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    Originally Posted by syoblrig
    Even though your dd is doing well with organization, I would make sure the 504 has organizational goals in it because the transition to middle school and multiple teachers is tough for everyone, let alone someone with ADHD. I would try to get your dd to have a planner in which she writes homework, tests and other assignments, (maybe your school does this already) and have it checked by the teacher (and you) each day, at least until you know your dd is keeping up with everything. My grade skipped son doesn't have ADHD, but he hasn't ever had to concentrate on homework before, so that was his biggest issue in middle school.

    I think this is a good goal to add to the 504 as well. DD had a planner this year but never wrote anything in it, sigh. I would love to have the teacher check it. I currently look up all the homework due (via the online info from teachers) and turn it into a word doc that I tape to a door in the kitchen. Getting DD to write down her work would be a positive step forward! Question - would every teacher do this at the end of each class? Have middle school parents had success with this idea?

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    Originally Posted by spaghetti
    .



    That's all I can think of. We contacted the counselor, and teachers ahead of time regarding the 504, but it was a waste of time. What worked best was an email to all teachers at the beginning of the school year advising of the 504 and a "what dd needs now from you" to help them get started.

    Again, I'd not mention the grade skip to anyone-- at least not at the beginning because that's what they will have on their mind. The farther she gets from the grade skip, the more they will forget-- kids and adults alike. My dd, now an 8th grader sometimes "outs" herself to safer teachers, but in 6th grade where she was pushing for acceleration, we didn't want them to have any excuse.
    Good to know about trying to get ahead of the game (504). I will be discussing this with the AG teacher.
    I can't imagine how the grade skip won't be obvious. DD is the size of a minnow. We went to the school orientation and some teachers looked at her very oddly. I know that when she moved into 5th a few months ago she jumped right into class discussions (learned this in p-t conference). She won't shrink back from being part of the class so hopefully the teachers will see she isn't a "problem" to deal with.

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    Originally Posted by indigo
    You've received great advice above. I'll just add three things:

    1) Emphasize spaghetti's advice: "I'd not mention the grade skip to anyone-- at least not at the beginning because that's what they will have on their mind. The farther she gets from the grade skip, the more they will forget-- kids and adults alike."
    IOW, beware of thinking "I know that we will get some special treatment since DD is a grade skipped child."

    2) Middle school grades are retained in a longitudinal database along with a host of other information.

    3) For 504 accommodations, "preferential seating" may be vague and have a whiff of elitism; "Seating near teacher" may be more precise and therefore easier to implement.

    I guess it does sound like I expect special treatment. But, the AG teacher is the one who asked us to come in because she wants to make sure all goes well for DD. She is a wonderful woman who even called me in to discuss DD when we were facing the acceleration into 5th. She was talking then about what the middle school could do to make 6th grade a good fit for DD. This school has a student this year who was accelerated into 6th so the staff is aware of the challenges. The AG teacher has asked if I want my daughters together or separate because she wants DD to feel safe.
    Oh, that "preferential seating" bit is a phrase our district uses for issues from hearing disabled children to kids with learning needs. I wonder if I could change it to "near the teacher though" because that is exactly what we want!!

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    Originally Posted by howdy
    Guidance counselor meetings written into plan, if possible.

    A lot is really going to depend on the teacher fit, which might not be predictable
    (aka, if you ask for particular teachers, it may not work out as expected.)

    Like an every few months "check in"?

    Last edited by greenlotus; 05/29/15 07:19 PM. Reason: spelling mistake
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    Couple more questions:

    How do middle school gym classes play out for kids who are younger because of acceleration? As I have mentioned, DD is tiny.
    Do you all, with older kids currently in middle school or beyond, see the teachers do a better job at matching level of work to the student? Or is it more of the same - kids getting tired of the slow pace of school?

    Comment: Poor DD came home after hearing about puberty from the science teacher and asked if she should be "changing" now. She said she was just a kid and not ready. She is looking at her fellow 5th graders - some of whom have "blossomed" already. We had a big hug as I assured her that it would happen for her when her body was ready for it!

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    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    Originally Posted by howdy
    Guidance counselor meetings written into plan, if possible.

    A lot is really going to depend on the teacher fit, which might not be predictable
    (aka, if you ask for particular teachers, it may not work out as expected.)

    Like an every few months "check in"?
    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    Originally Posted by howdy
    Guidance counselor meetings written into plan, if possible.

    A lot is really going to depend on the teacher fit, which might not be predictable
    (aka, if you ask for particular teachers, it may not work out as expected.)

    Like an every few months "check in"?


    Yes, I would say a check in near the beginning of the year, after that when there are issues (social or organizational) and then every few months whether there seems to be an issue or not. That sounds ideal to me.

    And on your other note, 5th grade is the time when all the kids, but maybe especially girls can be at very different stages regardless of being grade-skipped or not. I noticed a girl who was about 5'8" next to a girl who is about 4"8". About the same age.

    Last edited by howdy; 05/29/15 07:45 PM.
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    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    Originally Posted by indigo
    You've received great advice above. I'll just add three things:

    1) Emphasize spaghetti's advice: "I'd not mention the grade skip to anyone-- at least not at the beginning because that's what they will have on their mind. The farther she gets from the grade skip, the more they will forget-- kids and adults alike."
    IOW, beware of thinking "I know that we will get some special treatment since DD is a grade skipped child."

    2) Middle school grades are retained in a longitudinal database along with a host of other information.

    3) For 504 accommodations, "preferential seating" may be vague and have a whiff of elitism; "Seating near teacher" may be more precise and therefore easier to implement.

    I guess it does sound like I expect special treatment. But, the AG teacher is the one who asked us to come in because she wants to make sure all goes well for DD. She is a wonderful woman who even called me in to discuss DD when we were facing the acceleration into 5th. She was talking then about what the middle school could do to make 6th grade a good fit for DD. This school has a student this year who was accelerated into 6th so the staff is aware of the challenges. The AG teacher has asked if I want my daughters together or separate because she wants DD to feel safe.
    Oh, that "preferential seating" bit is a phrase our district uses for issues from hearing disabled children to kids with learning needs. I wonder if I could change it to "near the teacher though" because that is exactly what we want!!
    I usually just elaborate on the accommodation:

    "Preferential seating: away from distractions, proximal to instruction, and convenient for frequent teacher cueing, reminders, and check-ins."


    ...pronounced like the long vowel and first letter of the alphabet...
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    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    Originally Posted by indigo
    You've received great advice above. I'll just add three things:

    1) Emphasize spaghetti's advice: "I'd not mention the grade skip to anyone-- at least not at the beginning because that's what they will have on their mind. The farther she gets from the grade skip, the more they will forget-- kids and adults alike."
    IOW, beware of thinking "I know that we will get some special treatment since DD is a grade skipped child."

    2) Middle school grades are retained in a longitudinal database along with a host of other information.

    3) For 504 accommodations, "preferential seating" may be vague and have a whiff of elitism; "Seating near teacher" may be more precise and therefore easier to implement.

    ....
    Oh, that "preferential seating" bit is a phrase our district uses for issues from hearing disabled children to kids with learning needs. I wonder if I could change it to "near the teacher though" because that is exactly what we want!!

    I think preferential seating is used because it may look different in different classrooms and for different disabilities. And even for different activities within the same classroom. What if "near the teacher" is put down and the teacher doesn't have one spot...does the kid move around too.

    I see aeh elaborated better than I could.

    Last edited by Cookie; 05/30/15 06:31 AM.
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    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    Comment: Poor DD came home after hearing about puberty from the science teacher and asked if she should be "changing" now. She said she was just a kid and not ready. She is looking at her fellow 5th graders - some of whom have "blossomed" already. We had a big hug as I assured her that it would happen for her when her body was ready for it!

    DD is the youngest kid in 4th grade and her class is a combined 4th/5th grade class with 2/3 of the class being 5th graders. She looks like a tiny little girl compared to most of the other kids (and she's average for her age). Seems like the "blossoming" is happening earlier and earlier. I have the Amercican Girl book about body changes in my closet and am thinking about giving it to her just so she can understand what is going on with her classmates.

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    Originally Posted by aeh
    "Preferential seating: away from distractions, proximal to instruction, and convenient for frequent teacher cueing, reminders, and check-ins."
    Yes, exactly. Well said.

    Originally Posted by howdy
    And on your other note, 5th grade is the time when all the kids, but maybe especially girls can be at very different stages regardless of being grade-skipped or not. I noticed a girl who was about 5'8" next to a girl who is about 4"8". About the same age.
    Well said. Parents may wish to keep physical stature separate from issues of age and/or grade skip.

    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    I guess it does sound like I expect special treatment.
    You may wish to consider using phrases like "meeting DD10's educational needs" (or transitional needs, or acceleration needs) rather than "special treatment" which may invoke "special snowflake" syndrome.

    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    DD is the size of a minnow.
    While I understand the use of hyperbole, if the need should arise to discuss your daughter's size, you may wish to do so using facts, such as the CDC growthcharts. For example at 10 years old your daughter may be the size of an average (50th percentile) 6 year old and/or the height of an average (50th percentile) 7 year old. (As most children begin school at 5-6 years old, people who do not know her may incorrectly think she is in 1st or 2nd grade, as "most" children that size/height might generally be in one of those grades.)

    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    How do middle school gym classes play out for kids who are younger because of acceleration?
    How gym class is handled may depend upon the school policies and the teacher. Up to the 2012-2013 academic year, many public schools used the Presidential Physical Fitness Test, whose award charts show evaluation of performance by AGE, however some schools still held all students to the benchmarks for the average age of students in the GRADE, thereby shortchanging accelerated (and multiple grade accelerated) students of the physical fitness awards which they had legitimately earned by performance for their AGE. This program has since been replaced with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which emphasizes personal progress over performance. This program may be something to discuss if your local phy ed program does not currently seem to be based upon individual progress for each student's physical fitness.

    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    puberty
    If you did not already, you may wish to share that the age range may be about 8-13 years old (and that at age 13 she will be in 9th grade?) as this may provide some personal context or framework so she can relate this to herself. The American Girl books on The Care and Keeping of You (books 1 & 2, for younger girls and older girls), The Feelings Book, and the books in the "Smart Girls Guide" series are often helpful to middle school girls.

    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    504 for ADHD inattentive type accommodations
    There are many sources of 504 accommodations ideas online. The wrightslaw website and their book From Emotion to Advocacy, Understood.org, ADDitude, are some places to find information which you can sort through to see what may be helpful for meeting your child's educational needs so she can access the learning opportunities offered in school. Here is one list from ADDitude online e-magazine. Interested parents can sign up to receive free e-newsletters with information such as FAQs, tips, and lists. Excellent advice from aeh (as usual) on this recent post: group accommodations and organize into categories to make them easier to recall and execute.

    Originally Posted by greenlotus
    June meeting about making sure DD would be put in the right LA level. Any advice about how to discuss this topic?
    In general, for planning and advocacy, you'd want to have done research in preparation for your meeting. This may include:
    - course descriptions and/or end-of-year outcomes for the various levels of LA being offered,
    - information about your daughter's strengths in this area, accomplishments/achievements to date,
    - information about any potential weaknesses in this area and/or need for IEP/504 in this area.

    Wishing you a successful meeting, and a great year ahead for your daughters! smile

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