recommendations for preschools and child advocates

[Anonymous]

My son will be 3yo in February. He was recently diagnosed with SPD and PDD. He is sensory defensive and can be aggressive when in crowded places, in lines, etc. He attends a nursery school in Takoma Park two mornings a week for 2.5 hrs each day, and has a shadow in the classroom that we provide for him.

We are trying to find preschools for him. Does anyone have recommendations for schools that do well with kids with special needs? We are DC residents but we are willing to travel. It has been recommended that we move to Montgomery County so he can receive services in the public school system.

We are also looking for recommendations for child advocates who can help us sort all of this out and develop a plan for my son. He is currently in a private preschool so there is no mandate that an IEP, etc be provided.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I can't recommend any preschools but I can wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Ruth Heitin

http://www.educationalconsultingva.com/index.php

She's based in Alexandria, VA but I believe she works in your area and, if not, could recommend someone. We found her to be everything her website says she is. When our DS was in kindergarten, we couldn't understand why he wasn't learning. Based on our socio-economic level, our education and involvement with our kids alone, he should have been sailing through kindergarten. The school declined to even evaluate him because (with the exception of his teacher), nothing stood out about him. He was social, engaging and was not a behavioral problem. With her assistance, we were able to get an expedited evaluation with a well respected neurodevelopmental pediatrician in Bethesda (you normally have to wait months for an appointment with him) who diagnosed ADHD. She also came with us to our IEP meeting and we know that without her, DS wouldn't have the fantastic IEP that he's got. The difference was amazing and now DS is thriving in school and in a few years won't need the supports he needs now. She's not cheap but we feel we got an excellent value. We're also consulting her regarding our 3 year old who has developmental delays and attends a special ed preschool.

Good luck to you. I know how difficult and draining this is.

[Anonymous]

Susie Blattner is supposed to be a great consultant but we have used Stephanie Owens with learning links.

Why aren't you looking at the DC Public Schools? They have an amazing sn support program as far as I have experienced and more support than many Montgomery County schools than I've seen.

[Anonymous]

We are still waiting for an evaluation from Child Link/Find (DC) so we have not been connected with services in DC. I have heard that services for kids with special needs are better in Montgomery County than DC. I am glad to hear from someone who has had a different experience. We are open to schools in all areas - we are just trying to find the best fit for our son. Thanks for your responses and recommendations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Susie Blattner is supposed to be a great consultant but we have used Stephanie Owens with learning links.

Why aren't you looking at the DC Public Schools? They have an amazing sn support program as far as I have experienced and more support than many Montgomery County schools than I've seen.

Where is your child in school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are still waiting for an evaluation from Child Link/Find (DC) so we have not been connected with services in DC. I have heard that services for kids with special needs are better in Montgomery County than DC. I am glad to hear from someone who has had a different experience. We are open to schools in all areas - we are just trying to find the best fit for our son. Thanks for your responses and recommendations.

We used Suzie Blattner to advocate for our son for preschool in MCPS, and while we ended up getting a good placement, I'm not convinced we wouldn't have gotten it on our own or that Suzie's representations on our behalf warranted her very hefty price-tag. That said, she is knowledgeable, so maybe a meeting with her - rather than jumping right to the retainer approach - might be worthwhile for you. I know others who have used her and thought she was worth every penny.

We're in MC but have several friends with children with SN in DC. I would say that it entirely depends on where you are in DC and what route you pursue for how happy you are with the services. Our friends who have sent their children to Two Rivers Charter on Cap Hill or to Bridges were and are extremely happy. Our friends who (before Michelle Rhee) successfully sued the District for tuition for their children to attend private school are even happier. But our friends who pursued their neighborhood schools by and large - not all, but by and large - ended up waiting ridiculously long times for services, didn't get IEPs up and running til, say, almost Christmas, and spent a lot of time and effort fighting frustrating battles to get their children services, and this was in schools in DC considered "good" by any measurable scale.

In MCPS, we've been thrilled by the school our son attends, adore the teachers, and think the world of the program he's in. We're worried about what will happen next year, when he is in kindergarten but there aren't appropriate placements for him, but for preschool, the PEP program through MCPS is great.

Good luck as you navigate this matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son will be 3yo in February. He was recently diagnosed with SPD and PDD. He is sensory defensive and can be aggressive when in crowded places, in lines, etc. He attends a nursery school in Takoma Park two mornings a week for 2.5 hrs each day, and has a shadow in the classroom that we provide for him.

We are trying to find preschools for him. Does anyone have recommendations for schools that do well with kids with special needs? We are DC residents but we are willing to travel. It has been recommended that we move to Montgomery County so he can receive services in the public school system.

We are also looking for recommendations for child advocates who can help us sort all of this out and develop a plan for my son. He is currently in a private preschool so there is no mandate that an IEP, etc be provided.

Thanks!

You are in Takoma Park DC? Have you talked to Bridges PCS? It's a charter pre-school where your son can get speech, OT, PT right in the school and they will advocate for your child to get all the services he needs. Plus he'll get special ed support in the classroom. He'll be surrounded by developmentally appropriate age-models and get small class sizes. And since you're a DC resident it costs you nothing (well, nothing beyond what you're already paying for in our crazy-high taxes). They love ALL kids there, even the ones with special needs.

http://www.bridgespcs.org/index.php?page=about

[Anonymous]

Definitely take a look at Bridges!

[Anonymous]

I can speak as a current DCPS parent who started the year with nothing and had an IEP completed and services up and running by October 15th. I have been THRILLED and have the added benefit of my child being in class with kids in the neighborhood so she's making local friends.

[Anonymous]

St Columba's in DC is supposed to be great for kids with special needs, especially SPD

[Anonymous]

St. Columbas USED to be great for kids with special needs. Now, their idea of being special needs friendly is to accept children into the population and then do nothing with them! They'll push outside therapy on you, they'll screen kids for SID, but they don't know what to do in the classroom. We had teachers who literally just left our DC wander for a year. I am still upset a year later about letting them attend there. They have a Special needs director now with ZERO background in special needs The intent is good but they haven't put the work into the program to actually make it work for special needs families. It's definitely a program in transition. That being said, the 3 year old teachers are, or used to be quite good, and if you are set up in private therapy its certainly not a bad place to be for three hours a day.

[Anonymous]

You may want to look into NCRC preschool in DC. They have an integrated program that usually has a long waitlist. I have heard that montgomery County has a great special needs program, though I have no first hand experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:St. Columbas USED to be great for kids with special needs. Now, their idea of being special needs friendly is to accept children into the population and then do nothing with them! They'll push outside therapy on you, they'll screen kids for SID, but they don't know what to do in the classroom. We had teachers who literally just left our DC wander for a year. I am still upset a year later about letting them attend there. They have a Special needs director now with ZERO background in special needs The intent is good but they haven't put the work into the program to actually make it work for special needs families. It's definitely a program in transition. That being said, the 3 year old teachers are, or used to be quite good, and if you are set up in private therapy its certainly not a bad place to be for three hours a day.

Sorry about your experience with St Columbas. When you said that they let your DC wander for about a year, that sounded like our experience at a different school in Montgomery County. I call it our "lost year." Do you mind saying where DC is now and if you are happy with it?

[Anonymous]

Doesn't DCPS provide you with a free special education preschool like Montgomery County does? Mont. Co program is for 3-5 year olds, all sorts of classes, all over the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:St. Columbas USED to be great for kids with special needs. Now, their idea of being special needs friendly is to accept children into the population and then do nothing with them! They'll push outside therapy on you, they'll screen kids for SID, but they don't know what to do in the classroom. We had teachers who literally just left our DC wander for a year. I am still upset a year later about letting them attend there. They have a Special needs director now with ZERO background in special needs The intent is good but they haven't put the work into the program to actually make it work for special needs families. It's definitely a program in transition. That being said, the 3 year old teachers are, or used to be quite good, and if you are set up in private therapy its certainly not a bad place to be for three hours a day.

Sorry about your experience with St Columbas. When you said that they let your DC wander for about a year, that sounded like our experience at a different school in Montgomery County. I call it our "lost year." Do you mind saying where DC is now and if you are happy with it?

We are in a NW DC public elementary and are thrilled.