[blindkid] service time?

[Rosina Solano]

Okay, Roman has been receiving 90min a day with his TVI doing braille and getting help with his math assignments and generally anything else that he needs help with.  He has always gone to her during his time block for Reading and for Language Arts.  Roman is starting 7th grade and told his teachers that he wishes to be in the regular classroom for Reading this year as he thinks he is reading much better now and he feels he is missing out and being in the group.  Okay, so they (school) is willing to try this on a trial basis and see if he is ready, I think he will struggle at first, but will succeed.
Problem?  Well, when to get service time.  We tried to see if he could come in a little early or stay a little late, but that didn't fly.  Next solution was to use his 7th block rotation.  Let me explain, they have 4 classes a day and change every other, so day A would be Reading, Math, P.E., Band;  then day B would be Science, Social Studies, Athletics, and 7th block rotation.  Then it just repeats back to day A and so on.  7th block rotation changes every 7 weeks, right now he has an extra P.E./Health next time it will be Keyboarding, then Choir/Art, and so on.
Well Roman opted for the 7th rotation to get his services.  However that means he will now only get services for 90 min every other day instead of every day.  And when the rotation turns to something he needs, like Keyboarding, how is he supposed to do both?
 
My question for all of you is how do you get your services, when do you fit them in, how much do you get and is it enough?  Also what services do you think are REALLY important after just learning braille?  Roman can read at approx 60 wpm at grade level.  I really want to kick it up to 80-100 but I know it will just take practice which we do, but now what should we really be trying to get?  He needs to type and to learn technologly, but what do we shoot for?  He is tired of dragging large braille textbooks to class and his perkins brailler.  School has a Pacmate but it seems so difficult and he has trouble just learning simple things on it.
 
Also Roman Has decided he wants to run Cross Country this year as well as track.  The school is willing to work with him, but they say he has to get a physical before he can even practice.  The doctor surly wouldn't not give him one just because of his vision, would he?
 
Trying to work through this transition time, any input on options would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thank you in advance;
Rosina and Roman