My experience with this school, particularly the special education program, was extremely concerning and ultimately led me to withdraw my child in April.
I am sharing my personal experience because I believe other parents deserve to ask detailed questions before enrolling their children.
During our time at the school, my child came home with bruises on his body. I repeatedly asked staff what had happened, but I was unable to get an explanation that addressed my concerns. I am not claiming to know how the injuries occurred; I am sharing that I could not get the information I needed as a parent.
I requested an IEP meeting because I wanted my child to have increased access to general education with appropriate aide support. Although the meeting took place, I was not provided with the data or information I requested to understand the basis for the decision. My request was simply denied.
I also clearly requested that a female aide assist my child with toileting. Without prior notice, a male aide was assigned instead. I only learned this when I spoke with the principal, who told me it no longer mattered because there were only a few weeks left in the school year. I found that response extremely concerning.
On another occasion, I picked up my child unexpectedly and found him outside wearing a sweater despite temperatures being around 80 degrees. When he saw me, he immediately asked for "water." His water bottle consistently came home full, which caused me concern about whether he was being offered enough water during the school day.
I also found communication with the classroom teacher difficult. Based on my personal interactions, I experienced the communication as passive-aggressive and, at times, unprofessional when I advocated for my child.
Ultimately, I decided withdrawing my child was the best decision for our family. I am not suggesting every family will have the same experience, but based on mine, I strongly encourage parents of children receiving special education services to ask detailed questions about IEP decision-making, aide assignments, supervision, communication, hydration, and how concerns are documented and addressed.
This experience was extremely difficult for our family and left me with serious concerns about the level of communication and support we received. read more
