WTF? Childy study team eval. tomorrow and...

[menudo]

I just found out tonight!!! I came home and saw a lettter from DD's school. DH then said the school called and verified my appt. tomorrow at 8:15 am!! I had no clue for what!! I opened the letter and yep-notifyting me of tomorrows meeting! So now DH can't go and thankfully I am still unemployed so I can make it BUT what if I had been working-I wouldn't have made it nor would've been able to contact them in time to rechedule!

I am glad they squeezed us in (after my bugging but I gave up temporarily a few weeks back) but I am not prepared. Can't figure out if I bring DD. What are they going to ask? I dislike her teacher so I like to know what may come at me. (This is the teacher who is pissed she wasn't diagnosed with ADD and says it to me too often!) Just the fact one is titled social worker terrifies me. And then the Psychologist, argh, my experince with them has never been good (ie. "I know better b/c I went to college and got this title"). HELP!!

What will they ask? Say? Do? ANYONE? I have 10 hours!!

[CerridwenLorelei]

if you

have already had trouble with them I would not go alone and I speak from experience. A very bad experience. Find someone QUICK or ask for an extension if possible. Call the local child advocacy center someone.. You should have that right under your states special ed law. I don't know what is called there but here it is section 54.
Find out the recording laws in your state and TAKE A TAPE RECORDER if you can't reschedule ( explain that your dh made a mistake possibly)take copious notes
Ask them to put things in writing with their signatures.
Keep up posted
If you need anything else I haven't thought of PM or email me!

[menudo]

What was your bad experience?

I have not had one per se. I have stayed "in control" so far. Did my homework before ADD eval. and RN who did it agreed with me. I have satyed a step above them do far. this eval is so DD wonb't be held back but will be in a special small class next year instead of being held back which IMO I nop longer think would be a good idea.

I just don't like her teacher, but otherwise, they are making time for her this week so it won't be put off til next year. It is probably best DH doesn't go, he is notorious for saying all the wrong things.

[PikkuMyy]

I'm a teacher and although I haven't been part of an SST meeting, they're similar to IEP meetings for special ed, which I do. I would suggest thinking about goals you'd like for your daughter and accomodations and modifications that could happen in the classroom and how you could support those at home.

[LiamnEmma]

I'm a little confused by the title...is this a Child/Student Study Team meeting or an IEP? Because they are not the same. A C/SST could lead to an evaluation by the spec. ed. teacher, psych and/or speech path, which then leads to an IEP, but it does not necessarily have to. Are you wanting to have your child evaluated by those people? (listen to me, I'm ONE of those people ) If you are convinced that the small classroom setting is not ideal for your dd then simply say no and ask them to show you how they're going to attempt to help her otherwise...but be prepared to commit to helping her loads yourself at home--I know you already are, I'm just hearing the many many SSTs I've been part of in my head. Quite honestly, as a school psychologist, I would not let special ed staff touch my kids with a ten foot pole unless I was absolutely sure my child was so significantly impacted by a disability that s/he simply could not be accommodated without additional assistance. But I think C/SSTs can be great vehicles for change when handled well by all parties. It sucks that you got such short notice though. I'm in charge of scheduling the meetings at one of my schools, and even though I schedule them at least a week in advance, I know some of the parents are not properly notified by the teachers as they are supposed to be...OTOH, I'd probably do a worse job so maybe I should just shut my mouth now. Good luck tomorrow.

[CerridwenLorelei]

PMING you

[menudo]

Update: Ok, it is the child study team: School psych., social worker, teacher,speech teacher, and me. DD does have learning disabilites (I beleive from lead and other heavy metals,was sure to mention lead and changing diet to help with "neurological/learning"issues...lol they liked that). I pushed for this cause she would have just repeated 1st fgeade otherwise. I try to stay one step above them. This meeting WAS last minute, they admitted it, the ywere trying to put it off til next year and if they did she would've simply been held back.

It was all ladies, they were generally nice and didn't seem pushy. Had issues with the automatic "ADD" assumption again, but never a mentionof drugs although I had said early on that was not an option. Thankfully, her RN evaluator (our Docs office) agreed. My biggest problem with ADD is it is symptoms of childhood and symptoms of frustration from other learning issues. I am sure she is in no way actually ADD. I have stood by this and b/c I did my homework, RN agreed. I explained this to the CST too. One thing is they focus on her disorganization..HELLO! Just see my house (I too can't organize for crap).

So the deal is several summertime evaluations-and a classroom evaluation by Pyschologist. She will also be going to summer school, which she'll probably love. The goal isto mover her to a special 2 teacher, 10 child 2nd grade-the one her teacher tried to tell me DIDN'T exist til I persisted...

Son is flipping out, more later!