Virtual PlayDates The Covid pandemic has made some permanent changes in how we live. Doing everything from school to family dinners virtually started out as a survival mechanism, but is probably here to stay. Many companies are not bringing employees back to an office to work, opting to keep them at home. The same goes…
A FAPE Test Case and Distance Learning “In light of the foregoing, I recommend the Plaintiffs’ Motion be granted in part. Specifically, I recommend that the DOE be ordered to provide J.V.2 with in-person services as described in the September 2019 PO to the extent such can be done safely in compliance with guidance from…
Your IEP This Fall We are faced with so many tough decisions this fall. I addressed the decision-making process in this post: Should you keep your student at home or send them to school? How to Decide for Fall 2020 If you are still struggling with your decision, I encourage you to visit that post….
Getting your Disabled Child to Wear a Mask If I had a nickel for “Well, just have him wear a mask!” I’d be rich. Am I right? Actually, we’ve been working on ‘wearing a mask’ for about two months. And we are now to the point where he will hold it in his hand for…
Nervous about going back to school? We all are! This year’s back to school time is going to be more anxiety-filled than ever before thanks to the virus and the ongoing pandemic. But, there are a few things you can start doing early that will help calm your child’s nerves and help them go into…
Kids and Trauma Our kids have been through a lot lately. From being completely isolated from friends and classmates, to experiencing discrimination with your family, to watching a policeman kill a man on TV and neighborhoods and familiar places destroyed. It’s a lot to take in, and witnessing and experiencing trauma affects our kids. I…
Occupational Therapy at Home I had another great Facebook Live chat again today. Today it was Jaime Bassman, MS OTR/L from nearby Lower Merion. We spent an hour discussing various OT and IEP things. Jaime is a 0-3 OT, so she offered up a zillion tips on how to do this at home, easily! She…
IEP Regression and Distance Learning Regression is one of our biggest fears as parents. Our kids are already behind their peers and we work so hard to help them close the gap. So it’s incredibly disheartening to witness regression. I did a Facebook Live today with Dr. Monica McHale, President of the Learning Disabilities Association…
Distance Learning and IEPs Here is the information from the Attorney/Advocate chat that I hosted about distance learning and IEPs. The chat participants were me, and two attorneys, Laura Heneghan and Nickie Krebsbach. We took parent questions and in 90+ minutes, we covered many topics, including distance learning, related services, PWNs, retention, transitions and much…