just curious if this is normal...

[lauren grier]

So, ce tells me what happens at school-- he's super good at remembering names (thankfully) and keeps telling me he's been seeing these 2 certain people.. I finally decided to look up their names in the school directory-- and one is the speech lady, and the other is the OT chickie... I'm a lil confused.. is this par for the course? I would think if he was seeing them regularly I should be told? or is it more likely they're just evaluating all the kids? I have no idea.. There was an assessment thing sent home when school started, academically ce is fine.. but behaviorally/emotionally/other crap we've been having issues for a long while now-- the cut off scoring or whatever for that assessment was 60pts-- ce got 105pts (meaning he qualified for a referral to whatever program- but it's voluntary, and he's already in therapy).. So now I'm curious as to whether or not they just went ahead and started working with him without telling me? (which is gay, and I'd not be happy about).

[schock77]

That's against the law... but often in kindergarten, we have inclusion classes where therapists (speech, OT, PT) go in to work in an inclusive setting. My kiddo sees these people too, but they are there to work with the student who has an IEP. If Ce doesn't have one, then they CAN'T work with him. It wouldn't hurt to ask his teacher though...

[MissKim]

They may be in the classroom doing therapy with other children, and just including him in his group. Or they may have been asked to observe him to see if they can help with any interventions for the classroom teacher. There's many reasons he could be seeing them. For example, I'm the special ed teacher for pre-k, but every kid in pre-K knows me because I'm in the classrooms all the time (it's full inclusion and we don't pull out at all), and that doesn't mean that the kids are receiving services from me, just that I'm a member of the team. If they officially start giving him services, they'll have to get permission from you to even formally evaluate him.

[lauren grier]

thanks chickies... I'll def talk to his teacher then. He said they've been coming to the class "looking for him" and bringing him somewhere else.. so they're def doing something with him 1:1 and they're not just around.

[jessica31876]

They are likely there just observing and you will most likely be getting a paper to schedule an appt. to discuss what they observed and decide how to proceed and develop an IEP. I had this with both my boys and both needed speech therapy and one of the two needed occupational therapy (mostly to work on stuff like cutting, writing, holding a pencil/pen/crayon properly).

[SmallMoments]

I know our speech therapist starts kindergarten hearing evals next week. Could it be that? It definitely wouldn't be a bad thing to call or email the teacher and ask, though. I know I don't mind when parents ask what's going on... I kind of like them to know. ha ha!

[MissKim]

Lauren, I bet they're doing screenings. The first step is a screening to see if the child might qualify, then the therapist will give the teacher things to try in the classroom to see if that helps, then if those things don't work, they'll ask for your permission to do a full eval.

At least that's how the law says it's supposed to work. I was thinking you had asked about speech concerns last spring, so if you noted those on his paperwork, they may have automatically put him on a list for screening (I know our pre-K teachers did).

Definitely ask the teacher what's happening. They really should not be taking him out of class this early in the year without your knowing what's happening.

[lauren grier]

That was me :] His therapist wanted him to get a speech eval because when he gets all anxious/about to have an episode etc he kinda slurs his speech- he wanted to make sure it was just emotional and not more going on.. but I haven't discussed that aspect with his teacher yet-- though maybe it's started happening in the classroom and I'm unaware. I'm totally fine with them helping him if need be, LOL I just like knowing what's going on you know haha. I'll try to hunt her down tomorrow.

[Sharon Kay]

Ok speaking from a parent with one child with an IEP for gifted, another child with an IEP for ADHD, Speech, PDD-NOS, and another child with a 504 for ADHD ... they are not supposed to do ANYTHING without your knowledge or consent...even screening.

Call and ask....ask nicely and say that he has come home talking about being seen and being specifically asked for...and you want to basically know what is going on...and that you want to be included in this.

FYI...there should be an ADVOCATE in your State that can also help you (and they are FREE!)...if you want to PM me where you live...I will see if I can find out who to talk to... I found ours after the school said they would cut him out of his IEP for speech because "that is just what we do at the end of 5th grade"...even though they couldn't understand him very well with his speech problem!!! I call the advocate...and here he is in 10th grade and still receiving speech assistance...and doing quite well! It took them until 4th grade before they would help him and then wanted to discontinue it.

The advocate was WONDERFUL...they understood his needs and were able to suggest some ways to help him and it really made a great diffence!

[iJenny]

I didn't read all the responses, but its totally normal honey. They are either observing him or evaluating him. If they do put him on and IEP (thats what its called here in CO) there is a process that includes a meeting with you, the principal, his teacher, and the OT/Speech/etc people. Then you can decide to let them proceed with their work with Ce or not. It's 100% up to you. Cameron is on an IEP for his speech therapy, btw.

[Stacey42]

They are doing evals here now and my boys have mentioned a few times about seeing 'other teachers' in their rooms, either alone or with a few other kids. It seems to go on at random for a week or so

[newfiemountiewife]

Here, I have to sign a consent form just to have the kids evaluated. I did for Amelia, and I also did one for Rae, but the Speech Therapists here were so overwhelmed over the summer, there was no one to see her. So I just had to sign it again, for her to get evaluated.