I was wondering if there is a difference in email request and a handwritten request?
I have emailed my son’s assistant principle about scheduling a meeting to change his IEP/ARD. I am not sure which one it falls under but it involves the same people. It has been two weeks and I have not recieve any form of response. I have been at the school all week and she has seen me but nothing. No email or verbal acknowledgement. Does email have no weight. Must it be in pen to gain importance? It is a very important change to me and his teacher and resource teacher agree it should be change. Is it ok to dismiss an email about IEP concerns?
I approach her today and asked if she has been recieving my email. She could only tell me she was very busy. My first email was two weeks ago. I would think that is enough time to atleast respond with - I am reviewing, researching —something!!!
No, just I have other things to do. Why not - I read your email and will get back to you. I felt like I got the run around.
Anne
Re: email vs a handwritten request
Well I just got a response back yesterday. She has been out with her ill husband in the hospital. I had already contacted his case worker and asked her to start the process. The assistant principle has agreed to let her do the “investigation” to see if I am right since she will continue to be in and out of the office. Now I sit and wait again.
Re: email vs a handwritten request
Typed letter polite and reasonable, computer printed, make two copies and hand-date each, mark “hand delivered on (date)” ; deliver one to the school, handing directly to the principal if available and the secretary if not; get a written receipt from the secretary; and keep the other copy in your home file. If no answer within a week, make another photocopy and add a cover letter also hand-dated (and keep a copy of this to) to your district superintendent saying this letter was sent on (date) and not responded to in any manner a week later by (date) and my child’s education is suffering due to these delays. If *still* no answer within another week, another two copies of each and the same to the state superintendent of Education and to your state representative. This approach is not necessarily the most warm and fuzzy, but it is perfectly polite, and will get action.
You have tried the gentle and nice and tactful waiting system, and how well is that working for you?
Keep the copies and if you get continued foot-dragging, check out wrightslaw and find out about how you start an action for non-compliance. Most school districts will suddenly find time and all sorts of help as soon as they see a lawyer mentioned. A few, however, do need the actual lawyer.
Re: email vs a handwritten request
Hey, this is *still* the gentle and nice method. None of the words need to be harsh. You are simply keeping track of what you are doing, so that you can stay organized.
A three-ring binder or two are great for this task: a divider for “letters” and a big calendar of the month in front, where you just jot down any incidental happenings (phone calls, homework issues, whatever_). New month, new calendar (if you’re horrible with paper like me, print 12 of ‘em now, punch & install ‘em :-)).
Binders full of stuff get respect in meetings :-) And it’s something to do while you’re waiting…
Re: email vs a handwritten request
A binder that is a great idea. I only just started to do things in writting late last year but it is all in a pile. I would have to search through it if I needed to refer to an event or request.
Great idea. Thank you. We are having a great year. I am still trying to clean up the mess from last year. They want to pretend that it did not happen and that what happen last year is in the past and to leave it there and never speak of it again.
My issue is the comments documented in his records - that he is the cause and solely responsible for his frustration. I just want his record to show that there are no behaviors associated from frustration in learning or with the teacher and mark it as poor teacher/student relations limited to last year. We had no issue like last year before and none -yes none this year - 10 weeks into the school year.
They tell me that it is only paper work and does not matter. I say if it just paper work and does not matter than why have it at all - lets burn it.
No I did not say or write that but I am thinking it. I just want his ARD/IEP record to reflex his current achievements and that is what I did wrote to them. They know his teacher last year was wrong and evil and if I prove that it was an isolated year they would have to face it and deal with it. I know they do not want to and will do anything to avoid it. All I want is for his record to say how he is today.
The fact that he is a well behavior boy with all A’s and his teachers (reg and resource) have good things to say about him- is going to have to make them think about what went wrong last year. He had no problems with the resource teacher last year either.
I am sorry it will make last teacher look bad but she did it to her self. My son suffered because of her decisions last year and I do not want her thoughts of last year be on the records as the thoughts of this year.
Our next ARD meeting not until May and I am trying to move it to yesterday.
Thanks for your advise
Anne
It shouldn’t be any different - and it probably wouldn’t be. YOu’d probably have gotten the runaround with a handwritten note.
The next step is to send a very warm, polite letter - through certified mail, receipt requested. It tells them that you’re making a paper trail and that you understand that they are busy, but that you humbly expect to be part of the things they have to do, not things to get done *after* all the “important” stuff.