Montessori public school of arlington refuses to take my child because of Special need

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard/read many negative feedbacks about MPSA and decided to ignore it. Applied for it and my 3 y.o got in but they refused to take my DC because of its special need. DC child can read and do simple arithmetic, very creative, great at problem solving. Since my child was 6 months, I have been taking Montessori approach for teaching and disciplining. Nature born gifted prodigy. I admit that DC needs more support in terms of shared attention more than others kids. But sadly rather than trying to get to know my child, they recommended me to go to Child find further more some place where my DC is more suitable for. The special need’s teacher did her best to avoid my child and so did the staff.
If my child’s special needs stops it from learning, exploring, and nurturing the amazing talent that God gave us, what is the main purpose of Montessori approach anyway? I truly wonder 🧐

Pardon my English, I’m still an English learner.

OP, who is "they"? Who at the school told you this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard/read many negative feedbacks about MPSA and decided to ignore it. Applied for it and my 3 y.o got in but they refused to take my DC because of its special need. DC child can read and do simple arithmetic, very creative, great at problem solving. Since my child was 6 months, I have been taking Montessori approach for teaching and disciplining. Nature born gifted prodigy. I admit that DC needs more support in terms of shared attention more than others kids. But sadly rather than trying to get to know my child, they recommended me to go to Child find further more some place where my DC is more suitable for. The special need’s teacher did her best to avoid my child and so did the staff.
If my child’s special needs stops it from learning, exploring, and nurturing the amazing talent that God gave us, what is the main purpose of Montessori approach anyway? I truly wonder 🧐

Pardon my English, I’m still an English learner.

Maybe there was something lost in translation. What you write suggests they said you would need to get an evaluation through Child Find and that based on the evaluation they would suggest appropriate placement. That doesn't mean the Montessori school would not be one of those placements. The teacher can't know and is not allowed to guess on diagnoses or make promises of support and placement. The same is true whether it is a regular classroom teacher or a special education teacher. Did they actually refuse to accept your child or did they refuse to provide special education services until the evaluation through Child Find was done?

[Anonymous]

Please don't make everything about what's legal or not when it comes to special needs children. Every circumstance is obviously different but please use a bit of common sense. In some cases it's very selfish and hypocritical since it's not just about one individual child but a whole class of kids and it often affects other kids negatively in ways they cannot manage. From what I recall about the Arlington Montessori program, there was a great deal of child-to-child learning that was expected and it would be presumptuous to think that a 4 or 5 year old would be well versed in special education training to help a special needs child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I admit that DC needs more support in terms of shared attention more than others kids.

What does this mean? I'm trying to understand a 3 year old who can read and do math but is also special needs?

Many children struggle with shared attention, and also have strengths in academics. This is a pretty common profile. I wouldn't want to diagnose a child I have never met, but the kids I have seen with this profile usually end up being found eligible for special education under the category of autism.

[Anonymous]

I understand your anger, but it sounds like this Montessori program wouldn’t be a good fit for your child. Why put them somewhere that can’t handle their learning needs? I think you should find the right fit for YOUR child, not what you think is the theoretical best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard/read many negative feedbacks about MPSA and decided to ignore it. Applied for it and my 3 y.o got in but they refused to take my DC because of its special need. DC child can read and do simple arithmetic, very creative, great at problem solving. Since my child was 6 months, I have been taking Montessori approach for teaching and disciplining. Nature born gifted prodigy. I admit that DC needs more support in terms of shared attention more than others kids. But sadly rather than trying to get to know my child, they recommended me to go to Child find further more some place where my DC is more suitable for. The special need’s teacher did her best to avoid my child and so did the staff.
If my child’s special needs stops it from learning, exploring, and nurturing the amazing talent that God gave us, what is the main purpose of Montessori approach anyway? I truly wonder 🧐

Pardon my English, I’m still an English learner.

OP. Is this for kindergarten? Or their preschool program? If it’s their preschool program did you apply based on income? If so there are many better alternatives such as the VPI program. If it’s for kindergarten your neighborhood school actually might be better. I was really into Montessori and my daughter went to a private Montessori preschool for a year (pulled her out because their hours were terrible for working parents). I visited an Arlington public Montessori classroom and honestly was not impressed. The classes are huge and the teacher seemed really angry. I definitely don’t think it would be a good fit for a special needs child. Also I am in one of the parent advisory committees and trust me, the performance of MPSA isn’t that great. You can obviously complain to the central office about how you were treated but in the end your child will not get the education that he or she deserves. So look at your neighborhood school, the VPI program (if applicable) or other option schools. I heard Campbell isn’t that great with special needs kids (I know two special needs parents who left) and I don’t know anything about Key and Claremont re special needs. But the parents I known who take their kids there seem to love it. According to the parent of a special needs kid at ATS, the school has been great for her child.

“ Also I am in one of the parent advisory committees and trust me, the performance of MPSA isn’t that great”

Can you explain more about this? Do you mean SOL performance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard/read many negative feedbacks about MPSA and decided to ignore it. Applied for it and my 3 y.o got in but they refused to take my DC because of its special need. DC child can read and do simple arithmetic, very creative, great at problem solving. Since my child was 6 months, I have been taking Montessori approach for teaching and disciplining. Nature born gifted prodigy. I admit that DC needs more support in terms of shared attention more than others kids. But sadly rather than trying to get to know my child, they recommended me to go to Child find further more some place where my DC is more suitable for. The special need’s teacher did her best to avoid my child and so did the staff.
If my child’s special needs stops it from learning, exploring, and nurturing the amazing talent that God gave us, what is the main purpose of Montessori approach anyway? I truly wonder 🧐

Pardon my English, I’m still an English learner.

OP. Is this for kindergarten? Or their preschool program? If it’s their preschool program did you apply based on income? If so there are many better alternatives such as the VPI program. If it’s for kindergarten your neighborhood school actually might be better. I was really into Montessori and my daughter went to a private Montessori preschool for a year (pulled her out because their hours were terrible for working parents). I visited an Arlington public Montessori classroom and honestly was not impressed. The classes are huge and the teacher seemed really angry. I definitely don’t think it would be a good fit for a special needs child. Also I am in one of the parent advisory committees and trust me, the performance of MPSA isn’t that great. You can obviously complain to the central office about how you were treated but in the end your child will not get the education that he or she deserves. So look at your neighborhood school, the VPI program (if applicable) or other option schools. I heard Campbell isn’t that great with special needs kids (I know two special needs parents who left) and I don’t know anything about Key and Claremont re special needs. But the parents I known who take their kids there seem to love it. According to the parent of a special needs kid at ATS, the school has been great for her child.

FYI - Montessori classes are supposed to be large. You have mixed aged children, so need enough of each group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I admit that DC needs more support in terms of shared attention more than others kids.

What does this mean? I'm trying to understand a 3 year old who can read and do math but is also special needs?

Hyperlexia is common in children on the autism spectrum.
OP are you referring to toileting needs by any chance? Students must be independent in the bathroom for APS Montessori

[Anonymous]

What need did they identify that your child has that MPSA cannot meet? Going through ChildFind and going to MPSA aren’t mutually exclusive.

[Anonymous]

OP, can you be more specific about what they said?

[Anonymous]

I'm very familiar with the special education process and MPSA and something doesn't sound right. Did they refuse to accept your child or did they say that the program might not be the right fit for your child and suggested testing to prove otherwise? A lot of children with special needs get sent to MPSA especially since it has a SpEd integrated program so it's hard to believe that they outright refused your child. Give more detail and tell us what exactly happened because something is clearly being left out here.

I'm surprised there is an Arlington parent refusing the help when there are people in the county literally suing APS so their child will get the same kind of help they are offering you. And for free! Could it be you just don't want to accept that your "nature born prodigy" might need more help than you think?

Anonymous wrote:I have heard/read many negative feedbacks about MPSA and decided to ignore it. Applied for it and my 3 y.o got in but they refused to take my DC because of its special need. DC child can read and do simple arithmetic, very creative, great at problem solving. Since my child was 6 months, I have been taking Montessori approach for teaching and disciplining. Nature born gifted prodigy. I admit that DC needs more support in terms of shared attention more than others kids. But sadly rather than trying to get to know my child, they recommended me to go to Child find further more some place where my DC is more suitable for. The special need’s teacher did her best to avoid my child and so did the staff.
If my child’s special needs stops it from learning, exploring, and nurturing the amazing talent that God gave us, what is the main purpose of Montessori approach anyway? I truly wonder 🧐

Pardon my English, I’m still an English learner.

[Anonymous]

If the hours of non-APS Montessori schools don’t work for you, look into the preschool at Columbia Baptist where they use a Reggio approach.

[Anonymous]

Also OP since you mentioned being an English learner APS will provide a translator if you want to meet with the school again and discuss.