Sunday, July 26, 2009

School Registrations...Already?!

I spent Wednesday morning on the phone. It sucks let me tell ya..the frustration builds more and more with each phone call...

Robert's decided he doesn't wanna do culinary arts program at votech..well he's on a waitlist to start it in SEPT!! He wants to switch to hospitality (which was his 2nd choice). So I call his counselor for spec ed at school...nope, he's not in til the 13th (school starts on the 24th!)..Ok, so I called votech direct....the person I need to talk to doesn't return til Monday. GRH!! These are spec ed people/counselors so I thought...well guess not!!

So I call Harley's school...Harley's more specialized spec ed right? He's transitioning into a new school (middle from elementary)...when we had his transition meeting in May...his primary provider told us she would be in all summer long. I call to talk to her about getting ready for transition and she's not in till the 14th!! UGH! Double UGH! There's a transition class that starts on the 17th I wanted to get him enrolled in but I can't enroll him til registration on the 10th. I have to make arrangements for a private aide to be with him since this is an 'extra' bonus class they are holding for all 7th graders...that won't give me much time...

This is the first time since he started school in preK that he is going to a 'neighborhood school'...he's always been what they consider an out of area placement. He's considered special needs transportation and gets an aide on the bus as well as door to door pickup. I called transportation and was told "nope this year he is riding with the regular kids and he is being picked up where everyone else is picked up"....IF he has to ride the regular bus, I have to have him there *gulp* 6:45 AM ... with two little ones and trying to get the teens motivated to catch their bus as well...PLUS it takes over an hour to get him ready to go in the AM...His IEP DOES outline that he is supposed to get "special transportation"--due to his behaviors and flight risk...he still needs help simply walking in a parking lot!!

So I called ARC...I wasn't sure if the special transportation was cut because of the budget cuts, if it was an oversight or if it was because he's now in middle school? Patricia tells me that since it is marked on his IEP that he is specialized transportation then the incoming school was supposed to have submitted a form at the end of last year to notify transportation. Obviously it was not done and there is no one at the school to get this straightened out. So once again, I get to contact the Area Spec Ed Director...Ok, sure I have her number (and her supervisors' number as well)...Ends up everything was restructured over the summer and now I have a different person to deal with GRH!! I left her a voice mail since she's out til Monday while the ARC advocate also contacted her via email and a voice mail.

In light of the budget cuts, I have agreed to *try* this year without a bus aide (but still with door to door transportation--his school aide will meet him at the bus to ensure he crosses the parking lot safely). I agreed under the auspices that IF he receives an infarction that would put his school bus transportation at risk then we will request an aide...but until we have proven that he can't do it without an aide I'm willing to try it without one.

I am just so frustrated....What is with these people? I mean I plan all this stuff well ahead of time and try to get him prepared for the transition but I can't without their help...School starts for Harley in just over 3 weeks and all I know at this point is what school he's going to!!

I started on Tyler's headstart paperwork too...gotta get his dentist and his ped to fill out the other forms before I can complete the registration...GRH!! At least I'll go to that dentist on the 4th with Kelly so I can get them to do it then, but the ped's office says to drop the form off two weeks before you actually need it!! UGH!! More waiting for other people to finish my paperwork!! Of course we have to go back to the ped tomorrow in follow up to Tyler's ER visit on Thursday of this week....I'll come back to update about that too!

1 comment:

Terri said...

Ugh Tracy. I worked in special ed. as a private nurse and I remember very well the headaches I went through for those kids and they weren't my own! Hang in there hun!