School Reassignment

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M.,

I know exactly what you are going through. My child was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was almost 3 years old (he liked 2 months until his 3rd birthday). The town we live in the school was only about a mile from our home and a 1/2 mile from my work so I thought this was GREAT!! Well here where it all changed for me. Our school board decided(we have a very small school district) to move the Pre K - 3rd grade to one campus (which is 6 miles away from my work)and 4-6 grades (which is the campus that is only 1/2 mile from my work)to the other campus. We I went and had a meeting with the school and got now where so I had to go to plan B. So here is where I started - I searched the internet (what a great thing to have). I looked up the 504 plan (your school might not tell you about this program), this tell you your responsiblitites and the schools responsibilites. Make thre school follow this to a tee!! Also go to the American Diabeties Association website it will also give you more information on going to school with Diabetes and what are the roles for you and the roles of the school. Also the federal goverment reconizes Diabetes as a disability; so what this means is that if they are receiving federal funds for your child attending school then they MUST follow the federal laws (this is something they might not tell you also & I'm sure they have turned this in for the extra funding). I would pretty much be able to quote the law to them when I met with them. I was able to pretty much summarize this and the school was shocked that I knew the laws to protect my child. Once I started quoting the laws to the school's superentendant he was like Ok I can see you know the laws, so what do we need to do to accomidate your child? I gave my suggestions and then I met with the school nurse and we went from there. Since my child started school we have built a new school and he is only 3 miles from me now. But the school knows that I know all of the discriminatin laws, federal, and state laws and I will push the issue if I have to. I hope this helps!! Let me know if you need any more help.

Dear M.,
-As a registered nurse who has worked peds for many, many years, I'm coming in "from left field" and continuing where the previous respondent, Amanda, left off. (Although, I have not been a school nurse.)
-I live in New Hanover County where the school nurses are provided by the county health department. I assume Wake Count to have the same system, although I'm not sure. Here, the health department hires nurses and assigns them to various schools. Assignments may change each year, or midyear depending upon staffing needs. The school system changes, the nurses' personal and home lives change. The nurses are not necessarily guaranteed the same school from year to year. I don't know all that plays into the schedule changes, but for your daughter to stay at a school for the nurse doesn't guarantee the scheduling of the same nurse to that school next year.
-Sure, the more experienced school nurses are likely to be experienced with juvenile diabetes, insulin needs, and exercise and carbohydrate balances ... or, can relearn rapidly. The lesser experienced school nurses bring with them fresher and more modern knowledge from nursing school and are also likely to be able to learn rapidly.
-Your daughter's activity and insulin needs will change every year, and sometimes every day. Systems that have worked successfully this past year may not work next year. Next year's nurse may bring new ideas and have an awareness of your daughter's needs that this past year's nurse didn't have.

-I don't think the most important concern in your daughter's world should be the nurse. It should be the teacher. The teacher is the person who must be most sensitive to your daughter's carbohydrate needs. S/he will have to be trained to identify the difference between a tired or irritable child from a child who's blood sugar is dropping. S/he will have to watch out for kids trading cupcakes and candies, and handle infractions gently, diplomatically, and without any resentment at all towards your child or the others.
-I would go with my gut feeling about the teacher when I meet the person. I believe in mainstreaming children whenever possible, but I have kept my children home when I didn't feel confident that I could trust a teacher to act in my children's best interest when my kids were sick.

-In your two-minute appeal to the school board, I would fight harder for the advance ability to change teachers if necessary. I would give up trying to fight for the old nurse and the old school. Too many other factors that are out of everyone's control could change.

-I know that it's last minute and all, but I recommend seeing if you can find a diabetes camp NOW for THIS SUMMER, so that your daughter can learn more self-care, self-confidence, and independence this summer before school starts.

-Side notes: I believe that a school with a child with diabetes or other chronic conditions receives more money for coverage of that child's needs.
-I also think that a year-round school may offer a diabetic child better consistency in the long run.
-This is the healthiest time in all of history for a child to be diabetic. Good luck with your family's journey.

I have been thru this, I worte my speech, practiced it in front of a mirror and in front of family and friends. Timed it and had it down pat. The people there are just that, people, with kids, families, lives, just like you. I honestly believe that if you let them know the things you let us know in this post, it will make a difference. Never forget, YOU were given this child to raise, and that is your number one job. You are the voice for this child and let them know that you are advocating for the best for your child. I think they will hear this and agree. Good luck, please let me know how things turn out, crossing my fingers for you!
MB

M., I am going to make a suggestion that maybe you haven't considered as of yet in case you don't get into the school of your choice... Have you considered HOMESCHOOLING your DD? I know many other families that have serious health issues or allergies that chose to do this as it an educational option. There are plenty of support groups, social functions etc..

If you want to know more contact me privately.

As always do what is best for you and your family. :)

I haven't read the other comments, as a parent I can understand that you want consistency with your child's education - especially since your child has health concerns and is comfortable with the staff at the school she is currently attending. I have a friend who has a child with other needs and the schoolboard was not being very flexible with them either. After meeting with them and feeling like she was getting no where she announced to them that this matter was important to her and that since they were not going to work with them that she was enrolling her son in a local private school. Once she made this announcement they were very willing to work with her. They didn't want to lose the money that they receive from the government for each student enrolled in public school. In some ways I do consider this to be a form of bullying possibly, but if they can make your child change schools this year whose to say they won't redistrict each year your child is in school and your daughter could end up having to adjust to a new school each year. If they think that you will send her to a private school instead they might not ask you to move her. We are located in KY - so I don't know if this would work in your area, but you could suggest it. Of course you should probably follow through if they are not willing to let your daughter stay at her school. If they let her stay - you may have to provide transportation.

I think a home school will help if you can do it then a teacher can come and teach this child at home I did this when I had surgery and a teacher would come to my house and teach me before I return back to school.You can always check her diet at home better then do this at school. and watch her play at home.Find some games to play at home. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

M.,

I went throught this transfer problem 2 years ago in Rowan County. Are they redrawing the district lines because they built a new school? If so, I would suffice to say that you will have no luck in getting your child's transfer to stay at her current school approved. We appealed not once but twice with the school system and even set in from of the school board and asked for approval and they did not care what our reasons were. By the way ours was a chronic illness too and a doctor's note didn't help. If you go online to your school board's website and review their board meeting minutes you will most likely see that they made their decision not to approve any transfer requests months ago before the new school was built. The reason they do this is for funding purposes. The new school gets x amount of dollars for the number of students they enroll in the school. They have to have so many attend the new school in order to receive state funding. And you are guaranteed no transfers from the school until after 2 years because that's how long a new school is guaranteed funding for high enrollment numbers. My son attended kindergarten at a school that is 2 miles from where we live. The school system redrew district lines and now he has to attend a new school that is 8 miles from where we live - all because of funding. This is his second year at the new school and the first year was the pits. With new schools come new principals and new assistant principals and new graduate teachers. There are a few seasoned teachers there but for the most part it's new teachers. The second year was better. My recommendation is that you go through your appeals and if/when they are denied you meet with the new school's principal during the summer. Have her meet your daughter and talk to her about the importance of educating the teachers on how to manage a child with type 1 diabetes. Ask who the school nurse will be (chances are they are going to have to share a nurse with another school) and meet with her. When you find out who your daughter's first grade teacher is going to be immediately set up a meeting with her - in fact-ask the prinicpal to arrange it. Meet with the new teacher, nurse, and prinicpal all at the same time and get a jump start on educating the school on your daughter's illness. But if you're waiting for the school board to help you they are not - they are going to only do what benefits them. Don't get discouraged though because there are positivies about a new school. You will find them as she starts there. Good luck and I hope your appeal is approved.

Haven't read your responses, but at least write down what you want to say (highlights/outline on index cards). I know that's 'elementary', but just in case you might think you could do well w/o it, I'd recommend it!

Would you be allowed to drive her to whichever school you choose instead of using provided bus transportation to your 'district' school?

M.,
I think Dawn's idea to take her doctor with you when you make the request is a great idea. Have the doctor speak first and explain the illness and the care required at school. You speak second and take your daughter with you and have her speak last. Keep what you all say brief. You and your daughter need to both speak from your hearts. Share your fears as a parent of a child with a serious illness. Let your daughter praise her school for learning how to cope with her illness while she was at school during the day. Be sure to use some lines like this..."I think my daughter is still alive because her school learned how to cope with her illness and did everything that they needed to do last year. While I know all the schools in the school district would do the same thing. I think that her school went over and above the call of duty and for that I am extremely grateful." Have your daughter speak last because it will be very difficult for all of those adults to say no to a child with a serious illness. Have your daughter describe her typical day at school and what the school did to assist her. Have her praise her teacher, principal, etc. and use their names.

Then pray about it and leave it alone. You never know why things turn out the way they do in life. It may be that there is something at the new school that is going to bless your daughter in a way that you cannot see yet. Whatever happens don't frighten your daughter about a new school. You can teach the new school in the same way that you taught the current school. You will probably do a better job of teaching them the second time around.

I am a diabetic too. I don't think of it as an illness any more. I don't let it define me any more. I just think of it as a part of my life.
S.