[nagdu] Guide Dog School Losing Paperwork

GARY STEEVES rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca
Thu Apr 19 19:51:43 UTC 2012 

Hi Lisa:


I had similar issues when I applied at gdf. I ended up going to a different school because the came up with the poodle first but I wasn't impressed with parts of my application being lost and/or misfiled and then me getting a call saying I hadn't sent something. I had to bug my referrals to resend their letters which I thought was annoying. Even after I told them I had chosen another school I got a  phone call 3 months later asking if I was still interested in getting a dog. It seems to me that the training at that school is quite good but they don't have a handle on the admin side.All these things create an image of a school so I would think it is something they would want to address.

Gary
and 

----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa belville <missktlab1217 at frontier.com>
Date: Thursday, April 19, 2012 12:26 pm
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog School Losing Paperwork
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>

>    Jewel, Oh, I'm sorry you're having this issue with 
> the school. Unfortunately, this is a chronic issue with the 
> GDF.  They admit it's an issue and say they're
> taking steps to fix it, but it's still happening, and not just 
> to new applicants, but to returning grads.
> 
> The training is good, but you still need to go through the same 
> office if you want to talk to your trainer or fax a vet form.
> 
> I used to be one of the biggest GDF cheerleaders out there; I 
> helped run their Email list and was on their alumni council for 
> a year.  I had these things happen to me, and I've known 
> people who have had it happen to them. I don't really feel 
> comfortable referring people to the GDF anymore because of 
> it.  I get it: They are responsible for a huge amount of 
> papers and Emails and faxes that come through there, but every 
> guide dog school has to contend with Emails and faxes and paper 
> work and they don't have these issues.  If I kept losing 
> paperwork at my last job I would have been fired.
> 
> As I said before, how a school handles confidential and time 
> sensitive info, and how they respond to questions from 
> frustrated applicants who need to send a medical report just one 
> more time is just as important as the training and how you're 
> encouraged to work with your dog.
> 
> This is really heartbreaking for me, no kidding, because I've 
> been affiliated with the GDF since 1995.  I got to try a 
> GDF demo dog at the 95 convention and that clenched it for 
> me.  I've received two awesome dogs from the GDF, I know 
> how good it can be, and I'd love to see it that good again. Yes, 
> things change, but change doesn't mean it has to be done at the 
> cost of time and stress on people who just want a well-trained 
> dog to enrich their life and provide efficient mobility.
> 
> I'd encourage other GDF grads on this list to speak out.  I 
> know I'm not the only one to deal with these issues. Most people 
> just put up with it or get frustrated and move on to another 
> school.  Addressing it with school staff really hasn't 
> helped because they claim these are just isolated incidents when 
> they are most certainly not.
> 
> Lisa
> 
> 1st Law of Procrastination: that which can be done will be done 
> . . . TOMORROW!!
> Lisa Belville
> missktlab1217 at frontier.com
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jewel" 
> <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National 
> Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2012 1:36 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Guide Dog School Losing Paperwork
> 
> 
> >It's funny you mention GDF, Lisa, because that's the school I am
> >applying to who lost the paperwork. I didn't want to name 
> names, but
> >you already pointed out the problem, so I feel it's okay for me to
> >point it out, too.
> >Is the poor paperwork organization, in your opinion, something that
> >affects the school's performance when it comes to training? To send
> >vet reports, do you scan them into your computer and then e-
> mail them,
> >or do you send them another way? What's the best way to deal 
> with this
> >issue?
> >
> >I've been impressed with GDF up to this point. I am concerned that
> >this will become a problem for me in the future, so am a little
> >hesitant about going to GDF now...but I really like their program.
> >Should I apply to another school? Or should I just learn to work
> >around the poor organization skills of the school?
> >
> >Lisa, I'd love to hear about how you deal with this problem, and
> >whether you feel, knowing now what you do aobut paperwork 
> problems and
> >the like, whether you would go back to GDF.
> >
> >Thank you all for the comments so far; I remain concerned...
> >
> >~Jewel
> >
> >On 4/19/12, Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net> wrote:
> >>Hi Jewel.
> >>I'd be mighty annoyed if that happened to me, especially if 
> they lost
> >>stuff I had to pay to get, like a medical report and an O&M 
> report.  And,
> >>considering how much I had to bug my references to get it 
> done, that would
> >>be annoying, too.
> >>I think Cindy's suggestion is a good one.  See if there's 
> a supervisor who
> >>can open drawers and look behind the desk, I guess.  
> Sheesh! Pretty
> >>sloppy!
> >>Hope you can get it straightened out.
> >>Tracy
> >>
> >>>Hey guys,
> >>>Has anyone experienced a guide dog school losing your 
> paperwork? The
> >>>school I want to attend says they don't have my medical 
> report, my O&M
> >>>report, and my references. I know for a fact that I sent the 
> medical>>>report with the video that they do have (they watched 
> it, so they do
> >>>have that), my O&M instructor says he sent his report, and 
> all three
> >>>of my references said they sent their reference letters. On 
> top of
> >>>this, when I had an interview, I was told the interview was 
> the only
> >>>thing they didn't have in my files. The interviewer also made 
> a second
> >>>video of me walking, and they can't find that, either. I've been
> >>>offered a spot in the July class, as long as all my paperwork goes
> >>>through and I'm accepted, but I *sent* all that stuff. Should 
> I just
> >>>go get everything all over again, or should I hold them accountable
> >>>for the lost paperwork...and do what?
> >>>
> >>>Concerned about the school's organization,
> >>>Jewel
> >>>
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> >>
> >>
> >>
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