Just returned from a hurriedly assembled meeting with Dr. Latham, Dr. Wary, Sue Howell, Lydia Muggeo, a concerned parent and myself. Early on a secretary came in to take notes of this high level meeting of the minds.
At about 10:15 the parent and I dropped off a letter to Dr. Latham but she was in a conference call so we dropped by Dr. Wary's office and we left our phone numbers. From there we went across town to the SPED building and dropped off copies of the letter (I didn't write it) to Sue Howell and Lydia Muggeo,. They were in meetings too. Everybody was busy. Then at about 11 am I get a call from Dr. Wary's office to ask if we could come to a meeting with US at 11:30.
It all became necessary when this parent felt that LPS was trying to back out of a deal they had committed to on an IEP signed ten days ago. There was a lot lot of talk about numbers and legal issues regarding placement in a particular class and the distinctions between the definition of a one-to-one aide versusu a classroom aide.
School may be on vacation but there still must be buses running because seems like a lot of people took turns throwing each other under them. Dr. Latham claimed ignorance on the specifics because Dr. Wary was handling it. Then I think Sue Howell or maybe Lydia blamed Dr. Crane's taking a vacation for the miscommunication. They were planning on pulling another aide from Coach K's old class that needed two aides since Coach K was fired. The problem came not from the fact that that room still needs two aides without Coach K because it still does (that's just some poor disabled poet's opinion who' neighbors with the class in the library), but from the fact that the second aide no longer exists for whatever reason.
Bottom line, Dr. Latham promised to honor the IEP and make it right for the student who has been victimized, not only from bullies in his old school but also to assure the parent won't be bullied by the administration. I have to say Dr. Latham gave me a firm handshake. I am sure she was just expressing her resolution for making things right. I'm sure my hands weren't permanently damaged. I can still type. I like a good handshake.
Although I was happy with the results of the meeting, I was a little disappointed with the fact that even though all of those people were in the room, nobody mentioned anything to me about scheduling an interview for that open Parent Liaison position.
Is this the same family that you wrote about in "Not Enought Money For What?" If it is, what made the administration change thier minds in only a few days? And how can we get them to do the same for the rest of us?
ReplyDeleteThe "rest of us" can get help by showing up and telling your story. Go to the PAC meetings or the school committee meetings. Talk to me, my BFF, or the people at the PAC (I don't know the law as well as those PAC people but I can turn a phrase).
ReplyDelete