A good show!

AWSOME Lisa! Tell your kid we are ALL proud of him:-)

I would proactively consider getting the grade level restriction addresssed in his IEP or 504. If this class improves his self esteem,then not attaining the grade point average should be waived.We all know there are certain situations where our kids might not be able to keep the needed grade average,by virtue of being LD and struggling to learn.

Thanks Socks! I did not think about asking for this as an accomodation. He had to take summer school this year so he could fit in band and resource. The reason for this is because the school requires the student to take 5 academic classes. Resource does not count as an academic class and neither does band, he would of had to choose between the two. This will be the 1st year he is in all regular ed classes so he definetly needs the resource help. I don’t think the school should force students to make choices like this-they should accomodate and make an exception in some cases. Of course at the time of the IEP I did not think of that. Thanks so much for the sound advice. P.S. Mike says thanks too!

>>Resource does not count as an academic class<<

What?!?!?
What idiot thought that up???
aarrgghh!!!!
I would address this issue also (in your spare time ;-)
on:
setting kids up to fail
discrimination
forgetting what is important here
and plain old meanness!

Anne (18 school days left(

>> he said it was fun and he enjoyed finally feeling like he fit into a group. Maybe this will be a niche for him, a way to “fit in” at last.<<

Much credit goes to you, too!

And…… I feel a bit bad for my last answer.
We, ld-moms, should be able to sit back and
savor the good times before we jump into
the next battle.

Anne

Dont worry Anne I understood where you were coming from. I too encourage parents to advocate for their children and to teach their children to advocate for themselves. The parents I don’t understand are the ones who never seem to care. I know parents who have kids going into 9th grade like my son and they see no problem with their kids being below reading level, having no writing skills, study skills ect. Their reaction that is just kids today. I tell them they must start helping their children to plan for the future now and what type of future would they have if they did not have basic skills. I think these are the parents that teachers actually have the most heartburn with. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Band is often a wonderful thing for kids with LD’s. My son’s LDs undoubtably come from me, and I just loved band in high school. I had ADHD things going on, and the structure was a wonderful thing — somebody else imposes the organization, and the kids learn very specifically what needs to be accomplished, and yet it allows lots of creativity. If only other subjects could be taught in such a hyper-focused way, with clear cut goals!

How wonderful!! Music actually helps kids learn so you may see payoff in that way. One of my son’s audiologists is trying to get me to have him take piano lessons. I’m resisting at the moment—because of everything else he is doing–but I know she is right.

Beth

This one hits close to home for me. My family decided to end my after school theater classes when I was failing my first year of high school. Fortunately, I was in therapy at the time and my therapist talked my family out of it. I dropped out of high school that year but I did continue going to theater classes and spent hours at the library reading plays. If it weren’t for theater, I would have had nothing to live for let alone inspire me at that time in my life. It motivated me to do independent study long enough to pass the California High School Proficiency Exam so I could take theater classes at a community college. I dropped out of college many times before I was finally DX LD but theater always got me to try again until my academic skills improved. Looking back, it’s interesting to me that my interest in theater waned once I was able to perform academically… Then, I had something to prove, all I wanted to do was graduate from university with good grades.

Yes Lisa! I too have NO clue how parents draw some of their conclusions. I was very unhappy about my son’s lack of progress in the RSP program. Another parent “K”raved about how wonderful the RSP was . There had been an earlier RSP who was actually worse I guess. K thought the the RSP was so wonderful because she would invite all the children who needed help into her room. (The “small” group size grew to13 so no one learned anything!) K also toold me that her 8th grader finally figured how to read after 8 years and could read about on the 5th grade level but did not comprehend anything. Her other child who was in my childs class still had not learned to read (in 5th grade now) yet either. Yet K raved about the wonderful RSP.. I am still trying to figure this out.
BTW the RSP was invited to retire early due to the amount of complaints she was getting from parents. She also called in sick for at least 40 days off in each of the past 3 school years! No qualified sunstitute was ever brought in on these off days!
Needless to say I am headed for mediation/due process with tons of ammo!

We all need these in our lives- how wonderful your child has found one… and such a great one too! Aren’t they amazing…?
BTW:
Could resource count as an English class- depending on what he is doing there? Many of my students that age who do reading or writing instruction have this as an accommodation when they reach the Carnegie stage.
Robin

§ 104.37 Nonacademic services.

(a) General. (1) A recipient to which this subpart applies shall provide non‑academic and extracurricular services and activities in such manner as is necessary to afford handicapped students an equal opportunity for participation in such services and activities.

(2) Nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities may include counseling services, physical recreational athletics, transportation, health services, recreational activities, special interest groups or clubs sponsored by the recipients, referrals to agencies which provide assistance to handicapped persons, and employment of students, including both employment by the recipient and assistance in making available outside employment

by making it impossible for a student to participate in nonacademic activities( They are in effect denying access to a student,making it discriminatory,because they are not deriving the same benefits as their nondisabled peers. Not to mention the fact that resource room is not DEFINED as a nonacademic setting in the law itself. It is and will always be according the the federal government an educational placement. This means they must provide the same credit the same benefit from that setting as they would for any other subject that his nondisabled peers attend.

I would research the 504 law,and write a letter stating how this practice is causing discrimination and in violation of the law. BY the way,for those who didn’t already know,and in case your school isn’t aware. A student with an IEP is covered and protected fully by the 504 laws.

Socks are you sure you are not a lawyer? Thanks for the information I will copy it and use it. You a very good at helping out with things like this. Have a great week.

Robin good luck to you during your proceedings. I don’t know which is sadder the fact that some parents need to do this type of thing to get services for their child or that some parents just don’t care. I dread the thought of what will happen to the kids who did not run into an adult in their life that seems to care, if their parents don’t who will? I am sure ball will have an answer to this one.

Swear, I am not a lawyer:-),I am a nurse. Currently work with developmentally delayed infants and toddlers,and have spent many years developing the name “Mother from Hell”.