[blindkid] VI Pre-K programs in Chicago area

[Jennifer Stolzenbach]

Hi Heather,
I saw your post and really empathize with your situation.  My 6-yr old twins were premature and have low vision, in addition to a list of other vision impairments.   We live in Elmhurst, and while I don't know what private preschools in the city of Chicago to recommend, I wanted to give you a contact person, who might be a good resource for you.  
Joan Alison is the program director for the DuPage County SASED's Vision Program.  Her phone number is:  (630) 834-0694.  She may be able to give you some good suggestions, even though private schools in Chicago aren't her 'territory'.  She has been around for a long time, and has a wealth of knowledge.  Plus, she has a heart of gold for our VI kids!
When my twins were in the pre-K programs, one of them was placed at Salt Creek in the Vision classroom and the other was placed in our district pre-K program with a TVI seeing her weekly.
Please let me know if you have any questions about our experiences there, or if you have any problems getting in touch with Joan.
Best of luck to you and your son.
Jennifer


> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2012 10:45:11 -0500
> From: Heather Breems <heatherbreems at gmail.com>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,	(for parents of blind children)"
> 	<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [blindkid] Private schools in Chicago area?
> Message-ID:
> 	<CA+Tu08nd_xVfEmK6FGD=qVPh_0mg+SE_Fx8e0ouqkmnxSNpakA at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> 
> No surprise and unfortunately not a new story, we are very unhappy with my
> blind preschoolers public school placement.  Long story short I know it
> will be a loosing battle with Chicago Public Schools to change anything and
> therefore I would like to find a private preschool for him that we would
> find a way to cover out of pocket.  I have heard good things about his
> possible K-6 placement in public schools, so I am willing to pay for a
> better preschool experience for him the next two years.  Does anyone have
> any insight about good private preschools that might be able
> to accommodate a blind child in the Chicago area?  I know he would probably
> not get a TVI, but the one he has now is so bad I think he is better off
> with any teacher.
> 
> Thanks!
> -- 
> Heather Breems
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> _______________________________________________
> blindkid mailing list
> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> 
> 
> End of blindkid Digest, Vol 100, Issue 5
> ****************************************