zoo

We had a pretty exciting trip to the zoo on Thursday.  We were lucky enough to walk up to the Tiger exhibit to find one of the tigers in the water next to the glass.  Even the zoo employees were standing in awe.  They said the tigers rarely come that close.  Unfortunately, we were only able to see him for about 1 minute that close before he swam back to land.

Inclusion Manual or Plan....what is the difference?

Fellow Partner writes to her child's school requesting the ever confusing Inclusion Manual that is called the Inclusion Plan at the school level, but at the system wide level called the Inclusion Manual. Are you confused yet? Me too!

Here's the link to her Blog http://anyasjourneytoinclusion.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-letter-to-principal-and-assistant.html

Special Ed preschool exit

Today at Sadie's IEP meeting, she will be exiting from the reverse mainstreaming class and entering Kindergarten in the fall.
She was found eligible to continue to receive special Ed services next year, but her label must be changed from "developmental delay" to another label before her 7th birthday. Label options are testing for the Intellectual Disability label OR Other Health impaired (OHI- meaning a medical explanation for her "issues."
Placement, self contained classroom with only children with disabilities OR an inclusion settig will be determined at another IEP meeting soon. Stay tuned...

today in the backyard

being kids, climbing trees, swinging on swings, laughing, watering the garden....all fun, all inclusive, all reflects being a child....

IEP Team meeting, Preschool exit

Sadie was evaluated for Special Education Services nearly 4 years ago.  She entered preschool at our home school and shortly there after we removed her from that self contained setting (I won't elaborate to avoid burning any bridges at this time).
We placed her in a church preschool inclusive setting, where we were thrilled to see her have the chance to be free and play with her peers....as a 2 1/2 year old should be able to do.
After spending about 6 months at that preschool, right up to the end of the school year, we were happy about her placement. The teachers were loving and willing to accept her and all the children.
The following school year in the next class (the 3 year old class), one teacher in particular, refused to be in the same room as Sadie and told the director that she wouldn't go back in that room until Sadie was removed.  She was against inclusion.
So now after Sadie's 2nd year in Reverse Mainstreaming (inclusion 6/6 students), which we believe was successful and beneficial to Sadie, she will be exiting the preschool special education program and entering Kindergarten, which she could have done last year.
I fear we may be facing the same reality as we did in 2007.  The school system must change her label from developmental delay to ____ by the time she turns 7.  Currently she is out of zone and we are hoping to have her back at her home school in the most inclusive environment best for her. We want to know she will be attending her home school (Least Restrictive Environment) with all the supports necessary to make her as successful as she can be (IDEA).
We hope her sister will join her there in the 2012-2013 school year and they build relationships with the neighborhood kids, just like any child should be given the right to do.
Her IEP eligibility meeting to exit preschool and enter Kindergarten is on Thursday and has been consuming my thoughts and emotions about Sadie's future and what's best for her.  Oh how I wish I had a crystal ball, to know what battles to fight and what realities to face.
What I do know...Sadie is a sweet loving little girl, who is growing into her own independence whether people like it or not.  She is wanting to have control over her movements and actions, just like the respect any of her age appropriate peers are given.  She urns for control and independence caught in a world of adults who love her but most of time misunderstand her. She wants to swing alone, walk alone, run alone, dress or undress, she is Self Determined, and she wants to be heard. She wants to be understood, She wants to have friendships with our neighbors with her classmates.  She wants to feed herself and put her straw in her juice box.  She wants to climb the stairs without support.  She wants so many things, and most of all I want her to have as much control and choice over her life too.  After all, she is 6, she is a girl, she is herself and she knows herself and she wants to be a part of  LIFE.

Fun at the Zoo

We had a lot of fun over Spring Break!  Especially thanks to Sadie's new attendant, Jessica, she has made life much easier.  And of course, many thanks to Meghan who is a big sister to the girls.

VA Special Education REGS

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/special_ed/regulations/state/regs_speced_disability_va.pdf
Virginia Department of Education Special Education REGS:


D. Applicability of least restrictive environment and FAPE provision in state-funded placements.
No state-funding mechanism shall result in placements that deny children with disabilities their
right to be educated with children without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate, or
otherwise result in a failure to provide a child with a disability a free appropriate public
education. (34 CFR 300.114(b))


8VAC20-81-130. Least restrictive environment and placements.
A. General least restrictive environment requirements.
1. Each local educational agency shall ensure: (34 CFR 300.114)
a. That to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, aged two to 21,
inclusive, including those in public or private institutions or other care facilities, are educated
with children without disabilities; and
b. That special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities
from the regular educational environment occurs only if the nature or severity of the
disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and
services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
Department of Education
8VAC20-81-130. Least restrictive environment and placements.
71
2. In providing or arranging for the provision of nonacademic and extracurricular services and
activities, including meals, recess periods, and other nonacademic and extracurricular
services and activities provided for children without disabilities, each local educational agency
shall ensure that each child with a disability participates with children without disabilities in
those services and activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the needs of the child with
a disability. The local educational agency shall ensure that each child with a disability has the
supplementary aids and services determined by the child's IEP team to be appropriate and
necessary for the child to participate in nonacademic settings. (See also 8VAC20-81-100
H.) (34 CFR 300.117)
3. For children placed by local school divisions in public or private institutions or other care
facilities, the local educational agency shall, if necessary, make arrangements with public and
private institutions to ensure that requirements for least restrictive environment are met. (See
also 8VAC20-81-150.) (34 CFR 300.114 and 34 CFR 300.118)
B. Continuum of alternative placements. (§ 22.1-213 of the Code of Virginia; 34 CFR 300.115)
1. Each local educational agency shall ensure that a continuum of alternative placements is
available to meet the needs of children with disabilities, aged two to 21, inclusive, for special
education and related services.
2. The continuum shall:
a. Include the alternative placements listed in the term "special education" at 8VAC20-81-10,
including instruction in regular classes, special classes, special schools, home instruction,
and instruction in hospitals and institutions; and
b. Make provision for supplementary services (e.g., resource room or services or itinerant
instruction) to be provided in conjunction with regular education class placement. The
continuum includes integrated service delivery, which occurs when some or all goals,
including benchmarks and objectives if required, of the student's IEP are met in the general
education setting with age-appropriate peers.
3. No single model for the delivery of services to any specific population or category of
children with disabilities is acceptable for meeting the requirement for a continuum of
alternative placements. All placement decisions shall be based on the individual needs of
each child.
4. Local educational agencies shall document all alternatives considered and the rationale for
choosing the selected placement.
5. Children with disabilities shall be served in a program with age-appropriate peers unless it
can be shown that for a particular child with a disability, the alternative placement is
appropriate as documented by the IEP.
5. Children with disabilities shall be served in a program with age-appropriate peers unless it
can be shown that for a particular child with a disability, the alternative placement is
appropriate as documented by the IEP.
C. Placements. (Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools in Virginia
(8VAC20-131); 34 CFR 300.116)