My son was placed in the psych ward a few weeks ago and after his 8 day stint he was allowed to come home on new meds and a better grasp on what his problems are.
This didnt make it any easier for him in school and at our PPT meeting with the school staff and consulting psychiatrist we explored the option of placing him in an alternative school more geared towards kids with his type of problem.
It is amazing what there is out there to offer kids with all different kind of disabilities. We were astounded at the number of private state funded schools that are available within just a 15 mile radius of where we live. We had no idea these places even existed.
The school sent out packets with all of our son's records to 4 different schools. One of these I had already seen and was fearful that it would be more "hospital" like than school atmosphere so I was nervous about visiting others.
I got calls from 2 of the other schools within 2 days of the packets going out so I arranged to see them both on Wednesday of this week. I loved the first one with its apparent intimacy and small size. It had a good education program and staff though the space was a little on the cramped size for my son's liking.
When I went to the next school that day I was not prepared for what I saw. Here was what looked like a typical elementary/middle school. It is not typical in any way.
I set appointments up for today to revisit both schools with my son and Tracy along as well this time. They were both impressed with the first as I was, but after seeing the second it was easy to make a decision...
We signed him up for that school today...
It includes:
5-6 kids per classroom with 2-3 computers in each class.
An Art room complete with a full sized kiln for making pottery.
A music room with all types of instruments and great accoustics.
A great Library with a media center with a dozen computers for student use.
A game room with PS2, XBox, and Game cube set ups with over 50 games and a pool table, air hockey, foosball, and a wide variety of other games for recreation periods.
A beautiful full sized gymnasium.
The students earn points for staying on track, being respectful, following direction and getting their schoolwork done. Points earned can be spent on snacks at the snack store, supplies at the school store, or extra time in any of the above mentioned areas including the game room.
Chock full of incentives for doing the right thing and loss of privileges for doing the wrong thing.
The academic program is geared to the individual's grade level in each subject. The place is awesome with a very well trained teaching staff and six social workers on board as well.
Couldnt have asked for anything more!
But more there is. As a state funded private school, the only way to be admitted is to be referred from your present public school after they have decided they can do no more to further your education.
Once this occurs, the state pays for all of it and transportation is arranged by the home school district. He will be picked up at mom's every day and dropped back off after school as well. No more waiting in the cold at the top of the hill for the bus for my little guy.
Each state usually has a website under private schools that most of us overlook because of tuition and such. What no one tells you is that hundreds of schools exist for kids with special needs that you would never hear about.
I urge all parents of kids with these type of issues to "do their homework" and talk to their school officials to insure that they are supplied with all the info available.
The last six months would have been a hell of a lot easier had we known of these options at that point.
This didnt make it any easier for him in school and at our PPT meeting with the school staff and consulting psychiatrist we explored the option of placing him in an alternative school more geared towards kids with his type of problem.
It is amazing what there is out there to offer kids with all different kind of disabilities. We were astounded at the number of private state funded schools that are available within just a 15 mile radius of where we live. We had no idea these places even existed.
The school sent out packets with all of our son's records to 4 different schools. One of these I had already seen and was fearful that it would be more "hospital" like than school atmosphere so I was nervous about visiting others.
I got calls from 2 of the other schools within 2 days of the packets going out so I arranged to see them both on Wednesday of this week. I loved the first one with its apparent intimacy and small size. It had a good education program and staff though the space was a little on the cramped size for my son's liking.
When I went to the next school that day I was not prepared for what I saw. Here was what looked like a typical elementary/middle school. It is not typical in any way.
I set appointments up for today to revisit both schools with my son and Tracy along as well this time. They were both impressed with the first as I was, but after seeing the second it was easy to make a decision...
We signed him up for that school today...
It includes:
5-6 kids per classroom with 2-3 computers in each class.
An Art room complete with a full sized kiln for making pottery.
A music room with all types of instruments and great accoustics.
A great Library with a media center with a dozen computers for student use.
A game room with PS2, XBox, and Game cube set ups with over 50 games and a pool table, air hockey, foosball, and a wide variety of other games for recreation periods.
A beautiful full sized gymnasium.
The students earn points for staying on track, being respectful, following direction and getting their schoolwork done. Points earned can be spent on snacks at the snack store, supplies at the school store, or extra time in any of the above mentioned areas including the game room.
Chock full of incentives for doing the right thing and loss of privileges for doing the wrong thing.
The academic program is geared to the individual's grade level in each subject. The place is awesome with a very well trained teaching staff and six social workers on board as well.
Couldnt have asked for anything more!
But more there is. As a state funded private school, the only way to be admitted is to be referred from your present public school after they have decided they can do no more to further your education.
Once this occurs, the state pays for all of it and transportation is arranged by the home school district. He will be picked up at mom's every day and dropped back off after school as well. No more waiting in the cold at the top of the hill for the bus for my little guy.
Each state usually has a website under private schools that most of us overlook because of tuition and such. What no one tells you is that hundreds of schools exist for kids with special needs that you would never hear about.
I urge all parents of kids with these type of issues to "do their homework" and talk to their school officials to insure that they are supplied with all the info available.
The last six months would have been a hell of a lot easier had we known of these options at that point.
