Did your DC move from MCPS Asperger’s program to Bridge Services for HS?

[Anonymous]

If so, can you tell me your experience? We agreed with MCPS to move from Asperger’s to Bridge for our DD who has Autism, ADHD, anxiety and depression. They felt like she needed more support than she’d get in the HS Asperger’s program. But she did pretty well in the Asperger’s program, she just had several episodes of depression throughout the year the caused school reluctance and a few crying meltdowns at school. She’s expressed wanting smaller classes, but does well in the big inclusion ones. I’m just worried about her being segregated out and I hope she really gets some opportunities for inclusion. Please share your experience if you’ve been in the same boat.

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

We're in DC, so I don't know anything about those particular programs. But based on our experience moving from the gen ed classroom in ES and MS to a small SN private for HS, I question the value of inclusion because I don't think many kids are actually inclusive. My child has far more friends now (of other autistic or otherwise neurodiverse students) than she ever did in a gen ed classroom where the typical kids mostly ignored her/she couldn't keep up socially.

[Anonymous]

We stuck with asperger's in MS and HS. There were fewer supports in HS than MS, but it was manageable for our kid with some understanding teachers and awesome paras.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in DC, so I don't know anything about those particular programs. But based on our experience moving from the gen ed classroom in ES and MS to a small SN private for HS, I question the value of inclusion because I don't think many kids are actually inclusive. My child has far more friends now (of other autistic or otherwise neurodiverse students) than she ever did in a gen ed classroom where the typical kids mostly ignored her/she couldn't keep up socially.

This helpful and what my gut is telling me too. Even though our kid did well academically in inclusion, I don’t think she felt actually included and made no friends outside of the Autism program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We stuck with asperger's in MS and HS. There were fewer supports in HS than MS, but it was manageable for our kid with some understanding teachers and awesome paras.

Good to know. Our DD actually needed more support than Asperger’s really could handle but thanks to amazing teachers got what she needed for the most part (but really dislikes school generally). So this confirms what MCPS says actually.

[Anonymous]

Oh! Yes, we did. I fought against it hard, I really wanted my child to stay in the asperger program for HS. But there was significant pushback that kiddo should go to bridge...like I was ambushed in an IEP meeting with everyone from all of the programs. I was displeased.

BUT it turns out that I love the Bridge Program. My kid gets great support without sacrificing academics through about 1/2 in program classes and 1/2 gen ed. All of the teachers have been caring and work with the kiddo to get him to give his best.

Kid hated going to school in the aspergers program (even though the teachers and kids were great) but has evened out significantly in bridge. So despite my initial opposition it has be a good experience.

[Anonymous]

Oh! Yes, we did. I fought against it hard, I really wanted my child to stay in the asperger program for HS. But there was significant pushback that kiddo should go to bridge...like I was ambushed in an IEP meeting with everyone from all of the programs. I was displeased.

BUT it turns out that I love the Bridge Program. My kid gets great support without sacrificing academics through about 1/2 in program classes and 1/2 gen ed. All of the teachers have been caring and work with the kiddo to get him to give his best.

Kid hated going to school in the aspergers program (even though the teachers and kids were great) but has evened out significantly in bridge. So despite my initial opposition it has be a good experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Yes, we did. I fought against it hard, I really wanted my child to stay in the asperger program for HS. But there was significant pushback that kiddo should go to bridge...like I was ambushed in an IEP meeting with everyone from all of the programs. I was displeased.

BUT it turns out that I love the Bridge Program. My kid gets great support without sacrificing academics through about 1/2 in program classes and 1/2 gen ed. All of the teachers have been caring and work with the kiddo to get him to give his best.

Kid hated going to school in the aspergers program (even though the teachers and kids were great) but has evened out significantly in bridge. So despite my initial opposition it has be a good experience.

Thank you so much. This is so good to hear. We didn't fight the IEP team because DC was really struggling at that time and having school reluctance bordering on refusal. But, she's been doing so much better since I'm having doubts. Mine also hates going to school even though she loves her case manager and teachers and has several good friends. But she needs more executive functioning support than her peers and has had boughts of depression throughout the school year. I'm happy to hear your kid has been able to do 1/2 gen ed classes. Ours will start with all self contained but she definitely can do gen ed classes, she's getting As and Bs in the Aspergers program and really wants to do electives and classes that she's interested in in gen ed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Yes, we did. I fought against it hard, I really wanted my child to stay in the asperger program for HS. But there was significant pushback that kiddo should go to bridge...like I was ambushed in an IEP meeting with everyone from all of the programs. I was displeased.

BUT it turns out that I love the Bridge Program. My kid gets great support without sacrificing academics through about 1/2 in program classes and 1/2 gen ed. All of the teachers have been caring and work with the kiddo to get him to give his best.

Kid hated going to school in the aspergers program (even though the teachers and kids were great) but has evened out significantly in bridge. So despite my initial opposition it has be a good experience.

Could you share which HS your son goes to for Bridge Services?

[Anonymous]

Sorry I saw this so late. He goes to Gaithersburg High School.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh! Yes, we did. I fought against it hard, I really wanted my child to stay in the asperger program for HS. But there was significant pushback that kiddo should go to bridge...like I was ambushed in an IEP meeting with everyone from all of the programs. I was displeased.

BUT it turns out that I love the Bridge Program. My kid gets great support without sacrificing academics through about 1/2 in program classes and 1/2 gen ed. All of the teachers have been caring and work with the kiddo to get him to give his best.

Kid hated going to school in the aspergers program (even though the teachers and kids were great) but has evened out significantly in bridge. So despite my initial opposition it has be a good experience.

Could you share which HS your son goes to for Bridge Services?[/quot