If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

We had our first IEP meeting for CPSE and my son who turned 3 Nov 4 but had his meeting postponed b/c of Sandy was approved for speech 2X per week and social skills once per week. In terms of background he had speech through EI twice per week. He was turned down for OT twice during EI b/c it was mainly sensory issues. I asked for an OT Eval again at the IEP meeting and they agreed to do it. I have a follow up meeting Tues about OT. I anticipate he will get it based on the feedback from the evaluator.

I am looking at 3-5 appts per week out of home at an agency. I have 3 kids and work 2 PT jobs. I know that these are my issues but the scheduling is a nightmare. I had hoped that they might say 1/2 day program but they didn't. I had to take him out of his regular pres-chool that he started this Sept b/c I can't drive him to both school and his appts.

I am researching SN preschools to try to give him both his services and a school environment. An integrated class was suggested to me by a friend. He is very high functioning congnitively and has really no behavioral issues. I am in RVC school dist.

I am just looking for input feedback on how you like the schools, how bad is the costs, etc.

I have been told to look at Marcus Ave, HASC, ACDS, Variety. I will need transportation in order for this to work well.

Suggestions based on his scenario and level of functioning.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

Why cant he receive speech at home or at the preschool where he attends now? I can understand needing social skills at the agency so they can provide him with a group but speech can be anywhere...

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

He could possibly receive speech at this preschool but he cannot receive social skills or OT there so it won't really help me resolve my scheduling issues to get him speech at school

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

I've seen lots of kids for OT at their preschools. His preschool would'nt accomodate an OT or will need a sensory clinic? You sould schedule social skills and OT back to backone day. I think it would be really tough to have a SN preschool agree to enroll your son in a special ed class because he couldnt enter as a typical student in an integrated class because he has an IEP. He would have to be accepted as a SN student. The way that tuition works is they have contracts with SDs for a flat rate per student regardless of how many or how little services they get. The SD provides transportation services. Since your SD did not approve a SN class and transportation the preschool would not be able to bill the SD for "a la cart" related services.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

You may want to look into the JCC in Oceanside. They actually have amazing OTs, and SLPs that work out of their Bright Beginnings agency, so they would treat your ds there or at your home. The JCC has a lot SN kids, and when I inquired about the Long Beach class size they were 8 to a class with a teacher and aide, which is less than an integrated class at a special needs school. They may have also moved their sensory gym equipment to Oceanside since Sandy. (there was a small sensory gym at the long beach location). I believe the JCC does busing as well.

Let me know if this interests you because I can give you names of strong OTs (one being my dd's who is amazing), and even some SLPs.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

JCC is not on my list of approved service providers.

I was wondering why I was unaware that they had a program.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

I don't know exactly how this works, but at my first CPSE meeting they had me fill out some form for transportation in case we needed it.

I also would try to push harder about getting the services at school/his natural environment.

My suggestion would be to write a letter to the CPSE committee explaining your hardships.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

I would not recommend discussing with the district your hardships in arranging daycare or transportation etc. The district and county can not factor those variables in when recommending services. It is not about when he will benefit from or what fits your schedule, it's about what he needs in order to function and learn.

At this point what I would do is at his upcoming CPSE meeting to determine eligibility for OT, if he qualifies for OT, I would bring up you concerns for a school based program but focus on the amount of related services (5 sessions a week). Focus on the fact that his program being just related service will be very disjointed. He needs a more structure learning environment in order to improve his classroom success due to his language delays, social delays and sensory processing delays. Stress how his global delays are effecting his ability to learn and function independently as appropriate for his age.

If a SN class is denied by the district it will be difficult to enroll him in a SN school because he is classified. They can't accept him as a typical student in an integrated class because of his IEP.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

Thank you so much fro responding! This was exactly my concern. I know they don't want to hear my difficulties so I will focus on his related sevices. I really appreciate the advice re: how I frame the discussion. So grateful!

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

The JCC is not a SN program, it just has a typical preschool. The JCC also has an "agency" that is approved. It's called Bright Beginnings. You can get service providers from Bright Beginnings and they can come to your home or any preschool you send your child to. Most of the service providers are very local. They live in Long Beach, Oceanside, Island Park etc. which I know you are not far from :) The service providers I know do travel to RVC and see many kids at the JCC or local preschools.

Since you are also looking for a preschool, and if your district isn't going to pay for one, I would look into the JCC. They have small class sizes and many of their students receive some sort of services, so a child that has language or developmental delay is very welcome. They have therapists in and out of their classrooms and even therapy rooms for the therapist if it's "pull out" session.

Bright Beginnings is run by Roni Kleinmanwww.friedbergjcc.org/programs/specialneeds.php

There are no developmental preschools even close to us here in South Nassau, so many parents turn to the JCC and even BrightStar in Oceanside. HASC is the closest dev preschool and then BOCES, Little Village. The kids are on the bus for an hour or more when going to those schools.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

You can also look into Little Village for a half day or integrated program.

Were you not able to find an agency that would give him services at his preschool, or was the school unwilling to have therapists come there? My DS received services at his daycare/preschool until he started a SN school program. The therapists came there to treat him, same as they would have at home.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

JCC is not an approved agency on my list.

Re: If there is anyone on her paying OOP for a SN Preschool can i have some feedback

Bright Beginnings Through the JCC

Is your child eligible for speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy or counseling services?

If the above applies to your child or if you believe your child may need services, we can help.

Bright Beginnings is an initiative of the JCC —offering programs, services and support for families with children who have special needs.

We have licensed therapists who provide no-cost services to children (ages 3 and above) who have been approved through their school district’s preschool special education program.

We offer services in our therapy gym, our therapy bus, the Oceanside and Merrick sites, your home or other school settings.

Your child does not have to attend the JCC preschool to receive services.

For more information, contact Roni Kleinman, Vice President of Long Beach Services, at 431-2929 or [email protected]