I have a 5 year old autistic child who went to Fairhaven for two years for preschool and now that's he's five they say he has to go to school. THey won't keep him at fairhaven at their school so he has to go into the district I live in, which isn't that great especially for a child with special needs. He fell way below normall standards for the kindergarten readiness testing and they said that he just needs speech therapy cause his launguage is delayed. THey aren't gonna provide him with any special needs education or an aide. They want to put him in a regular class with 17 other children. He doesn't like change or loud noises he doesn't like being around other people, everything is gonna be different for him right down to the school bus. He still sits in a car seat and they wanna put him in a regular bus, he won't sit, they ate their lunches in the classroom at preschool not in a big lunch room with 3-4 other grades. I don't feel comfortable sending him to the school and I don't feel he's gonna do well or get the help that he needs, but I don't know what to do or where to turn. If anyone has any advice I'd greatly appreciate it. THank you so much.
I'm so sorry there hasn't been any reply to your post yet.
I'm fortunate to live in Geauga County, where there is a wonderful special education program. My son went to Metzenbaum for preschool but went to a mainstreamed kindergarten classroom. My son was "too high functioning" for an aide in the beginning. During that time I didn't have any other children so I volunteered two times a week at his school. Not in his classroom but in th lunch room and library. I also helped out during school assemblies and I saw two incidents that upset me, one so much I went to principle the next morning w/o talking with his teacher first. I spoke with him and then req'd an immediate IEP meeting and req'd that aide, and I got it.
You need to be an advocate for your child. You know your child best and if you feel he's not going to do well in the classroom than you either need to switch schools or fight to make the classroom suite your child better.
My son had a visual schedule and used the Picture Exchange System to help him communicate and get through the day. He could talk then, but his words were few and what he said wasn't relavent.
Look up your local Autism Society of America group and ask for advocacy help. There is a specific name for someone who helps special needs children get what they need in the classroom, but I've been racking my brains but can't remember it.
I hope what I've shared with you helps and that it isn't too late. I'd hate to hear how your child is hurting in the classroom.
There is also homeschooling.