OT-ish...Cian and preschool
Find a Conversation
| Thu, 08-09-2007 - 8:22pm |
Right, Cian has an IEP for developmental delays but is too able to be placed in the county preschool. Georgia has this great program which is a paid for Pre-K by the state. However, (a) you have to be on a wait list forever and (b) they've outsourced all the pre-k's to daycares, so it's really difficult to get in to them.
We decided to keep Cian in the private pre-school he was in last year. Thing is the owner has had to jack up her tuition big time due to people going to the state funded program, and now there are very few kids at the school. On a good day there are 5 kids in Cian's class. I know I wanted to avoid Cian being in a big room and getting lost in the mass of kids; this way though, I am dropping $100 more than most (for PRIVATE preschool no less) and I really think he could be getting so much more elsewhere.
Another big issue is the potty thing; Cian's 4 and isn't potty trained. It's hard finding a preschool that will be willing to deal with it. He has an IEP and all that includes the potty, but I am beginning to think he needs something else, kwim??? The other issue is we all do Tae Kwon Do now, ( the boys LOOOVE it,,...as di I) but it costs half of Cian's current pre-school tuition; if Cian goes else where then it would absorb the TKD tuition.
what do you think?
Dee
Edited 8/9/2007 8:40 pm ET by roanmom

Dee you sound like me. Adam is in a state ran preschool with an IEP. I have had various thoughts of his school cause I think he could be pushed harder and what they teach is trivial....BUT like your son, Adam is NOT potty trained at 4....
I want to pull my hair out over his potty issues. He is SO freakin' stubborn and it's a nightmare, so here we are today sitting in ALL day working on this problem.
If I were in your shoes, I'd look into other shcools for your child based on cost, and of course if they will support his potty issues. Doing his martial arts is supper cool too cause of the interaction with other kids. We do that with Adam too, gymnastics and he gets swim lessons via his therepy center BUT I try to mix him with NT kids too.
I am peeved at his play group cause his group does the park on Tuesdays and the report read he sat in the grass.....tranlation he stimmed off it probably ALL MORNING>>>>grrrrr
So his 1:1 comes today and he MAKES Adam focus and I realize the ASD groups are more harmful then helpful cause he gets lost in the autism shuffle BUT NT programs can't support him unless I bring in his aide............sigh
Well sorry I ran away with your post....but if Cian was my child, I would explore other alternatives just to cover all my bases.
Good Luck
Nora
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s225/irishwildrose/pp2.jpg
This is one of the things that bothers me...how can he have an IEP noting developmental delays and then NOT qualify for the county pre-K program? That's just stupid!!! But since I can't single handedly-change the Georgia educational code, here's my thoughts...
It can't hurt to look into other options, right? It's not like his current provider is going to kick him out of the program because you're considering going elsewhere. AND if a good portion of his "issues" relate to social interaction, then a program with less than 10 kids probably isn't doing a whole lot in that regard. Claire started out in an extremely small pre-K classroom (6 kids, I think) and honestly, I think it did her more harm than good. Granted, it was a room full of spectrum kids, but she made her biggest developmental gains when I forced the district to place her in a mainstream kindergarten classroom (with her 1:1, of course).
Also, I can't possibly see how any program that is getting state funds can refuse to accept a child with an IEP (and documented delays) because of potty training issues. To me, that's discrimination, plain and simple.
Not to "knock" Cian's current program, but I bet he gets as much out of the structured TKD classes as he does out of pre-K, KWIM?
Okay, just my two cents...good luck with whatever you do. Nothing is ever easy, is it?
Amy
Are the presschools allowed to not accept an child not yet pottying on an IEP? I might check in with advocate...
I do think what the kids are like in a small, special-needs program makes a huge difference here, though. Malcolm's preschool classes were between 8 and 10 kids and he made HUGE social gains there. BUT we had the very best of luck when it came to free (private-paid-for-by-DOE) preschool programming, wonderful programs, great kids who are many of them still his best friends, unbelievable teachers and therapists.
We had no idea that wasn't the way of the world once our child reached the ripe old ages of elementary school....
Sara
Dear Dee,
My goodness I have little helpful to say except that this looks about as on-topic as it gets.
I had a few CPSE preschools to choose from. I had really wanted half day, but I couldn't find one I liked, so my 3 year old is going to one that is 9:00-2:20 this fall. I visited the class when it was filled with mostly graduating 4 year olds, and it appeared most of them were in pull-ups.
It was really hard to find the available preschools. The actual CPSE was little help. But my Family Trainer, who has seen kids at their homes, at their schools, etc., not to mention has visited schools to see if they were appropriate for her own sons, really had a lot of inside scoop. She's also visited my sons at their "typical" daycares, and had lots of inforamtion about how well they fit my children.
So that's what I think.....Check with advocates, therapists that have done itinerent work, check with other SEPTA parents in your area, just keep asking. Really, this should be free. (Ha-ha. We all know that we can't hold our kids hostage waiting for what should be...)
Sidney
Thank you all for your input. In hindsight I guess this really isn't OT, lol.
I think once he has the IEP no daycare/preschool can kick him out; however private ones may be able to. I just may have to chase the county down and demand something for him from them.
My biggest concerns with where Cian is now are it's VERY expensive and I would like there to be at least 10 kids in his room, as opposed to the 4-6 that are there daily now. My other worry is if the director can't get more kids in I have no clue how she can keep the school open.
I originally chose this school for Cian last year as it seemed like true alternative to the cookie cutter, Starbucks like daycares that are available. I was wary of church programs as well.....long story there.
This year the school is sooo empty, and they appear to have let certain things go, such the outside is getting a bit unkemt. I have called around, but it's hard finding a parttime 4's program; most are glorified daycares. I may have a lead for a new preschool that is also part time; it's supposed to open in a month or so. I guess I'm grieving a little here; this place was such a breath of fresh air; laid back, sooo supportive of Cian and our whole family. I feel awful it probably won't be able to survive, so by leaving we are kind of contributing to that.
Still he is there until the end of the month anyway; then worse case perhaps I'll pull him and homeschool him a bit until the right place is found,(thinkin' of you Sara, lol).
Well, I'm rambling now, gotta go, boy's are yelling for Backyardigans.
Dee