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kctahoe

Hey all! Charlie is starting Kindergarten next year! So excited for him. He will be going to a special day class for part of the day and mainstreamed for part of the day. I have a question I hope experienced folks can help me with. Charlie is behaviorally a very compliant child, I have no doubt that after a period of adjustment, he will do great! We are asking for an aid to help in the adjustment period as he learns routines and what is going on. The aid will just be for his mainstreamed part of the day (mostly because with budget cuts there are now NO aides in Kindergarten classes!!!! Can you imagine? Poor teachers!). We don't want a 1:1 aide, though... he just does not need that level of guidance... so, question number 1, is it possible to request he have an aide that he might share with another student? As he does not need a 1:1 I do not want that stigma if we can avoid it.

Second question, Charlie still is not 100% potty trained. He needs to be taken on a loose schedule, and still needs help with his clothes, and because of anatomical differences has a hard time doing some bathrooms functions on his own, and of course cannot be trusted to clean a BM sufficiently just yet, so what do we do about that? Does the school have to have a person on hand to help with this? Can they deny him acceptance based on this (some folks would rather send him to the special ed school which is just a level of care he is not needing at this point)? I just want to have an idea going in to his IEP.

Well, thanks for the input... just trying to prepare. We are excited for his IEP coming up as we iron out all the details.
Kim

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Kim. Wife to Ray, Mommy to Charlie (DS), Calvin, and Miles.

Emdad · Posted: April 30 2012, 4:44 PM Post subject:

You'll need to discuss these things; my guess is that you may have to compromise on the aide thing. IMO, I don't think that having a full-time aide is going to stigmatize him with kindergarteners. As to #2 (pun intended), this may be why he'll need an aide. They will need to accommodate him in this regard. Emma was mainstreamed until the third grade, and not potty trained.
Good Luck!

kctahoe · Posted: April 30 2012, 5:01 PM Post subject:

Good point... it is just Kindergarten... I'm sure his kindergarten teacher would be thrilled to have an extra set of eyes and hands.

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Kim. Wife to Ray, Mommy to Charlie (DS), Calvin, and Miles.

Jennasmom · Posted: April 30 2012, 6:09 PM Post subject:

I can't speak to the way the things are done in your school system but in mine the bathroom support would qualify a student for at least a 50% aide. Have a good chat with the teacher and aide about only help 'as needed' with class work. As a classroom teacher I speak to the aides in my room about only helping with work as needed, I have seen too much learned helplessness. If I have a student who needs toileting support I need an aide in my room 100% or at least easily assessable 100% of the time.

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Laura mom to Jenna DS 10/08-06/09 (angel baby), Ava DS 06/11 (gotcha day 08/11)

grantsmom1 · Posted: April 30 2012, 6:47 PM Post subject:

Grant has an aide for many reasons, including behavior, toileting, assistance with class material, etc. He easily was granted an aide because of his behaviors that would be a safety issue ( such as running away, etc). He is in the regular class 85% of the day, and the friendships he has developed amaze me! The kids fought over who got to be his buddy on their field trip, and they all treat him great. I don't think the aide kept him from developing any friendships, and probably was able to help him express himself appropriately. I do know some kids that have the aide only when it is needed, for example they would come every hour to take them to the restroom, etc. I am sure you can work something out that everybody is comfortable with! Good luck!

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Robyn
Grant (6/06 DS), Logan (12/08 )

Tigger · Posted: April 30 2012, 11:36 PM Post subject:

At school Talitha has a part-time aide who assists with toileting when needed. The school actually put in a special tap for Talitha to use to wash her hands because she can't turn a normal tap on and she has a special toilet cubicle with a toilet trainer seat - steps and handles so she can do as much as possible by herself. The school provided all of these things. They have a few special needs kids but all are fully mainstreamed.

She loves having an aide - I call them her minions because she loves to have someone paying individual attention to her and helping her. I doubt there is any stigma but if there was I don't think she would pay any notice.

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Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

lespring · Posted: May 01 2012, 7:13 AM Post subject:

Asher is in Kindergarten this year with a 1:1, however she helps with all the kids in the class as well. His teacher is thrilled to have someone! Asher also has some anatomical differences, and his aid does help in him the bathroom. However he's got it figured out now so all she does is help him with fasteners.

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~Leah~

My mom's blog
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mom to Rob 27, Noah 26, Tyler 24, Bryon 24, Angela 17 (DS), Axel 12 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 8 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013)

TheBradyBunch · Posted: May 01 2012, 9:04 AM Post subject:

Noah is going to kindergarden this year, and he's getting a 1:1 aide. He needs it because he functions at such a young level.

The trick for me will be to get the aide to understand that Noah isn't a baby. His current aide treats him like a baby, and it's really hindering Kindergarden prep. I keep trying to gently nudge her, but she really just has no idea...I think she thinks I'm just mean.

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Mom to: Nicholas (May/02), Nathan (April/04), Charlene (June/06), Noah (DS, ASD) (May/07), Jesse Lynn (July/08 ), Tessa (Apr/10), Kaitlyn (Jun/12)

"Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us"

kctahoe · Posted: May 01 2012, 3:34 PM Post subject:

Ya, I worry about baby-ing with an aide. Charlie is very capable when it comes to figuring out what is going on and how to participate. Low muscle tone/fine motor delays and the bathroom issues are really the main problem. I will definitely be having a conversation with any aide and ask them to help as little as possible... maybe only help if he asks, and then hand over hand or very small helps.

Leah, I am going to pm you later when I have a minute about what tricks you have used to help Asher in the bathroom. I read the link you posted on your blog about bathroom issues (and am no longer saying "potty" at your suggestion... never thought about it) and I am so glad I did. Thanks!

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Kim. Wife to Ray, Mommy to Charlie (DS), Calvin, and Miles.