SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Autism
Showing posts with label Autism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Autism. Show all posts

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Autism Speaks at District 75

I got a summer school gig again this summer. Same school as last year, different building, but still in District 75.

I am happy.

Last year I did phys ed. and this year, I am teaching technology. Got a great computer room and finally able to do what I do best.

The students are fantastic. I know it is hard and a challenge to work with autistic children and students with emotional disabilities. But, there is so much support from the top down, it makes not only my job easier, but the entire staff as well.

I feel the students are so blessed to be in this school, to be in a situation where I see the students truly come first for the first time in my career. That those who wish to demean and belittle the teachers of the NYCDOE, need to open their eyes and see what great work is done not only at the school I am at, but all District 75 school across the city. I guarantee that not one single charter school can do anything that any District 75 school can do.

For the autistic students (for this blog post I am just going to concentrate on them. I have only 1 class that is standardized), I am both in awe of them and sad for them at the same time. I'm in awe that they have the ability to navigate not only going to school every day, but the joy I see in their face and hear in their voices when they accomplish something, or that there is a teacher or para that is there for them each and every day to guide and to facilitate their growth.

It is fascinating to learn about each and every student, and find out what their likes and dislikes are. There is a student that has a fascination with maps (I myself have always loved maps). When his class is done with what we are doing and it is choice time, he goes on Google Maps and I watch him. There is a pattern to what he is searching and looking at, I wish I knew, but he knows. In fact one day I was watching him and with his eyes still fixated on Maps he just blurted out, "Personal space!" I moved back a bit.

In fact on the first day of school, on July 5, he asked me what the zip code is of where I live. Today, almost three weeks later when I ask him what is my zip code, he nails it.
One day a student started just rubbing my arm out of the blue. I looked at the para to get their attention at this. The para told me that the student feels comfortable with me. Best recommendation I ever got.
I am saddened knowing that some of our most needy students are trapped inside of their bodies, not able to communicate their fears, their anxieties, their dreams, like you and I can.

When I hear a student screaming out and hearing their pain, it just hurts to hear. I know, the staff knows, that they will be all right, but at that very moment, that student doesn't.

But these students are in great hands. I see what this school is about. It is just not about the ABC's. It's about giving these students a gift, a gift of being independent, of living their lives as fulfilled as can be possible.


Sunday, February 13, 2011

Will Arne Duncan Help A Mother Who Is Not A Billionaire?


I do not know much about special education. I like to defer to those who know more than me and at the very least ask questions. But I do know an outrage when I see one.

The following is from a neighbor and a friend, MaryAnn McCarra-Fitzpatrick. Mary Ann has given me permission to post the following letter she sent to Arne Duncan. She has a ten year old boy with autism. Right now she is caught in the Kafkaesque world of RTI, special ed, and all the other crud that is going on.

I keep on thinking about The New York Times on Christmas Day has above the masthead, "Remember The Neediest." Are the neediest being served, or for that matter, even a blip on the radar screen? Where is Gates with money to help these most neediest of students? Where is the Walton Family? Money is being cut from budgets and always the targets are these students that need the help the most. These so called philanthropists should truly put their money with these students with no strings attached. But unfortunately it will never happen. These children, these neediest of students do not make for good photo opportunities.

So with further adieu is the letter. If anyone can reach out to her, help her, etc... please do.

10 February 2011

Secretary Arne Duncan

U.S. Secretary of Education

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.

Washington, DC 20202

Re: LRE and the City of Mount Vernon New York School District seeking to move out-of-district disabled children into in-district mainstream schools

Dear Secretary Duncan:

It was my decided impression after the IEP meeting I attended for my son this morning (Hawthorne Country Day School, Hawthorne, NY) that the City of Mount Vernon New York School District has decided that children who were found to need special education services must now be “moved back into” the district. I have no doubt that this is due to the financial imperatives of the MVCSD.

My son is ten, autistic, non-verbal, and still in diapers. He suffers from extremely loose bowels. He bites himself (and others). He has no sense of danger and is a “bolter.” However, throughout the course of the meeting, the person moderating (from the City of Mount Vernon School District) said that he would be considered a “fifth grader” while, previously, it was understood that he was considered to be in an “ungraded” class.

When we enquired about the programs they had she was unable to provide us with any information, stating that there was nothing in writing about them that we could examine. She could provide nothing concrete about their programs or the outcomes of the same.

I previously visited their two special education classes for autistic children, a number of years ago, and neither of them was appropriate for a child as profoundly developmentally disabled as our son.

My son functions at a one-year-old level. The limited progress he has be able to make has been because of the setting in which he currently receives instruction, as well as speech and occupational therapy.

At a meeting held in December 2010 at the Board of Education building-- it was stated, over and over--- that there would be a movement towards “LRE” for every child currently in an out-of-district placement. This simply means that, for their financial purposes, they would prefer these children to be “in-district.” As we saw today, it is not necessarily in the best interests of the child.

My husband and I will be sending a letter to the Superintendent of the City of Mount Vernon School District, Dr. W.L. Sawyer, expressing our extreme displeasure with this belligerent woman and her insistence that we consider placing our son in what would be a completely inappropriate setting, one which would be a danger to him and to others.

I would welcome your input on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

MaryAnn McCarra-Fitzpatrick