Anonymous wrote:On here...sorry...I am a PP.. When I posted last year, we were still in public trying to get an IEP. Instead, we went to a small private where DC gets some additional downtime, recess, and organizational help. The school puts the onus on the child to remember assignments, they want the kids to self-advocate. It can be frustrating at times because they act like they don't understand 2e at all, we've had to push for meetings to show that truly, our bright DC doesn't understand the instructions or forgets. That said, I do believe it is important to somehow get the kids to learn to compensate for their deficiencies. I am 2e also and so I went through school, college and grad school without supports (other than incredibly caring friends who stepped in and helped me with my "simple" struggles). In any event, our DC is thriving and the whole family is learning better executive function skills! We think we will go private for HS too - the difference in our child in a small, nurturing environment has been astounding. Finally, we have a happy kid!
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:There are two GT/LD MS in MoCo - Lee and North Bethesda.
To answer other questions - if private doesn't work out we will pull him from the GT/LD program and put him in our local (Newport Mill, so not too thrilled about that) MS. At least he will have electives and friends from the neighborhood. We haven't heard back from the privates yet.
The GT/LD program has one resource class, and the rest of his classes are advanced classes and include kids outside the GT/LD program. When we registered him for the GT/LD MS program at the end of 5th grade (the ES GT/LD), he signed up for electives. It was only after he started that we realized he didn't have an elective in his schedule. Only after asking several times were we told was that he was not able to take electives due to the resource class. But the resource class does not give him the supports (exec functioning etc) that he needs and that are written into his IEP. He usually does some homework or reads. So again, no foreign language, no art, no sports (except for two quarters of PE), no electives. Just core classes.
We've tried all the things that 12:03 suggested. We've had a long and positive relationship with Marisa, and we are very disappointed by the failure of the county to continue to meed our son's GT/LD needs in MS. Apparently at Lee (and maybe all MS's), afterschool sports are not available to 6th graders.
Couple of comments. The resource class would take the place of an elective in any middle school for a kid with an IEP, not just in the GT/LD program. It's not a punishment -- it's just that there are only so many periods during the day.
I'm surprised the resource class doesn't provide supports, as I thought they were uniform across the county. At Westland, the resource class does cover executive functioning issues, and the teacher works with kids to manage their agenda and work schedule. What does Marisa say about your child's resource class being basically a study hall? That's not acceptable IMO.
And no MS allows after school sports for 6th graders -- I'm talking about the school teams like soccer and basketball.
PP here - We were specifically told that in the GT/LD program at Lee DS would have an elective as well as resource. He was very excited and choose his first, second, and third choices for electives. So while you may not think losing an elective is punitive, try telling that to a MS kid who is already chafing at the SN label. He only has core classes. I couldn't even get him into an afterschool activity because there is not bus that would take him home. So while I get that sports teams are reserved for 7th and 8th, there are supposed to be opportunities for extracurriculars for all grades.
Marisa doesn't say much about his resource class, only that the staff is new, and learning, and to be patient. NOT acceptable to me. Maybe in four years the new GT/LD team will be up to speed on what these kids need, but my kid only has one shot at MS. We are done.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:There are two GT/LD MS in MoCo - Lee and North Bethesda.
To answer other questions - if private doesn't work out we will pull him from the GT/LD program and put him in our local (Newport Mill, so not too thrilled about that) MS. At least he will have electives and friends from the neighborhood. We haven't heard back from the privates yet.
The GT/LD program has one resource class, and the rest of his classes are advanced classes and include kids outside the GT/LD program. When we registered him for the GT/LD MS program at the end of 5th grade (the ES GT/LD), he signed up for electives. It was only after he started that we realized he didn't have an elective in his schedule. Only after asking several times were we told was that he was not able to take electives due to the resource class. But the resource class does not give him the supports (exec functioning etc) that he needs and that are written into his IEP. He usually does some homework or reads. So again, no foreign language, no art, no sports (except for two quarters of PE), no electives. Just core classes.
We've tried all the things that 12:03 suggested. We've had a long and positive relationship with Marisa, and we are very disappointed by the failure of the county to continue to meed our son's GT/LD needs in MS. Apparently at Lee (and maybe all MS's), afterschool sports are not available to 6th graders.
Couple of comments. The resource class would take the place of an elective in any middle school for a kid with an IEP, not just in the GT/LD program. It's not a punishment -- it's just that there are only so many periods during the day.
I'm surprised the resource class doesn't provide supports, as I thought they were uniform across the county. At Westland, the resource class does cover executive functioning issues, and the teacher works with kids to manage their agenda and work schedule. What does Marisa say about your child's resource class being basically a study hall? That's not acceptable IMO.
And no MS allows after school sports for 6th graders -- I'm talking about the school teams like soccer and basketball.
Anonymous wrote:Please consider getting in touch with the GTLD Network. They are a great community of parents with twice exceptional kids, and always willing to help and share knowledge/advice. I was able to get much more for my gtld daughter with their guidance. In her second grade year, we were able to get her an IEP despite having good grades in a public, immersion program. I don't have any children in middle school, but many of the members do. If you can make it there is a meeting Thursday.
GTLD Network Spring Meeting
February 20, 2014
Walter Johnson HS Media Lab
6:30-7:30 pm—Connect with other parents
7:30-8:30 pm—Panel Presentation
Free and Open to everyone; please bring a friend
What Good Teachers Do and Why
If GTLD students are different, their teachers are too! Learn what works in a successful GTLD classroom. How is it different from a typical classroom? GTLD students have varied needs that require flexible and creative teaching. Teachers in the GTLD programs have experimented and succeeded where others have not.
Learn teaching strategies and the thinking behind them. A panel of GTLD Program teachers from ES, MS, and HS will discuss what works and why. Plan to bring home ideas you can discuss with your own home school teachers to help your GTLD (identified or not!) student succeed.
www.gtldnet.org
If you can't make it, you can join the listserve on the website.
Anonymous wrote:Please consider getting in touch with the GTLD Network. They are a great community of parents with twice exceptional kids, and always willing to help and share knowledge/advice. I was able to get much more for my gtld daughter with their guidance. In her second grade year, we were able to get her an IEP despite having good grades in a public, immersion program. I don't have any children in middle school, but many of the members do. If you can make it there is a meeting Thursday.
GTLD Network Spring Meeting
February 20, 2014
Walter Johnson HS Media Lab
6:30-7:30 pm—Connect with other parents
7:30-8:30 pm—Panel Presentation
Free and Open to everyone; please bring a friend
What Good Teachers Do and Why
If GTLD students are different, their teachers are too! Learn what works in a successful GTLD classroom. How is it different from a typical classroom? GTLD students have varied needs that require flexible and creative teaching. Teachers in the GTLD programs have experimented and succeeded where others have not.
Learn teaching strategies and the thinking behind them. A panel of GTLD Program teachers from ES, MS, and HS will discuss what works and why. Plan to bring home ideas you can discuss with your own home school teachers to help your GTLD (identified or not!) student succeed.
www.gtldnet.org
If you can't make it, you can join the listserve on the website.