Jungle Woman....help, please.

[milivica]

Your RDI consultant never sent me the info I asked for.

Can you please, pm me or email me or snail mail me, a copy of the pilot program you have going on at your son's school that is parent lead, with a certified consultant.

I need help getting RDI into my son's school still. This would help me a lot. I can't do this alone for my son at his school and I know this will help enormously, to help Vince, and all the other kids with autism in his school. I could then help spread it to other kids in other schools.

I'm usually pretty resourceful, hate to bother others for help, but I really do need help with this. There has to be documentation in writing, about how the program will work when they were planning it, and is working.

Thank you JW,
Mili

[JungleWoman]

A copy of the pilot program?

[JungleWoman]

Oh BTW, Lorraine is notorious for not getting back to people in a timely manner. I can verbally relay any messages-- we have our second session for the RDA on Thursday-- maybe I can ask her whatever you need to know then to get the stuff started in vince's school.

I do know that she works closely with Dr Gutstein and Dr Sheely because this program is not used much in the school systems yet.

[milivica]

The RDI program in your school has some kind of outline or directions, how it works in the school system. That is what I need.

She did write me back way back when, but said something like she didn't think it would really help or something.

IT WILL HELP. Believe me. I just feel pretty unable to find support, in getting RDI into my son's school - though it is on his IEP they are totally not doing it, and thinking and claiming they are. The same sh!t is starting all over again this year, it's just a matter of time before either I'm in jail again or HE is. He is violent no where else but there. OMG you wouldn't believe the dumb stuff they do.

Example, he's in gym twirling some sensory thing, he's doing it too wildly, it almost hits some kids so they asked him to give it to them. He refused, they took it away. A few minutes pass, Vince winds up yelling at one of them, twisting the thumb of one of them, and eventually winds up with AN ADULT shouting in his face "you better get out of my face" why would you do that with any kid? The school is all "he had a really hard time".....WELL YEAH, if he was twirling this thing, duh, does that tell you he was trying to self regulate - and - your reaction was to TAKE AWAY THE ONLY MEANS HE HAD TO SELF REGULATE, AND NOT REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER SENSORY ITEM....you left him with no means to self regulate, what did you expect?

When he won't work, they threaten to take away his comic books and keep them, wtf? I thought I went over this last year, don't threaten him!

So I really need something to present to school, be able to say it IS being done in other schools, or I have nothing to present other than my say so. They are not going to create anything for him, I'll be filing for Due Process and sending copies of all my accusations to as many as I can. Including the media this time. I'm not going through this again, Vince can't go through this again.

Thank you JW,
Very much,
Mili

[JungleWoman]

I see-- I can see if she has some sort of thing stating what they are doing-- I dont know how timely she can get that for me if its not already written up-- it being the beginning of the year and shes the only consultant for the school district. If your school wants, I can tell them about what our school district is doing with RDI. I personally dont have half a clue so far, but I know that we've been doing RDI for a while here.

Maybe you can contact the Connection Center and ask them if they have a statement drawn up for such a thing?

I honestly think the district you are in is causing much harm for Vince and purposefully intimidating you-- I dont know how you stay there.

[milivica]

There has to be some kind of 'framework' in writing she is following, and that the school is following...that's what I'm trying to get. Your school must also have it. Like they're not just winging it, the 'directions' and limitations and instructions to this program at your school, that's what I need. I never thought of trying Connections Center, I feel like I'm always chasing chasing chasing. I suppose I could do that if no one helps you, so you can't help me. I suspect I'll get the run around, or, won't be able to explain what I'd like. Gutstein and Sheely will know, but I'm thinking no way they will take my personal call, I'm guessing.

Why I keep Vince there, is hard to explain. The positives are great, he loves the kids, is not being picked on, so that's great. If he were home, he'd be pining for school life, it really sucks cause the same system that he loves, does not teach him or know how to teach him - and that I could handle if they were at least not demonstrating a total lack of understanding about autism so often. Mostly the aids, and that is on the case manager for assigning them in my mind. I'm trying to be cooooool for now, until my RDI consultant gets to go there and observe. I pray she finds positives there I was not aware of. I would LOVE to be wrong, the wronger the better in this case.

I'm just stressed, I'm asking for nothing and getting nothing. I have to get the RDI in there and feel scared if I complain, they'll say, "Ya know what, forget the Consultant coming for revenge". I feel like a bureaucratic ***** or something, sick to my stomach over it. Then again, fighting for him didn't help. If only I knew of a small school or a homeschooling group of moms, so he could be with other kids and not just home with me I'd have gone for it long ago.
Thank you,
Please let me know,
Mili

[milivica]

Hey, did you see what I posted about you yet?

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=21264

Heh heh. Post #9 and #11.

I'm stressed, what can I say other than hope you laugh!

[JungleWoman]

I will see what I can do Mili-- I know what its like to be frustrated with this stuff too. Maybe not on the same level, but, JEEZ its not fun to wade thru the trials. :(

I hope we can get somewhere!! FAST!!!

Oh, and CUTE about the "Got Autism" poster idea.... I bet my husband can come up with something like that for us... wouldnt that be a riot?! LOL!!!

[milivica]

Thank you for understanding.

I'd love the idea of your dh creating something....don't forget to have Aaron in the background, slightly out of focus, painting 'it' on the walls.

Maybe we can get a collection together and buy a billboard. Think that will help get some attention?

[JungleWoman]

LOL!! Thats awesome! I bet it would get people thinking!

[JungleWoman]

Mili,

I talked with Lorraine our RDI consultant today, and she said that there are 2 options you can try.

First, call the Connection Center directly (odds are you will talk to office staff but thats ok) and they might be able to send you the material you can use to help get your school in the know.

Second, You can wait till December and buy the book that is coming out that has different chapters on what the experimental schools are doing with RDI. I dont know the name of the book, but Lorraine did her own chapter on what we are doing in the Longview Public Schools.

She said the reason she doesnt have a static thing she can just send you because they are constantly tweaking it. We are the only school district on the west coast doing this program, and the Connection Center is changing things all the time, so things get changed all the time for the school district. So it would probably be easiest to contact the Connection Center directly so they can help individual schools set the direction that best fits.

By the way, she was absolutely appalled by the way the schools have been treating your son-- she looked really upset when I told her just SOME of the stuff and she said what they were doing to Vince is criminal. How they didnt get thrown in jail and shut down as a school is beyond my comprehension.

If I had my way, RDI would be an available option for every school system. And actually, if Jenny McCarthy is doing this with her son, I bet it will become more popular and in more demand in schools.

I dont know how I just happened to be in THE right place at the right time, but I am thankful you told me about it and that we were able to find someone right away.

Is your consultant able, at ALL, to be involved with the school district?

I was asking today about when Aaron goes to Kindergarten and which school he would go to and how things are there, etc. She said its not at all based on the school's current resources. If Aaron needed a full time aide and there wasnt one, they will make one happen. They utilize the resources from the whole district rather than making due with what they have.

Like the school my kids go to is the 'ghetto' school. Not really (its actually quite beautiful), but we dont live in the yuppie part of town, lets just put it that way LOL. Anyway, just because its the school that doesnt have rich parents putting their kids in it and donating obnoxious amounts of money to the PTO, doesnt mean the kids wont get exactly what they need. Im glad to know that where help is needed, it will materialize. How freaking cool is that?

Move here, ok?

[peglem]

How freaking cool is that?

Very freaking cool!

[milivica]

Thanks JW, ok, I'll call Connections - I've been waiting for the book you're talking about forever, for over a year and a half! I think my consultant told me, once the book is out, schools would have the ability to set up RDI just using the book (along with a consultant of course).

Can you tell me the Longview Public Schools administrative office address, or school address. I want some kind of a reference to a school that IS doing it. I might call too.

>>>>>She said the reason she doesnt have a static thing she can just send you because they are constantly tweaking it.

Ok, well that I can understand. That's part of the great thing about RDI, it does sort of 'evolve'. Yeah, that makes sense.

>>>>>By the way, she was absolutely appalled by the way the schools have been treating your son-- she looked really upset when I told her just SOME of the stuff and she said what they were doing to Vince is criminal. How they didnt get thrown in jail and shut down as a school is beyond my comprehension.

Me too. And he doesn't have it as bad as others (if you can compare kids like that). Like his friend that would chew his arm to bits, cause of all the stress staff would cause him - they just do not get it at all.

>>>>>If I had my way, RDI would be an available option for every school system.

Ding ding ding, that is exactly what I want to see happen.

>>>>>I dont know how I just happened to be in THE right place at the right time, but I am thankful you told me about it and that we were able to find someone right away.

I really believe there is a reason, don't understand it yet though!

>>>>>Is your consultant able, at ALL, to be involved with the school district?

She will be at his school TOMORROW. The old school wouldn't even consider it, said they didn't need her, knew what they were doing, were providing FAPE. I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for this visit, observation, I know what I think and believe...he is no better off here, than the old school, not being educated, not developing. Let's see what the consultant says.

>>>>>Move here, ok?

The idea of moving is nuts, but that would be something I would do actually. It's exactly how I wound up moving here. Eighteen months before dh did, cause he had to make sure he had a job first. And I'd do it again. It would depend on a few factors, mainly could my kids get the life they need and deserve there. Do they have RDI in jr. high?What town/city you in. Washington or something? I forget.

Thank you JW,
Very much!
Mili

[JungleWoman]

Yup-- we're in Washington. 125 miles south of Seattle, 50 miles NW of Portland, OR.

Lorraine deals with all ages. We have 1 specifically special needs preschool, 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools. They tend to put the special needs kids at one specific middle and high school because they are specifically equipped for it (and overall, the number is actually relatively small because our town isnt that big.)

Here is the district website. Hopefully this points you exactly where you need to go :)

http://www.longview.k12.wa.us/telephone0607.htm

and PRAISE GOD your consultant is IN tomorrow!!! How freaking awesome would that be if they saw her working with him and the light came on-- can you imagine how many people that would help as a whole??? (not to mention vince!)

[milivica]

YES I really can, that's why I'm so nuts about this. And yes it would be beyond freakin awesome.

I've been looking up real estate in Longview ever since I last posted. Looks nice - right off the Colombia river and all. Yes?

I'm telling ya, you never know.

I've already mentally arranged my furniture in a few places there, lol. Can't help it, it's fun. That would never happen though, other than dishes and clothes, I don't have much worth taking were we to move across country. Other than all the fish tanks, birds, rats, hamster stuff, you know.

[JungleWoman]

LOL!! Yup, we're on the columbia river :)

Its largely industrial here. Your hubby is a trucker right? plenty of that here.

[milivica]

Yeah well if things go from bad to worse with the new school, and a woman shows up on your doorstep with a chocolate mustache, you'll know it's me.

How will I find you you ask? I'll just ask for the woman with 20 or 30 kids running around her yard, that's pregnant. Can't be too many of those around you!

Seriously, you should have seen the one house I saw on the real estate thing, man, gorgeous house, in the woods like 20 minutes north west of you. Lots of nice places - and yes he's a truck driver. Maybe next move he can go out there before me, settle in, ok I have to get back to reality a moment here. I'm starting to think about details of moving, weird huh.

[JungleWoman]

Send me a link of the house! I want to see which one you were looking at :)

[milivica]

Oh geez I just killed the links....I typed in between the 150,000 and 200,000 range, it was the only ad that had SIX ACRES of land with the house, it said you could see bald eagles flying from your deck.

Instantly visualized our wee dog screaming overhead, gripped in talons.

If I can find it again, I'll post it - if there's anyone that could use six acres of land it's you!

Well Paulette first, but she's in NZ.

[milivica]

http://www.longviewkelsohomes.com/Search_MLS_Listings/page_1415279.html

This wasn't the one, but I like it too. I realize it's hideodorous. I like all the land, trees, weedyness, not 'perfect' lawn with poisons. The wall borders and lights, wow, pretty bad - but that's changable. I'd totally love a place like this.

OH CRAP, the link takes you to the beginning of the site. Well, it's in Longview, it's between 175,000 and 200,000 and has 2 acres of land.