. . . piling onto maeve's post . . . and still a

WHOLE LOT of NONCOMPLIANCE

due to "no teeth" to the "policies".


Wonder how it would be viewed if there was such "spotty" compliance to, say,

the no drug OR no weapons "policies".



Why is "compliance" voluntary so far as certain staffers . . . or cupcake queen PTO parents?



Just asking.   

rainbow, exactly.  My county was the first in the area to adopt districtwide guidelines but there's still a lot of variance among schools and still a lot of food in the classroom.

Also, my principal likes to remind me often that "guidelines" are subject to change and interpretation - they are *not* policy (which is more formal and based on state laws/regulations).  And if you take note, most districts will have these "policies" labeled as guidelines. 

Even more reason 504 is necessary since it is based on the individual. 

Quote from: rainbow on February 07, 2012, 03:48:47 PM

Quote from: notnutty on February 07, 2012, 02:21:10 PM

A "policy" one day may be gone the next.  Get everything you need to keep your child safe in writing!

Yep, administrators change often and policies, or "guidelines" (especially) can always chaange. But the 504 stays with the child and is based on the child's specific needs.

This is so true.  Most often things about what go on in a school are principal-centered so even in the same school district, you can have different "policies."  And then within schools, the management of a classroom is up to a teacher, so you can have different policies within the same grade level depending on the teacher.  That's why a 504 is so important.  The precautions taken to keep a child safe cannot change because of personnel changes.

Quote from: notnutty on February 07, 2012, 02:21:10 PM

A "policy" one day may be gone the next.  Get everything you need to keep your child safe in writing!

Yep, administrators change often and policies, or "guidelines" (especially) can always chaange. But the 504 stays with the child and is based on the child's specific needs.

Keep pushing!  You are doing a great job.   


A "policy" one day may be gone the next.  Get everything you need to keep your child safe in writing!

GREAT JOB SO FAR!!!!  Celebrate the smaller victories, but keep your eye on the prize!

lianne,
If you would like to PM me your email address.  I can email you the sub sheet I prepare at  the begninng of every school year.  I provide several copies to the teacher so that a copy can go to the cafeteria, art, music, and gym teachers.  A couple of years, I even laminated the cafeteria copy; didn't have time to do so this year.

That is right. Subs should be given an info sheet or something. We had so many subs that this was one of the main reasons I knew my child needed a formal plan.
Definitely should be part of your 504.

   Subs are particularly high risk, yes.  Any time that there is a break of some sort in the regular routine, really. 

1 step forward, 2 steps back.  I'm very annoyed and I need to know who to yell at.  Ok so the policy changed hasn't been passed down to the staff yet, which is fine, I mean they only told me yesterday at 3:30.  I decided to walk DS to class to tell his teacher what was going on.  Well he had a sub last school day, but his regular teacher had been there in the morning soI think maybe her daughter was sick, it didn't seem like a planned thing.  I asked the sub if she knew about his allergy and she said yes "she" told her.  I foolishly didn't clarify who she is.  Well today we walk in, and it's a different sub again.  So I told her about his allergy and asked if she had been told.  She said and I quote "no, it wasn't in my notes" ok so um, the policy hasn't officially changed, so the staff would have let something unsafe through, she wouldn't have known, if DS didn't speak up, who knows what could have happened.  I do teach him to speak up, but sometimes in the rush he may not get to, or he may think she knows better.  I'm working on emphasizing that but it's not perfect everytime.
They have a "system" where the kids are flagged int he computer.  I don't think subs have time to read through each student file on the computer.  That should be part of whatever info she is given about the class right??

   Way to go!!

(Oh, and 'haven't gotten any info' on the upcoming V-Day debauchery.. .um... yeah.  I'd tuck that in my back pocket for the upcoming meeting, too.  You need to be included in party planning in the classroom.  Yet another thing that is perfect for a 504 plan and... er... not-so-appropriate for a IHP.     )

Thank you for the great ideas on how to phrase it.  You know my husband always teases me cause I'm the naive optimist and he's the cynical one.  As much as I want to be thrilled that they've seen the right way to do this, in my heart, I truly feel that they are only doing this to shut me up.  It's strange cause  at the end of the day this is all that I wanted and had they agreed in the beginning, I might not have really forced the issue (although after hearing everything from you guys, I know better now) so now they've given me essentially what I wanted but I feel like it's just a way for them to get out of what else they have to do.  So I won't be letting go of what else needs to be done.  We shall see how the meeting goes.  As soon as I got off the phone with her, I called my new friend whose DD is at the school and also as severely allergic, turns out she got a call too, to tell her the policy is back to the way it was and she also has to set up a meeting with her.  I warned her to be careful about what they might ask of her, since they had already asked me.  Should make the valentine's day party fun.  If we're having one, it's a week away and I haven't heard anything yet!
I want to thank everyone here so much, I knew I wasn't going to give up, my son's life is too importnat, but I've gotten so much input here on how to get this done!

Great updates!!

Yes, they do that sometimes...provide the accomodations when they realize you aren't giving up (and they cannot refuse the 504 -- see OCR Letter to Gloucester) but they will hope that if they do grant them along with an "Individual Health Care Plan" that you will be happy with that.  You've worked too hard to accept that. Still insist that it be a 504 Plan (which the IHCP is part of).  Just giving you the heads up as this has happened to some people.

Sounds like the Sup't and district lawyers know they need to grant appropriate accomodations such as a nut-free classroom (standard practice!).  Your principal was stonewalling (as many do) since he thinks that makes him less responsible (it doesn't). 

Agree with CM above on good responses regarding contacting allergist.

Oh, and do NOT lose sight of the 504 objective.  They may well have just thrown up a smokescreen in the hopes that you'll give it up.  But remember how fast they changed the policy?

They can do it again, too.   

"I'm sorry-- I don't understand why you can't communicate with our physician through us.  S/He views us as part of our son's management team."

"We're not comfortable not being included in communication with our physician regarding our child.  I'm sure that you understand."


"What questions did you have?"


"I wouldn't want the school to waste any time during an emergency by calling either us or the physician."

"Our physician's time is very limited; s/he really cannot permit consults with non-patients."  (If, of course, this is the case-- you could ASK if your physician's office is okay with the school calling them up every time they feel like it, and talking to the doctor... for free.     About stuff that s/he's already put into writing... just to see if they can twist his/her words and weasel out of what they don't feel like doing, I mean.  I'm sure that the doc won't mind.  LOL.)