Bethesda Elementary with a Severely Physically Disabled Child

[Anonymous]

My child is currently in private school. We think each year about moving her to Bethesda (we are in boundary). Our fear has been she uses a walker and the classes are huge and the school is huge. We are afraid of the shuffling between classes and the recess period. For any parents there with SN kids that use walkers and still need a lot of help getting in them and out of them (or have seen kids at the school), how do you think it goes? I'm afraid that she will have multiple aides during the day (that's what Forest Knolls had told us that she wouldn't have one person assigned and that she would be fine sharing an aide with other kids), that recess will be a disaster, and that she might lose self confidence and get lost in the crowd. She is cognitively fine but impaired speech too. Starting first grade. Paying for tuition and a one on one aide is a lot. I know that the school openly supports kids but my kid needs a lot of help. Had a brain injury in preschool. Any thoughts welcome!

[Anonymous]

Two thoughts. I have a severely disabled child. I know many kids with severe physical disabilities at Bethesda ES. I know many kids with severe physical disabilities at other Mo Co Elementary schools. It depends on the kid, the teacher, the classroom, the school, the school year how they do. Much like private school, OP.

Second thought: In my DD's classroom, an aide is assigned to her for tasks she absolutely cannot do: feed herself; use the playground, etc. The fact that she doesn't have a one on one doesn't mean that she doesn't have an assigned aide for crucial activities in which she must have support. It's not as if she sits and flounders or goes hungry or can't do her work.

[Anonymous]

Is she happy and thriving at the private school? I wouldn't switch from a good situation.

[Anonymous]

What are your specific fears about recess and about changing classes? Most of the disabled kids I know love recess. And changing classes is not a big deal. I guess what I'm saying is that of things to be concerned about, this would not be at the top of my list.

How does your child do in the community on outings? In camp? On playdates, in the pool? Does she require constant hands-on (literally, hands touching her) attention or can you back off a bit? Is she non-verbal? Can she tell you if there are problems in school?

[Anonymous]

She is very verbal, on grade level academically. Her speech is hard for others to understand. Needs help to get in and out of walker, to toilet, to eat. She uses her walker most of the day at school. She needs lots of help. She has never used a wheelchair. Likes to participate in class. Goes to day camp at JCC. Loves it. Has a one on one.

[Anonymous]

I think she would do great at Bethesda ES. But you know, if she doesn't, I don't see that disaster looms.

[Anonymous]

If you did transition to the public school, I would have clear goals written in her IEP on when she would need Aide support such as seated position in classroom to make changing classes as smooth as possible, an aide for times as indicated, and put in a specific one for an aide at recess as she may well need help to dress, get walker set up to go outside etc. You also might chat ahead of time with school counselor or special ed coordinator for the school about the idea of peer partners in moving between a class in time and a circle of friends idea on the playground.

It is a tough call because some time the social scene is great with young classmates who have always known a child with a disability and just naturally have developed ways to assist and include one. At the same time if you were to wait a couple of years, could your daughter's self-confidence and independence along with perhaps speech or mobility skills include to a point to make peer interaction even more positive as a move in third grade? Also going to a private school with kids coming from all over, is your DD included in outside activities or parties with peers. Moving to a neighborhood school would perhaps be easier for her to be and for you to try to facilitate it. Maybe talk to her present school staff person who knows her best on what one thinks and/or perhaps her speech therapist.

[Anonymous]

Bethesda Elementary is a wonderful school for children with physical disabilities. I would do it but I would spend the money to hire an advocate to makes 100% sure she has an aide when she needs one.

In some classes there are 2-3 paraeducators helping various kids so this is certainly within the realm of possibility and something the school is experienced at handling.

I also know a family who got similar paraeducator support for her child with similar physical disabilities at a different MCPS elementary nearby. He's very smart and above grade level so the support is just to help him get around.

[Anonymous]

How good is Bethesda about letting kids be in walkers for the whole school day and not utilizing wheelchairs? We heard from a family at Forest Knolls that their child is always rushed and that aides sometimes put him in a wheelchair (not his and not on his IEP) but that he didn't want parents to complain and was okay w using a wheelchair for part of the day instead of trying to stay in walker. This is my fear. So many kids and crowded hallways. If she doesn't continue to use her legs everyday, I fear she will lose mobility. Does anyway take their kids out during the school day for therapy sessions? She'll be exhausted after school. All things I'm thinking of. Thank you for the feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How good is Bethesda about letting kids be in walkers for the whole school day and not utilizing wheelchairs? We heard from a family at Forest Knolls that their child is always rushed and that aides sometimes put him in a wheelchair (not his and not on his IEP) but that he didn't want parents to complain and was okay w using a wheelchair for part of the day instead of trying to stay in walker. This is my fear. So many kids and crowded hallways. If she doesn't continue to use her legs everyday, I fear she will lose mobility. Does anyway take their kids out during the school day for therapy sessions? She'll be exhausted after school. All things I'm thinking of. Thank you for the feedback.

So how many parents of physically disabled students have you talked to at Forest Knolls? My child is in the physical disabilities program at Forest Knolls and we are happy with it. My child has been at Forest Knolls from since age 3, he is in upper elementary school now, still there. Sometimes you have to give a little to get more. I remember the preschool teacher (physical disabilities preschool) suggested I might not want to take all the services which were offered because my child would have less time in the class to do the classwork. So we settled on 3 weekly services and changed one to a monthly service, which worked fine. I offer this because if your child, in a walker, has to walk all day and from say the classroom to lunch and it takes 10 minutes each way, then she has lost that time to actually eat lunch or do art or music. So that is where a compromise might have come in to allow your child to get as much class time, but still attend all of the art or music class and not miss either the class or the work back in the classroom.

There are many children in walkers and wheelchairs at Forest Knolls, (my child has a physical disability, but does not use either a walker or chair). I don't know how it compares to Bethesda. I can imagine that teachers/aids make decisions to provide the best education for your child, even if she can't always walk to everything in the school. But these buildings are big and there is a long way from some of the classrooms to places like the cafeteria or music room. Forest Knolls is all on one floor. My suggestion is to talk with people at the school (each school) to see how they plan on implementing the IEP. But also to listen to what they say. I would stay inbounds in Bethesda if that works for you because then she goes to school with her neighbors. But know you have a choice if that doesn't work out.

We love Forest Knolls and it is our home school. That is one reason we will not move out of the neighborhood. It is wonderful to have it as our home school and be the best program for my child.

I saw one of the children in who was in the physical disabilities program at Forest Knolls and moved on to her home school for Kindergarten. When they have field day, she cannot compete, so her father takes her out of school for the day. Forest Knolls had the Try-athlon
http://www.myfoxla.com/story/29194098/try-athlon-md-elementary-school , which was pretty awesome .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How good is Bethesda about letting kids be in walkers for the whole school day and not utilizing wheelchairs? We heard from a family at Forest Knolls that their child is always rushed and that aides sometimes put him in a wheelchair (not his and not on his IEP) but that he didn't want parents to complain and was okay w using a wheelchair for part of the day instead of trying to stay in walker. This is my fear. So many kids and crowded hallways. If she doesn't continue to use her legs everyday, I fear she will lose mobility. Does anyway take their kids out during the school day for therapy sessions? She'll be exhausted after school. All things I'm thinking of. Thank you for the feedback.

Kids do a lot of sitting in 1st Grade, OP, whether or not they use walkers, wheelchairs, or are NT. It's a big change from Kindergarten to 1st grade for that very reason. They spend a lot of classtime seated and working. I think the hallways are a lot less crowded than you seem to have a mental image of. My DD's class lines up and moves in a single line through the hallway. She has never had a problem moving a wheelchair through the hallway.

You have stated that you fear recess in a previous post, but recess would be a prime opportunity for your child to move around.

My DD comes late once a week for private PT, as do many kids. If you get an 8 am session, the child can arrive by say, 9:15 or 9:30 and it's basically all good. I agree that after school is too much, too long of a day.

At this point, I'm going to suggest that you visit Bethesda Elementary and maybe a couple of other schools. Also, I really recommend that you stop listening to so much gossip. You are going to hear from people about things they don't like at every elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm...I appreciate that you are nervous about your child going to a new school, anyone would be. But as a mom of a wheelchair using child, I can tell you that kids don't start using wheelchairs or "lose mobility" because they sometimes use wheelchairs or don't have as many opportunities to walk. Perhaps you sit in an office all day...does that make you "lose mobility"?

My wheelchair-using kid is not sitting on her tush simply because she can. Kids want to walk OP...they want to have mobility and access to the things they want to do and have, they want to keep up with their friends, and they want to be "normal." So I think this fear is a little overblown on your part. I think if your daughter has mobility skills, she won't ever want to give those up, even if shuttling her between classes in a wheelchair is safer/easier.

Also, how do you manager her in the family as far as trips/outings/airports/grocery shopping? Do you allow walker use safely in all contexts? I'm just interested.