We have been homeschooling DS7 for 2 years now...we attempted public school for about 6 weeks at the beginning of this school year and it was a disaster...we went in with a full psych report showing how DS needed a grade skip and we discussed our concerns with how to meet his needs between his gifted side and the fact that he has Dyspraxia that has led to handwriting issues. They pretty much ignored everything and said let's just see how he does....he was bored silly and started to get into trouble so after 6 weeks we went back to homeschooling....
fast forward and we are now discussing what is going to happen for next year...our options...our neighborhood was rezoned to another school and so we have discussed trying to go there, attend a private school about an hour's drive away that has under 40 students and is really cool or continue homeschooling. DS7 said he wants to visit both schools and then talk some more - we really want him to feel like he has a decision in what occurs next year.
I set up a big meeting tomorrow to discuss his IEP and next year...his IEP is for Speech, OT and Gifted and they will be bringing in a staff member from the new zoned school to talk with me (so getting services isn't an issue - all that has been in place for awhile). Last time we had a big pow wow to discuss plans for the upcoming year they pretty much steamrolled me and wouldn't listen to any of my concerns or the psych's report so I am really worried. I was totally intimidated with the amount of people at the table. I don't want to come across as the pain in the hiney parent but I don't want a repeat of our last big meeting. I am trying to come in prepared...I printed out a copy of the Guidelines for Developing an Academic Acceleration Policy and some reports/studies about accelerating children. I am aso sharing his EPGY printout reports to show how he is beyond his grade level for next year. I was trained when I was teacher on how to give the state assessment called DIBELS (which is a reading assessment)...so I went online and printed out the 4th,5th,6th grade reading assessments and tested DS7 and the reports show how he is reading at a 6th grade level.
I am just really worried about this meeting and am concerned that they will just come back with all the same comments..."all children are gifted"...."it is not a good idea to move him into a different peer age group"...blah blah blah...DS7 is actually the size of a 10 year old and his best friends are all 9 and 10 years old so that is not a concern for us. Our concern is getting his needs met because if they don't he will look for other things to keep himself busy....such as mischief.
Any other suggestions so I don't get steamrolled again?
Last edited by Belle; 05/13/10 02:02 PM.
