Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Can't find an advocate-please help! (NW PA)

How far are your from www.cmu.edu/cmites/ and Ann Lupkowski Shoplik
I recommend you try calling someone there if you are geographically within 2 hours.

Contact Information:
C-MITES, Carnegie Mellon University, Margaret Morrison St., MMP 30, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Phone: (412) 268-1629, Fax: (412) 268-1049, Email: cmites@cmu.edu

You might want to e-mail Josephine Giaimo. She is a Gifted Advocate who is active on some of the Mensa e-lists, and she might have some suggestions for someone local to you.

josephinegiaimo@gmail.com

If you can afford an attorney, you can always contact the Pennsylvania Bar Association to get a referral for an education attorney or a civil rights attorney who handles some education cases. If you contact your district's parent association for special education, one of the parents should at least know who the education lawyers are in your vicinity.

If you can't afford an attorney, consider researching both your state and your district website. It is rather amazing how much information is hidden on those sites.

So I had the meeting today with the high school principal, asst. principal, director of spec ed, and all of my daughter's current teachers. It went way better than I thought it would. First we met with the teachers. I basically said that my daughter deserves to be educated and challenged. Her teachers for this semester were willing to offer how they might differentiate. They asked me specific questions on what I think is best for her and how they can make this a better situation. Then we invited my daughter in so she could have an opportunity to share her thoughts and opinions and ask questions. Finally after the teachers and my daughter left I told the admins that the lack of instruction last semester for my daughter was not acceptable and missed opportunities for her. While we can't get that time back it should be a learning experience for them and their staff. They tried to make excuses, but I held firm. Because I am a teacher myself (kindergarten) I knew better than the excuses they gave. Hopefully the point I was hoping to make was made. A GIEP is a legal document that holds them accountable for giving my daughter (and other gifted children) the instruction they need and deserve.

Thank you to all of you that offered me support and info. I have started a file with names and info you provided me. THANKS A BUNCH!