I got "THE LETTER"

[triplefigs]

Triplefig: and DisneyDream:

Thanks for the advise. I am taking my dd back to her specialist this month for her bi annual checkup. I will speak with him about writing a letter for my DD. I agree with you DisneyDeam that our children work much harder to accomplish what they can, and they derserve a less stressful vacation when possible. My dd lives and breaths disney, it is the one thing she really relates to.

Thanks again

Amen to that! My son gets OT 2 times, Speech 2 times, PT 1 time per week all at school. Then PT, OT, and Speech privately after school as well as a special needs Karate class. He also lives, breathes Disney. He has the complete monorail set in his room along with a Castle and MMC playhouse. If September is better for him, then that's when we go. If I get a letter, fine. But I'm doing what's best for my child and my family.

 

[mrsmarilyn]

I cannot even begin to believe what I am reading. Holy katz. We just took our 5 1/2 year old twins out of 1/2 day K for a week for a trip and all that the teacher and principal said was " have fun!"

Homeschooling starts looking better to me all the time...if I lived where ever you do, I'd do HS in a heartbeat. Good heavens, what nonsense! I am SO sorry this has happened to you.

 

[lunabkat]

Go and have fun. I had a 12 year old daughter whom I took out of school to go to Disney for a week (with her principal's blessing, he asked if we would take him) and in less than six months after the trip, she was killed in a bicycle accident. I WILL NEVER spend a moment of my life regretting I took my child out of school for the best vacation of our lives. It is one of my fondest, dearest, best memories. DO NOT let someone else make your children's decisions for you, you know what is best for them and that is "fun time" with their family. School is important, but it isn't the essence of life, Go, Have Fun, Enjoy and God Bless you.

 

[eeyorelori]

oh luna i am so sorry to hear about your dd...soo sad ...

I agree they are our kids and if they attend the extended school yr How are you suposed to plan anything..We are going i hope (cross your fingers) next feb ..My oldest will be a senior and i no itll be our last big vacation with the whole family..Plus 3 of mine go to extended school yr with disab.also so i shouldnt have trouble i hope ...

 

[lunabkat]

Thank you lori, I hope you all have a great time. But in case any of your kids are little or noise sensitive PLEASE go see Tough to be a bug BEFORE you take them in or, take my word for it, there will be tears and terror. The scene with the tarantula (Cheech Martin by-the-way) blowing quills out his butt into your face (via the 3d glasses) sent my two little ones screaming out of the theater. Funny now, (I have to admit, i did kinda laugh as I chased them out of the theater) but really scary for them!

LL

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Georgia residents you might just try writing your representative while you are getting your doctor to write notes. Be they republicans or be they democrats for the most part these are the exact same jokers you've been sending to Atlanta for years. They can actually do something about this for you...I haven't been here that long but it seems to me they probably did this TO you in the first place.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Several points: First, the OP's daughter is not necessarily five years old. That's the third poster's daughter; we don't (as far as I can tell) know how old the OP's kids are.

Yesterday I got "the letter" from my daughter's assistant Principal stating that we are in violation of the law, guilty of a misdemeanor and if convicted will face: 30 days in prison, fine of up to $100, community service or a combination of the above.

The AP may be an educator, but unless the laws of this country have changed, one is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It's the middle of the night, so I don't know if this is going to make sense but... I don't see how you can be guilty but not yet convicted of something. I think the letter is a scare tactic - but then, I'm not a lawyer so don't take my word.

Where is their family time?

I realize you're just venting, but in all fairness a vacation trip is not an inalienable right. Many, many families spend time together and have family time without leaving home - either by choice or for financial reasons. It's not about where you go, it's about what you do and the time you take.

 

[catnik]

OP:
Depending on how angry you still are, there is an official process in Georgia to appeal school issues. I have included the link here: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_board.aspx?PageReq=PEABoardAppeals

If you did decide to pursue an appeal, I would first make an appointment with the primary principal (since the truancy letter came from the assistant principal) to discuss the matter, especially since he, the primary principal, gave his verbal approval for your trip. If this meeting is not satisfactory, I would both tell the principal and notify him in writing that you were pursing the matter under the Georgia code of appeals. You may not have to go much farther than that, as I can not imagine they would want to defend their position in open session before the school board. If you do present at the school board, have a letter from your MD outlining your son's conditions that make the trip necessary in the off-season due to crowds, etc.

Good luck to you!

 

[catnik]

Triplefigs:
Do not want to hijack the thread but would like to know which doc you see at the Marcus Institute. We are looking to change and your MD sounds both knowledgable and accomodating. Thanks!

 

[OKWMom]

We got a similar letter last year when we took our kids (then 10, 8, and 7) out of school for a week at Disney. Our middle child is autistic and could not and cannot tolerate the extreme heat of the summers or the crowd conditions during normal school breaks. My husband and I knew we would probably receive some flak from the school district from our decision, but we did what was best for our family. We informed the teachers prior to leaving, told them if they wanted to send the work with the kids, that would be fine, but we didn't want to place any extra burden on them as teachers. Also, we told the teachers we knew all responsibility for catching up was ours. The teachers were very supportive and wished us well.

Upon our return, we received "the letter", threatening us with a Family Court action, fines, imprisionment, DSS, you name it. I was furious. I contacted the principal and requested a meeting. In it, I told him that apparently the school district was confused - their role was to educate MY, keyword MY, children, not raise them. I tossed that letter back on his desk and said that I would welcome any Court action they chose to take and he could count on all the media attention I could muster. Surprisingly, we never heard another word.

When we took them out this year for our trip to Disney, we didn't receive another letter. Wonder why?

 

[Family Loves Disney]

Triplefigs:
Do not want to hijack the thread but would like to know which doc you see at the Marcus Institute. We are looking to change and your MD sounds both knowledgable and accomodating. Thanks!

I tried to get into the Marcus Institute, but because Dr. Leslie Rubin diagnosed Justin at the Autism Clinic at Hughes Spalding, they refused to see us! We are seeing Dr. David Cantor (a neuropsychologist) out of Duluth! I love him, for the first time I feel Justin will be ok. Dr. Cantor lobbies for autism research, getting more help with the Deeming Waiver/Katie Beckett program, etc. He is highly knowledgeable on ASD and his therapies are working for children on the ASD. We just started seeing him, and we have not had our testing workup yet, still waiting for insurance to approve it. HTH.

 

[triplefigs]

Triplefigs:
Do not want to hijack the thread but would like to know which doc you see at the Marcus Institute. We are looking to change and your MD sounds both knowledgable and accomodating. Thanks!

My DS sees Dr. Amy Pakula at the Marcus Institute. She is a developmental pediatrician, and I really like her a lot.

 

[catnik]

Triplefigs and Family Loves Disney:
Thanks

 

[jbird327]

I am in PA (Montgomery County) and in my daughter's situation, her class is actually run by the county and only located in a school due to room availability (she changes schools every few years). The Prinicple, ect. in the school have no say in the goings on of the students in the class. I set up the vacation during her IEP and so far they have been enthusiastic about her trips (she is now 14).

 

[dis-happy]

It's all about one thing and one thing only: $$$$$! Your child is worth federal funds to that school and district, but only for the days he shows up in class. A "special needs" child is worth even more. Therefore, the pressure mounts to encourage (or threaten as the case may be) the child to be in class as much as possible.

Sorry you went through all that.

Glad I homeschool!!!

 

[triplefigs]

We go for my DS IEP meeting next month. I'm taking the letter we sent to the school that got our trip excused and asking that vacations during slower times be part of his IEP. Can't hurt to try!

 

[barkley]

just want to say 'don't kill the messenger'. many times it's not a choice on the part of the person who issues the notification, it's policy and they are mandated to follow it (weather they agree with it or not).

my name went out on the letters from dss regarding these issues-was'nt my choice to send them, they were generated based on the attendance in-put at the schools. if there was something i could do for someone, or a direction i could point them in to try to get the issue resolved i did so, but getting hostility directed personaly at me did'nt accomplish anything any faster.

my suggestion is to call the school district offices and find out what the actual policy is for a particular school, and find out who the attendance and truancy officers are. many times situations involving disabled kids can be resolved at that level whereas they can't at the individual school. if a district pursues prosecution, likely a letter to the district attny (who will ultimatly decide if prosecution occurs or not) with a doctor's note explaining the situation will resolve the issue entirely.