any other parents get nervous about school starting again?

Post Reply New Topic

I'm getting more anxious and nervous now that it's only a week away. My atempt to get the kids on a better schedule before school starts hasn't been working out. It would be nice if hubby would stop gaming so late so I could get some sleep and not want to sleep in until 9:00. LOL! I've got to start getting up at 7:00 once school starts. My attempt last night to get to bed earlier and get kids to bed earlier worked, but then our smoke detectors went off twice last night for no apparent reason and I had a hard time getting back to sleep both times. My 4 y/o was exhausted and ended up going back to bed after breakfast and slept for 2 hours.

Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

I went to the school last Friday for my meeting with the principal and he was nowhere to be found. The school was like a ghost town. We waited in 100+degree heat for 15 minutes before we left and walked back home. I called and left a message for him and he hasn't returned my call. I was hoping we'd get a chance to meet and go over 9 y/o DD's classroom placement and special needs.

I took almost 5 y/o DS to the Dr. for his pre-K check-up. Doc suggested we keep him out of school until next year because he is a bit behind. I will not do that. If need be, he can repeat Kindergarden, but he needs to get into the school system so he can be evaluated and tested if he does indeed have AS or another learning disability(he is adopted and was born addicted to Methamphetamines). I attempted to get him into Head Start or involved with Early Intervention, but the idiots that work for the State don't seem to understand his eligibility as a previous foster child even though we make too much money to qualify for the programs. I gave up after over a year of attempting to get him into a program and being dropped from waiting lists once a space became available becasue they'd look at income and immediately drop him- they didn't flag his file as "special needs" I guess. It was frustrating as Hell. How frustrating is Hell anyway? That's kind of a funny phrase.

Ok, I'm rambling now. LOL!

So yeah, I'm getting even more nervous and anxiety is pretty high- time to see a doc for some Valium? LOL!

Thankfully my sister-in-law's blind boyfriend who will be visiting from out of state and was supposed to stay with us next week found another place to stay for all but 2 days. That's a big weight off my shoulders.
I didn't need that the first week of school.

What State are you referring to?

I was told by someone that I know who works as a teacher for the Head Start(HS) program in our State, that our 'state-idiots' are cutting funding for HS.... Our State, Washington, has the distinction of being one of the lowest in 'special needs' funding...

Personaly, I think 'special-needs' funding is not the problem. Curriculum that is tailored to teaching for standardized tests is the problem.

Your child may not have a 'special need' if the curriculum were 'tailored' differently, and with some philosophical changes in teaching methods, that acknowedge different learning styles.

Our State's Department of Education seems to have a 'special need'... Like a need to be educated on what has been sucessful in other States as applied to different learning styles.... Our schools are fine for 'mainstream' folks without ASD's...

Beammeup

CA. It was such a pain in the keister! I had him authorized and approved, then a space opened up in H.S. and he and his little sis were dropped from the list(next in line due to special needs- she was also born addicted) because whatever idiot worker looked at the list, saw our income level was too high and dropped them. I had to speak with about 10 different people and spent most of every afternoon for an entire week getting them authorized and on the waiting list in the first place. Then I was notified via mail that we were dropped from eligibility due to income and that they could not reach us via phone- they had the correct # and we never received a call or a message. I went through the whole run-down again and spent most of an afternoon straightening it out again and got them back on the list and they were dropped again a month later when a spot opened. I was sooo pissed and by this time, I'd been waiting for a year to get them into H.S. and he would start Kindergarden in less thana year, so I gave up. I've got my 4 y/o enrolled in a preschool program(that we can't afford, but she needs) through the school district for this upcoming year and He's starting Kindergarden next week.

I completely agree with you about tailoring curriculum and teaching methods for different learning styles.

I have actually got Sport_Rulz into the school we were trying to get him into. His new principal knows his counsler. She knows about his AS, and worked with me to get him in her school. I am soo happy. I am a lot less worried about school this year.

Added, bonus she is willing to leave him in 5th grade, not repeat 4th since he skipped a grade.

hiya,
im from the uk and i have never used this site before. i am mum to three wonderful kids.my oldest son who is 12 has aspergers syndrome and i have been trying to get him diagnosed for years. i hate the start of schoool, as so many of you say, you pray that the teachers will give your child the support they deserve, but so often they dont. my son is going to start his second year of high school in september, and i really ont want to send him back. he gets bullied for being "wierd" and also get sinto trouble a lot, because his teachers have no understanding of him. he has been suspended three times last year, and is constantly being excluded from his form etc. what can i do to improve his time at school?

Count me in the group that's nervous about school starting! We received my son's diagnosis (and the formal letter from his neurologist documenting it) just after school got out in June, so on August 21st, I have to take the IEP request and the letter to his school to begin the process. I'm totally nervous about it. I worry that the "experts" the school has evaluate my son won't see what is so very clearly there....and I worry that my son won't be able to handle 3rd grade, never mind how *I* am going to do with all of this!

We had one IEP today for my youngest, the school system doesn't diagnose but base on his evaluation he is "very likely" to have autism (sigh). I have been saying this for a year and all I get is he is just copying his brother. They put him is special ed for developmental delay. I suppose I will see how he functions in preschool and then take him to the same psychologist we took his brother too, and we get to his IEP (older brother) Thursday, two in one week!

I went to the school today to give them the immunization records that were missing for my 5 y/o and the paperwork from the Autism specialist who diagnosed Allaura which states her test scores and that they are in the range for an autistic spectrum disorder. The principal met with me for a brief moment and we talked about A's(9 y/o) placement and needs.

I told him the folloring: she functions well in a normal classroom, but she is very shy and keeps to herself and will take a few months to warm up and feel comfortable participating. She sometimes gets absorbed in activities and has a hard time transitioning and the teacher needs to be aware of this. She also is ultra disorganized and has terrible handwriting. No matter how much she practices her handwriting, it has not improved. If this becomes a problem, I will ask the teacher if she can type most of her work.

I also told him that she flys under the radar at school and nobody would think she was autistic, but that once she's in her comfortable, safe environment at home, if she's had a stressful day, she blows up, melt-downs, and makes life miserable for us. If this starts to happen again, then we will have to talk to her teacher and see what can be done to minimize her stress at school so it does not carry over to home. The principal agreed to take a wait-and-see approach for now. If she does indeed have problems and we need to institute an IEP, it would be better to do so this school year or next, before she goes to Jr. High.

Hopefully all will go well and we will be able to teach her better coping mechanisms.

I'm feeling a bit more at ease since we met with him, but embarassed too. I took 5 y/o, X with me, and when principal asked him his name, he mumbled, then the principal said, "I didn't hear you, can you say that again" X then yelled his name VERY loudly at the principal. It was kinda funny, but still embarassing.

jennyfoo,

if I am understanding you right you don't have an IEP??? I would get one if you could just preventively, you can always modify or update it at any time! Just my 2 cents, take if for the very little it is worth!

Hello everyone!

I posted earlier on our situation.
Sorry it takes me awhile to get back on here to respond, but thank you so much jaleb for the prayers! We are going to need it and I will pray for all of us that are in the same boat.

My boys start back to school tomorrow
I had to take the boys to the library last week because they had to read some books before going back to school and the bully that has been going after my son since 2nd grade was there! I did not realize who he was until when we left and my son and this boy were talking and I knew I knew the boy somehow but was not sure how and from where. He is such a sneaky kid with ALOT of problems, he was being very nice to my son in front of me. My son falls for this kids stunts all the time... bully acts like he likes ds and then beats ds up. This kid is the school bully.

When leaving I told ds to stay away from this boy and son became upset saying he forgave and forgot! Grrrrrr..... this boy that is the bully has ALOT of problems and issues and is someone that you feel sorry for to a point but know that he is not a good influence for your own child. I will have to see how things go this year because luckily this boy in not in ds classroom, but that does not protect him when it comes to recess.

I do have an appointment with the neuro psychologist who dx my son and I am going to ask for his help in dealing with the school. He tends to help the parents if they are having problems with the schools.

I wish everyone the best of luck!
Sending prayers and hugs!

J is the same way with bullies. He hasn't (to my knowledge) been physically harmed, but the mental games are always going on. And our district is one of the very few left with no zero tolerance on bullying. <sigh> The classroom hasn't been too bad, recess/lunch not so great, but the bus is probably the worst spot. And the choices are let him continue to ride (which he wants) or drive him 300 miles a week.

School starts Sept. 4 and, while I prepare for our regular school, I'm still thinking about and trying to talk to my ex about transferring to our only local charter school. I don't know much about it, other than it's a much, much smaller population. And my theory is that, since charters are so hard to come by and keep in this area, they would have a vested interest in keeping us happy.

Our school year starts at the end of January and finishes in the middle of December - so we're well into the school year.

This year has been battle after battle, but our 9 year old and 7 year old have their IEP's in place and being followed.

I'm sure the Principal and Vice-Principal now realise how assertive (and annoying) I am, and things will continue to run smoothly.

But I always hate the first few weeks of the new school year - meltdowns, stress etc until the boys settle in.

9 and 7 year old have been staying at home on Mondays, then attending school for 4 days. They definantly cope with school since their number of days was reduced.

Don't know when to send them back 5 days/week though - selfish part of me wants them out of my hair, but I think they will stay at home 4 days/week for quite a while because it's in their best interest.

Helen

I just joined a few days ago, and I am learning so much! I am truly grateful! My 17 year old is supposed to start school next week. BUT....His definition of going to school is 1). If he gets there within 20 minutes of making his first class he is having a good day. 2) When he is there, if he lifts his head up off of his desk he is having an even better day! 3) If he even consideres using the locker that was assigned to him that day, then he should get a diploma early and call it good. This is just scratching the surface. Last night he told his Dad that he didn't want to use his IEP this year, and will do "regular" school on a trial basis for 9 weeks. He is terrified and absolutely hates the stigma attached to the Special Ed class that he desperately needs. We are considereing part time home school and part time in the school so he can get the social exposure that everyone is saying that he must have. We need help figuring out what to do...anyone got any ideas?????? Oh..needless to say he does not do homework, and does not participate in class so he failed his jr. year, and the possibility of graduating without help is very very slim. But if he is working on school packets (similar to summer school) he gets A's and B's. So as parents do we pull rank and tell him what he will do this year? Or do we let him chose and fail?

I meant to say that if he is 20 minutes late to his first class he is having a good day....

I don't think part-time home part-time school is such a bad idea, I know of a mom that did that with her son his freshman year of high school, and every year he increased more time at school and less at home and this year he is a senior and is trying all day. I don't know if that is working because I don't know this woman personally, but it sounds promising. She worked it out with the school, some things like his speech therapy counted towards his English class, and he went to a gym to work out and that counted for his PE credit etc. If your school is cooperative this might not be a bad idea for you, you just have to maintain with your son that he still HAS to do the work. This is a HUGE problem I am having with my son now and he is only 1st grade (sigh)

Just dropped off my son for the first day of middle school, and it went amazingly well!

I was expecting that my son would be the only kid at the bus stop. That's the way it was last year, for various reasons (moveouts, kids deciding to drive to school rather than take the bus). This year, There were six kids there, with at least one parent per kid there as well! It was a crowd! And one of the kids is a good friend of my son (and even more socially inept), so they had a wonderful time talking! It was nice for him to have a friend at the bus stop for a change.

Let's hope that the rest of the day goes as well as the bus stop did!

And may all you other parents have wonderful, stress-free weeks with your children as well!

Kris