[blindkid] Success with our IEP!
Lenora J. Marten
bluegolfshoes at aol.com
Tue Apr 6 15:47:41 UTC 2010
Way to go Doreen! You and David have certainly been through a lot
advocating for your daughter. Just shows what can be accomplished
when you don't give up. And kudos to you for freely giving up your
time to help other families. You are truly changing what it means to be
blind for the children of Port St. Lucie!
Lenora
-----Original Message-----
From: Doreen Franklin <doreenproverbs3 at bellsouth.net>
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sat, Apr 3, 2010 5:12 pm
Subject: [blindkid] Success with our IEP!
Hi to all,
I wanted to give everyone an update on our year-long battle with our district
ver instruction in cane for our daughter. We put a cane in her hand, had some
nstruction and an independent eval at the convention in Detroit ... but nothing
rom our district. The O&M (himself legally blind who does not use a cane)
eported that Torrie did not need O&M, not even protective techniques !!!!
It has been a year of trying to get instruction in cane for Torrie, but we
inally HAVE IT!!!! We had an independent evaluation done and the evaluator saw
lot of things with Torrie -- how she was walking with her head down, missing
ther children's requests to play with her and other important social things,
nd her being unsafe with her head down. We finished our meeting Wednesday with
he school district and she will begin to receive 60-120 minutes per week of
nstruction in cane, along with other vision goals.
It has taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but God has put a parent trainer
n our path who has guided us thru this last year. Finally, Torrie will have
ormal cane training! What an awesome miracle this is!!! She has had the tact to
eal with our district and we have followed the "route" of the district, which
ncluded mediation.
Now, we are making great strides with our district personnel. There are several
ther families that I am also helping, along with the parent trainer, to help
ncourage and support them. Just "knowing" there is another family who will
alk beside you is a huge huge blessing! Because of all we have beeen thru, I
nrolled in the masters program for VI at FL State University. There were
everal items of information that were handy in the meeting !!!!
I told Torrie she would be getting cane instruction and computer and she is
ancing around the house, saying "YES" ... this from a 5-1/2 yr old!!!! She
nows she is not safe without instruction in cane. Still working on the
rotective techniques but I believe that will be added - per the district
dministrator who was at our 2 meetings (first was to review evals, 2nd was to
rite the IEP).
Hubby and I knew in our gut that this kid needed cane instruction and we
ollowed that thru the district. I will be teaching her Braille when I am taking
t ... so that isn't even on the table. She is going into kindergarten and I am
eaving it up to the teacher to see that she "cannot see" the fonts that they
ill be putting in front of her. Again, we have to let the system work, and
nfortunately, she will have to fail. I do believe the teachers will have an
extra" eye on her because of this last year!
We hope that all of you have a great Easter!
oreen
Doreen
ttp://www.raceforindependence.org/goto/TorrieF
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