Lovejoy School District/autism Child

I'm not sure where the Lovejoy district is, but I just asked my friend where her autistic son goes to school. They live in Frisco and they actually moved there for the school. It's called Taylor Elementary. She highly recommends it to anyone w/ autistic children. Her son adores the school and his teacher.

Please take in to consideration this school for you child...
Great Lakes Academy, this is a school just for children just like yours. We specialize in learning different kids! Our motto is "where we celebrate differences"
I am a learning different student that had no choice but to be passed through the main stream school district processes as such being categorized as a “resource child”, handicapped, slow, unreachable, apathetic, or low I.Q.!
All untrue!!
I did not truly get answers or a real diagnosis until my senior year of public school I was under pressure and stressed about graduation and it came out in my test. The problems were inverted, reversed and so on although they were all right. I found out then in Math class that I was Dyslexic. Having been in recourse classes through out my entire schooling, and being tested like a lab rat every year, I felt like it was useless because I was always told I was just slow and needed extra time to finish everything. Because of this struggle through out my schooling I never really loved the school atmosphere.
I would have flourished in the love, unwearied attention, and specialized classroom settings that G.L.A offers.

I am the art teacher at G.L.A. and I love this school!!!! I know, if you go check it out you will see why and love it too.
Here is the info.

http://www.greatlakesacademy.us/

General Contact Information
Phone: ###-###-#### x 103
Fax: ###-###-####
E-Mail: ____@____.com
Address: 6000 Custer Road
Building 7
Plano, Texas 75023

I know that Lovejoy is small but I've heard they are making upgrades yearly with their special's dept. A friend of mind works for Lovejoy and is excited about the district and its potential. I can also tell you that Carrollton- Farmers Branch ISD is highly respected with their Autistic team and program.

I do not have a child in the school district, but I will tell you what I've heard from other moms who have really researched the school districts special needs programs for autistic children.

Lovejoy is a great school district, for "normal" children. They do not have a very good special needs program, as they are not large enough to have the resourses that other districts like Plano have. Their emphasis is, sadly for children in the autism spectrum, about high academics and excellence for their general population.

Honestly, I really wanted to be in the Lovejoy ISD. My older son is on the spectrum (very slight), so when I started asking around and inquiring about their programs, I learned that Lovejoy's is not one of the better one's around. I really trust my last source on this. It is a friend who moved to a school district in Dallas (I think Highland Park, but not sure) for their PPCD program, and plans to move to the Lewisville/Flower Mound area when her son reaches grade school age. She is very active in the the autism community and had done TONS of research on the subject.

We are in the McKinney ISD, but currently send our son to a private school. Our son kindof falls through the cracks. He is different enough that school (especially socialization and large crowds) is difficult for him, but not severe enough that they will help him. It is so frustrating!!! The school we have him in is NOT a special needs school, but he has blossomed in the small classroom and loving (but structured and disciplined) environment.

Good luck, I know it is such a challenge to know what is right for a child on the spectrum.

H., I don't know about Lovejoy but go with your gut. If you do not feel comfortable do not put him in there. I hear good things about Under the Umbrella. Leslie knows what she is doing and cares about our kids. Texas stinks when it comes to special ed. It also depends on the school campus, teachers, principals, etc. We are in Frisco and we are somewhat pleased with our school. We have a wonderful principal who is always willing to go the extra mile. Then there are others who are very displeased in Frisco. So it just depends. I know how hard this is. I have been crying ever since our teachers meeting! So hang in there and go with your mommy gut!
L.

I am a teacher of special education in Princeton. I actually have the Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities. 3-5yr olds. We have an autistic child this year and we had one last year. Actually the one last year started when he was three and we graduated him to kindegarten. That was very exciting for us. What we do is take children with varying disabilities and try to get them ready to mainstream by kindegarten. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't. We teach the normal Pre-K cirriculum but make changes as our kids need it. We pride ourselves on the progress these kids make daily. I don't know about Lovejoy's special ed program but I know ours. I guess I would suggest contacting TEA and see what they have to say. Good luck.
S.