IEP should be interesting

[hopanka]

So, IEP is next Thursday. What I'm about to describe is childish and should not happen, yet here we are.

We changed DS's BII a couple of weeks ago for a variety of reasons I explained in another thread, but the skinny is: learned dependancy, BII got too comfortable after 4 years and was not working on the less pleasant stuff, became everybody's helper (teacher's and other children's). Teacher hates this - obvi. BID along with the agency made the move all kinds of screwed up, though - very little notice, short transition, mid-week, so I'm with teacher there, but after my insistance the transition happenned over a 3day period, so that was better. The way the BID handled it was poor - she didnt notify the school until the day off, neither the sped teacher nor classroom teacher had any idea and when we asked BID why it's such a rush, she apparently lied to sped teacher and myself - saying BII is going on a LOA anyway, so it has to happen now while the agency has a replacement available. Well, BII has not put a leave request in.

Let me say this - DS is fine now. It's been a few days and he has been excited to see new girl, has not mentioned the old BII in a few days, I'm not seeing red flags. Sped teacher told me DS even decided to make his own plan for non-structured time with new BII, which included playing with kids in the yard, not just stalling lunch or wanting to read in the library, as was the issue prior. BID observed on-site a couple of days ago and said DS was adjusting really well and rapport is being built beautifully with new BII (sped teacher agrees from independent observations). Yet, classroom teacher is throwing a hissy fit that DS is completely withdrawn, that the new girl doesn't know him, that it's bullshit this is happening 6 weeks before state testing....etc. and that all the progress is gone. She has stopped me a few times at drop off/pick up, saying BII needs to come back and that I as a parent have the biggest pull and should go above BID's head to agency's top dogs to make them switch back.

Problem is sped teacher will not as of yet come clean to classroom teacher that she also agrees with the switch (teacher can be intimidating and sped doesnt want to make waves - lol, cant believe I'm even typing this about grown professionals). Basically, the teacher grew very close to BII (of course, since BII was basically making her life easy with the other kids, never mind that this service should be for DS only) and new girl is not fullfilling that.

BID mentioned that them corresponding and talking on the phone is against policy, BII and teacher should not have each other's phone numbers, so that will be brought up at the meeting as well, especially if teacher gets pushy.

So, I cant wait for the freak show. Tiny room with BID, sped, teacher and me. I cant wait for the moment when I'm gonna have to interject and state for everyone to remember that this meeting is for DS and not about BII's and petty bullshit.

What I don't like is teacher possibly sabotaging the new BII assimilation with DS and DS's learning experience, just because some people (adults) became close and made each other's life easier. This should not be about that. Oh, and teacher hates BID now after this happenned because old BII got assigned to a sped classroom in high school in south central LA, so a completely different ball game from this cush job in mainstream elementary in a nice neighborhood with a well-behaved child who is just shy at entering peer groups and needs help making friends. BII cried about the reassignment to teacher and teacher is pissed for her (and for herself).

Yeah - it'll be fun on Thursday.

[olivegoose]

What a mess. I hope it goes better than you are expecting.

What is BII and BID?

[hopanka]

BII is a one on one behaviorist/shadow, BID is their boss, usually a PhD who comes up with the behavioral plan and monitors/coaches the BII. In our case, they are employed by a non-public agency, which has a contract with the school district. Therefore, they are independent of the school and their sole purpose is to be there for their client (child).

There is a difference between BII/BID's from NPA's and school paras who work for the district and may get moved around based on what the school decides - wherever they're needed. Several children may have to share these people throughout the day. Not our case.

[mrsbuttinski]

Mar 14, 2015 17:54:09 GMT -5 hopanka said:

So, IEP is next Thursday. What I'm about to describe is childish and should not happen, yet here we are.

We changed DS's BII a couple of weeks ago for a variety of reasons I explained in another thread, but the skinny is: learned dependancy, BII got too comfortable after 4 years and was not working on the less pleasant stuff, became everybody's helper (teacher's and other children's). Teacher hates this - obvi. BID along with the agency made the move all kinds of screwed up, though - very little notice, short transition, mid-week, so I'm with teacher there, but after my insistance the transition happenned over a 3day period, so that was better. The way the BID handled it was poor - she didnt notify the school until the day off, neither the sped teacher nor classroom teacher had any idea and when we asked BID why it's such a rush, she apparently lied to sped teacher and myself - saying BII is going on a LOA anyway, so it has to happen now while the agency has a replacement available. Well, BII has not put a leave request in.

That was unprofessional. But BID didn't own you an explanation. TBH, it sounds like she's trying to show her the door. She might not feel the BII is as capable as others and wish to bring on new and better trained people. 

Let me say this - DS is fine now. It's been a few days and he has been excited to see new girl, has not mentioned the old BII in a few days, I'm not seeing red flags. Sped teacher told me DS even decided to make his own plan for non-structured time with new BII, which included playing with kids in the yard, not just stalling lunch or wanting to read in the library, as was the issue prior. BID observed on-site a couple of days ago and said DS was adjusting really well and rapport is being built beautifully with new BII (sped teacher agrees from independent observations).


I am so glad this went well. Change isn't always a bad thing.

Yet, classroom teacher is throwing a hissy fit that DS is completely withdrawn, that the new girl doesn't know him, that it's bullshit this is happening 6 weeks before state testing....etc. and that all the progress is gone. She has stopped me a few times at drop off/pick up, saying BII needs to come back and that I as a parent have the biggest pull and should go above BID's head to agency's top dogs to make them switch back.

Ugh. I'd be inclined to say something non-committal along the lines of your DS is going to have to be able to adjust to new people if hes going to be independent as an adult and that now is a good time to start.

Problem is sped teacher will not as of yet come clean to classroom teacher that she also agrees with the switch (teacher can be intimidating and sped doesnt want to make waves - lol, cant believe I'm even typing this about grown professionals). Basically, the teacher grew very close to BII (of course, since BII was basically making her life easy with the other kids, never mind that this service should be for DS only) and new girl is not fullfilling that.

This is a situation where bringing your own person in to observe would be a good option. Anytime we hit a he said/she said or can I trust this person situation we sent DS's psychologist to observe DS. He has a real gift for getting to the core of what's going on in a way a parent or affiliated staff can't. 

BID mentioned that them corresponding and talking on the phone is against policy, BII and teacher should not have each other's phone numbers, so that will be brought up at the meeting as well, especially if teacher gets pushy.

WTF? That's insane.

So, I cant wait for the freak show. Tiny room with BID, sped, teacher and me. I cant wait for the moment when I'm gonna have to interject and state for everyone to remember that this meeting is for DS and not about BII's and petty bullshit.

I'd bring an extra set of ears. Wish I lived closer so I could witness this shit show. I'd bring snacks.

Are you going to do the 8 x10" framed picture as a visual? I always wondered how that works IRL. My friends in Long Beach and El Cajon do this. 

What I don't like is teacher possibly sabotaging the new BII assimilation with DS and DS's learning experience, just because some people (adults) became close and made each other's life easier. This should not be about that.

No. You'll have to be alert for changes in the classroom. At least your son isn't in the primary grades and that there's only a couple months left. There could be life lessons in this.

Oh, and teacher hates BID now after this happenned because old BII got assigned to a sped classroom in high school in south central LA, so a completely different ball game from this cush job in mainstream elementary in a nice neighborhood with a well-behaved child who is just shy at entering peer groups and needs help making friends. BII cried about the reassignment to teacher and teacher is pissed for her (and for herself).

If the BII is as fabulous as you said she was when you were upset to be losing her, she'll adapt. Unless she's some kind of bigot. It's funny, my mother taught the majority of her career in a community that became quite disadvantaged over time- she loved the kids and the people she worked with better than at some of the more affluent schools in which she taught. LOL, she always said she could never teach in my district because the parents are such entitled pains in the ass.

In our case, they are employed by a non-public agency, which has a contract with the school district. Therefore, they are independent of the school and their sole purpose is to be there for their client (child).

Under Child Find/IDEA this is true of any professional regardless of who cuts their check. But it seldom works that way.

Follow the money. If they are paid by funds from the district they are not independent. About the only professionals I see that are truly willing to buck building culture are those from the County IU- they're funded by a consortium of county LEAs and the state.

Good luck. I'm anxiously awaiting a full report.


Yeah - it'll be fun on Thursday.

[hopanka]

Thanks, Mrs B. I wish I had someone other than me to go in and observe. We don't currently see any specialists that we could send in. The only people that come to mind are the social skills group peeps from Reg Ctr. DS does Actors for Autism with them once a week. So, that stinks I don't have many options or a clear view of what is really going on. The classroom teacher does not like parent volunteers in the classroom, which is how I was able to get an idea in the past. Not this year. Now, I can basically just volunteer during P.E. and observe during that hour on the field. It's not ideal. But, based on DS's behavior outside of school, his grades and what I can see while volunteering during lunch or P.E. - he is doing well with the transition. We obviously need more time to know that for sure, but it would be great if we had an independant professional to go in with an unbiased point of view.