><p></p><p>I just went back and checked my files over a particularly problematic issue - my initial letter (which was faxed, in this case) was responded to in a series of phone calls and eventually face-to-face meetings, but the problem was never fully esolved. The letter rins for two pges. The rough notes of the ongoing communications, including where I was able to quote some people (they talked slowly enough for me to take down their words!) run for another six pages. I've taken it to the final outcome - I stopped hassling because I removed him from face-to-face teaching and enrolled him in correspondence. But the problem was not only not resolved, what I had uncovered showed gross neglicence, considerable (and increasng) rear end covering at the expense of truth and the child's needs and eventually, a lot of lies. I did not take action any further, but when I write te book about what happened, it's all going in. If te system has improved by then, then this will show just how much it has improved and why it had to change. I was also able to note (in my notes) that the school staff temselves were very supportive and were also being thrown under the bus - the problems we had were with the higher-up support staff and the district policies which were at odds with the law.</p><p></p><p>So know the law, but be aware it may not be followed as it should be in your area.</p><p></p><p>If you find yourself starting a fight, be prepared to have to keep going. So dot your i's, cross your t's, and have courage. Keep the best paper trail you can.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 325721, member: 1991"] I have done the personal delivery, but you need to go through a bit of a rigmarole to make sure it's officially entered and this can be a bit confrontaional and is STILL no guarantee that it will be entered in officially. However, what you do is - you front up with two copies of your letter. You get them both stamped with the date received and the school stamp. You then sing both copies yourself andalso get someone official to sign both copiesalso, as recieved. If you really want to make sure, you then get a photocopy of the school's copy and take that copy home with you. Don't take home the photocopy of your own letter. You now have original and copy proof that the school has recieved your letter on such-and-such a date, and it was signed for as recieved by a person you know (make sure the name of recipient is also printed). I was able to do this at the local school because the office staff understood the need for bureaucracy and didn't feel threatened by this in any way - they understood it would be needed for a possible paper trial, since they had to then send the application further afield and didn't want to risk the school not being able to track their own paper trial, they were happy for me to have my own back-up. I did the same thing when I was filing a formal complaint over the school's discipline policy - I wanted to make it clear that I was making this official and would perhaps expect to follow up if i failed to receive a reply. Another important point you may need to consider - ask for a reply in writing. You still may not get it - just about all the time, all I ever got was a phone call (often abusive) and tey would never put what they said to me, down in writing. So I always took my own notes, often doing my best to get what they said down exactly (put quote marks around it if you are sure you have them word for word, and keep your own copies on file). As a result, I had little recourse but at least I had my own proof. Asking for response in writing is often the fastest way to make it clear that you really mean business, in the politest but most effective way. In a number of cases, I pulled up my computer file containing the letter I sent, and put the minutes of the resulting phone call as an addendum. I put the date, who called and what was said. Then if I have another ongoing file on the topic, I went to it and cross-referenced it to the title of the file I had the detailed notes in. Or duplicated the contents. Keeping detailed records is really important. It also helps avoid reinventing the wheel. Another important point - whatever you get told is the way it is always done, is not always the right way. You may be the first to rock a particular boat, in which case - go in gently but firmly. Often people don't know any better, because someone higher up has decreed that this is how it's done and it's amazing how many people take what they're told, at face value. I just went back and checked my files over a particularly problematic issue - my initial letter (which was faxed, in this case) was responded to in a series of phone calls and eventually face-to-face meetings, but the problem was never fully esolved. The letter rins for two pges. The rough notes of the ongoing communications, including where I was able to quote some people (they talked slowly enough for me to take down their words!) run for another six pages. I've taken it to the final outcome - I stopped hassling because I removed him from face-to-face teaching and enrolled him in correspondence. But the problem was not only not resolved, what I had uncovered showed gross neglicence, considerable (and increasng) rear end covering at the expense of truth and the child's needs and eventually, a lot of lies. I did not take action any further, but when I write te book about what happened, it's all going in. If te system has improved by then, then this will show just how much it has improved and why it had to change. I was also able to note (in my notes) that the school staff temselves were very supportive and were also being thrown under the bus - the problems we had were with the higher-up support staff and the district policies which were at odds with the law. So know the law, but be aware it may not be followed as it should be in your area. If you find yourself starting a fight, be prepared to have to keep going. So dot your i's, cross your t's, and have courage. Keep the best paper trail you can. Marg [/QUOTE]
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