Schools for children with multiple severe disabilities

[Anonymous]

My 5 year old has multiple disabilities and cannot walk or talk. He has intellectual disability as well, functioning like a 1 year old maybe, though is starting to use a communication device. We are trying to figure out school options in DC. I am aware of St. Coletta but am wondering what else is in DC or private schools in MD or VA. I am aware of schools like Ivymount and Katherine Thomas but can't figure out if those schools serve the needs of a child with more severe disabilities.

[Anonymous]

Stephen Knolls is a public school in Mo Co.

AAC programs in Mo Co have kids with multiple disabilities.

If he is starting to use AAC, don't assume he has low intelligence. He may knock you out with what he tells you.

[Anonymous]

Longview is a public school in mcps.

[Anonymous]

I note that you mention that you know about St. Coletta School, which is a DCPS funded charter school. I know well an educated staff member who worked there a few years ago who loved the beautiful, fully accessible school. However, it frustrated her to no end that there was not even a basic academic curriculum followed, especially for the younger students to use the different modalities there in the building to teach them basic reading skills. I note that one positive aspect of St Coletta is that there is a focus on behaviors which is not punitive in terms of the student.

As the parent of a young adult with an Intellectual Disability, I can well understand the need for balance in that for some students over emphasis on an academic curriculum and not paying attention to developing as you mentioned basic communication skills can be a real limiting factor for a lifetime. However, to have a schools setting with wonderful physical, occupational, speech and adaptive physical education therapies for the youngsters and teens, but little academics is also a real shame. There is no reason why a Functional Skills Curriculum does not foster a focus on language with learning to read, communicate and do writing and math as appropriate even within a strictly functional focus. For me literacy has always been the key life skill as it is opens worlds in terms of personal enjoyment - reading, computer use, piano or other musical instrument learning. At the same time, it also enables one to live more independently in the real world in terms of navigating safely, using transportation, shopping, cooking etc. It also is the key skill for opening doors to employment. Our daughter's IQ never tested higher than 55, but her strength was always in language, and she now reads well at 4th grade level and has held the same job for over ten years. It is sometimes hard to find the right balance, but this school has the potential to be so much stronger if it would develop a stronger, sequential curriculum. In many ways it fosters the independence and growth of its students with physical, behavioral and communication challenges, BUT also hampers them by ignoring their right and potential to explore at least core basic skills. With the high support staff to student ration, this is a wonderful academic setting to offer different modalities to learning to read which ought to be explored.

[Anonymous]

Ivy mount does serve kids with severe disabilities, KTS is somewhere in the moderate range from what I've seen. I toured KTS and my kid was at Maddux so I was on the Ivymount property frequently. Are you willing to move? You wouldn't search by school name if you are looking at MCPS though of course there are centers for students with severe disabilities to age 21. My kid got some services at Stephen Knolls and it was a nice facility. You might also research the schools that Kennedy Krieger runs in Mo Co. There is also an association for private special needs schools in MD which I've run through before--search their member list and see if there are any schools you're not familiar with.

[Anonymous]

Maybe Carl sanberg if you're in Moco.

[Anonymous]

In Montgomery county, many children with profiles such as your son are placed in a "School Community Based" classroom, which I don't think serves them well. Longview at Matsunaga ES and Stephen Knolls School also,serve this population. Other parents request a full inclusion model for their child with significant disability.
Take some time and visit before committing to move to Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe Carl sanberg if you're in Moco.

Carl Sandburg is for mild to moderately learning-disabled students with significant interfering behaviors that a regular comprehensive school can't handle, and who need a highly structured program to make progress (e.g. students who are frequently eloping, screaming, body-dropping, etc.). OP's son is not the type of student they serve.

[Anonymous]

OP here- we live in DC right now and have Medicaid so are hesitant to leave the district unless we know with absolute certainty we would be moving to something way better. But we are considering our long term options which is why I'm asking the question. I fully support inclusion but my kid needs daily living skills to become more independent so a more "academic" focus is not my priority right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- we live in DC right now and have Medicaid so are hesitant to leave the district unless we know with absolute certainty we would be moving to something way better. But we are considering our long term options which is why I'm asking the question. I fully support inclusion but my kid needs daily living skills to become more independent so a more "academic" focus is not my priority right now.

Respectfully, I think you can work on both arenas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- we live in DC right now and have Medicaid so are hesitant to leave the district unless we know with absolute certainty we would be moving to something way better. But we are considering our long term options which is why I'm asking the question. I fully support inclusion but my kid needs daily living skills to become more independent so a more "academic" focus is not my priority right now.

"Life skills" for most 5 year olds with multiple severe disabilities would mean communication, mobility, and the ability to understand, anticipate and tolerate changing environments. All of these things can be worked on in the context of an inclusive academic setting.

I would look at what some of the charter schools can offer. Bridges would be on my list, but I'd also ask whether an individualized inclusion program in a charter that has a reputation for serving kids well and problem solving would meet his/her needs.

If you are considering moving, I'd look at the School Community Based program at Bethesda Elementary. It has a wonderful reputation. Whether it's enough better than a DC option to forego Medicaid is hard to say.

Unfortunately, there aren't many private options for kids who fit into this category in the area. Ivymount serves kids with severe disabilities, but generally they're kids with autism, not physical and multiple disabilities.

[Anonymous]

OP - what is the DCPS office of special education suggesting for your child? Have you engaged with them yet?

There may well be an appropriate placement outside of your neighborhood school.

Here's a summary document if you haven't seen it.http://dcps.dc.gov/publication/special-education-programs-and-resource-guide

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- we live in DC right now and have Medicaid so are hesitant to leave the district unless we know with absolute certainty we would be moving to something way better. But we are considering our long term options which is why I'm asking the question. I fully support inclusion but my kid needs daily living skills to become more independent so a more "academic" focus is not my priority right now.

"Life skills" for most 5 year olds with multiple severe disabilities would mean communication, mobility, and the ability to understand, anticipate and tolerate changing environments. All of these things can be worked on in the context of an inclusive academic setting.

I would look at what some of the charter schools can offer. Bridges would be on my list, but I'd also ask whether an individualized inclusion program in a charter that has a reputation for serving kids well and problem solving would meet his/her needs.

If you are considering moving, I'd look at the School Community Based program at Bethesda Elementary. It has a wonderful reputation. Whether it's enough better than a DC option to forego Medicaid is hard to say.

Unfortunately, there aren't many private options for kids who fit into this category in the area. Ivymount serves kids with severe disabilities, but generally they're kids with autism, not physical and multiple disabilities.

I don't think you really understand what the OP is talking about. Does Bridges really have the capacity to deal with severely, multiply disabled kids? Who are you to judge what OP thinks her own child needs in terms of skills and care?

[Anonymous]

OP, have you seen this page? http://dcps.dc.gov/page/special-education-schools

And for what it's worth, I have seen teachers from St Coletta taking their kids out for field trips in my neighborhood - they seemed warm and wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you seen this page? http://dcps.dc.gov/page/special-education-schools

And for what it's worth, I have seen teachers from St Coletta taking their kids out for field trips in my neighborhood - they seemed warm and wonderful.

Oh also, School Within School has a "medically fragile" program - not sure if it would meet your needs: http://schoolwithinschool.org/about/sws-programs/