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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Please be sure to post your answer. Thanks,
Ellen<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org [mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Carrie Gilmer<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, September 09,
2009 5:57 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> '<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Professionals
in Blindness Education Division List</st1:PersonName>'<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [Pibe-division]
Options on intital IEP--and adviceonbeginninghigh need</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Dear Toni,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Thank you for taking the time to respond.
I have been a parent/child advocate for about ten years; my own blind child is
a freshman at the U of MN Minneapolis this fall. The parent contacted me for the
first time last Wednesday and on Thursday I attended the first meeting at the
school-it was essentially an introductory meeting for myself and the school.
There is much to learn about the child yet, and little to go by so far to
evaluate him on. He appears to be at least average intelligence. I am not
concerned for the evaluation from either the school or how I can help the
parent get good information on his capabilities over the next month. My concern
is for the 30 days during the evaluation period.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This child appears to have no Braille
experience ( and possibly no actual reading experience even in his native
language) and is essentially newly blind. His background appears to be
uneducated properly overall for a nearly twelve year old—that is it does
not appear he could read fluently in his home language and his math may be
little more than counting. The district is offering full ESL classes and will
have a Mandarin interpreter for all evals. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I am interested in what you term Newcomers
classes—and a newcomer team. Is this a specific to special education
Newcomer class and team? Could you be more specific on how this was set up and
operates—and under what authority, I mean are direct service hours by
special ed given and some kind of 30 day short term IEP written? I am guessing
due to your geographic location you may have regular newcomers in upper grades(
higher than k-3). This district has some as all do, but it is not usual at all
for this district and this child in particular with the combination of poor to
little prior education, no records, total blindness, and life trauma due to
severe facial burns and complete loss of birth family and then non-english
speaking, is something they have never had experience with before. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> I have never had to advocate for an
interim IEP before an initial before so I am looking for some experience and
actual practice. As I said the district did not appear to be aware of any
ability on their part to provide DIRECT <u>special education support or any
special education instruction</u> before fully evaluating and writing an
initial IEP. I am aware of what to put in as far as goals and the writing of
such a thing—I mean I know what he needs to become oriented and engaged
in a basic way the first month as well as accommodations—but I was not
sure how to/what to use in arguments and convincing that interim IEP’s
“worked” or are proper under the law or what other teachers have
done in advocating to administrators an individual IEP for a child whose
individuality is fairly unknown. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The district appeared willing to send in
partial para support—but not necessarily a para that had experience with
a blind child (“someone to lead him around so he would not get
lost” was their words), and was willing to have a general ed or homebound
(medically fragile) general ed teacher come to the home and spend time with
him, they only offered (and after questioning) that they could have the Teacher
of blind students “talk” with the ESL or general ed teacher…this
seems wholly inadequate for a good first 30 days for this child to become
engaged. I have a call into my state’s dept of ed. special ed director
and they returned my call yesterday but I was at work, I anticipate talking
with them today. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><u><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p><span
style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></font></u></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'> Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Carrie Gilmer, President</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on"><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>Minnesota</span></font></st1:State></st1:place><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'> Organization of Parents of Blind Children</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>A Division of the National Federation of
the Blind of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Minnesota</st1:State></st1:place></span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Home Phone: 763-784-8590</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a href="mailto:carrie.gilmer@gmail.com">carrie.gilmer@gmail.com</a></span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org [mailto:pibe-division-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Toni_Anderson@sbcss.k12.ca.us<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, September 08, 2009
5:20 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> pibe-division@nfbnet.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [Pibe-division]
Options on intital IEP--and advice onbeginninghigh need</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div id=idOWAReplyText97598>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>I had a very bright Korean child who was
well versed in Korean braille who we successfully integrated into a Sixth Grade
class with strong VI Itinerant support. He didn't go into the elementary
VI-SDC because they were too young and he needed peers. He learned English
very fast and won the Braille Challenge two years later.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Your situation is different. Does your district offer
Newcomer classes. Your student needs to improve his English, as we
don't do well in Mandarin braille! Until your student becomes more proficient
in braille, he could use a tape recorder to record his answers and buddy up
with a sighted student who could read him the questions. Has this student
been assessed by the Newcomer team? Is he smart enough to enter even
Newcomer classes? It isn't the job of the VI Itinerant to determine
intelligence, though we provide input. We knew my Korean student was
bright because he was a talented pianist. He also had excellent tracking
skills when reading Korean braille though I had no idea what he was saying.
He was enjoying reading.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Good luck!</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Toni Anderson</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>VI-SDC, Dona <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Merced</st1:City></st1:place>
Elem.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>10333 Palo Alto
Drive</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Rancho Cucamonga</span></font></st1:City><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>, <st1:State
w:st="on">CA</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">91730</st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>(909) 941-8869</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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