Update, met with the school district's head of special needs education

[CMdeux]

Way to go!!

Sounds like very good progress to show for all of your hard work so far!   

[LianneV]

Here's the newest update!  Just got off the phone with her again.  She had a meeting with the superintendent and they are reversing their policy and no peanut, peanut products or products possibly containing peanuts will be allowed into his classroom!!!! She made a point of mentioning how they can't control what kids bring in their backpacks but snacks and birthday foods will be restricted from his room if they aren't safe!  Now, I know I've still got a fight ahead getting the 504 plan going, but right now I feel so thrilled that I've won part of this battle.  I know they can easily change this policy as they've proven in the past but at least for now it's safe. 
Remember how it was suggested here not to allow them contact with DS's allergist, well she has asked me to come in on Friday, to follow up on some more details and to sign a release giving them permission to discuss his medical records with his doctor.  I know not to do that, but can someone tell me how I refuse, is there a basis, can they make me?  She said it's to work on his 504 (which she is now taking seriously) to make sure they know what is needed from it.  I don't want to grant them a release so I just some help phrasing it and what alternatives I can give.

[maeve]

I would contact your child's allergist now to get a letter that spells out what precautions that the allergist recommends.  That should suffice.  I don't know of any allergists that will get involved in helping craft accommodations for 504 plans (and they shouldn't be involved in that, either).  I think you can simply politely refuse to sign the release.  It's not needed for a determination of eligibility.  A letter from the child's allergist stating that the child has life-threatening food allergies is all that is generally needed (letter should also state need for EpiPen). 

[Carefulmom]

People on this board usually tell the school that the school can send the questions to you, the parent, and you will forward it to the allergist.  Then you get back to the school with a response from the allergist.  It is your son`s legal right to medical privacy.  The school cannot force you to sign a release.  As far as how to nicely refuse, I have not been in that position.  I am sure someone here can tell you how to nicely refuse.

[CMdeux]

"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.) 

[CMdeux]

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.   

[rainbow]

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.

[LianneV]

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!

[CMdeux]

   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.     )

[LianneV]

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??

[CMdeux]

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

[rainbow]

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.

[maeve]

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.

[notnutty]

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!

[rainbow]

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.