How worthwhile do you think summer school really is?

torrey111

Especially for a kid with attention issues...

I am thinking we are better off getting a tutor- as he works so much better one-on-one and I am not sure how well the summer school thing actually works out.

I know my son would be resentful that he had to go and would more than likely, totally zone out the entire time.

What do you think? 

torrey111

What is ESY?

Summer school was recommended to him last year, so we sent him, and I think the only reason we got him to go was that his friend was going to. Even still, he didn't do "well".

This year his teacher recommended it again- and we said no thanks.  Like you said, it's still going to be more of the same that isn't working.  

I guess the best bet, for our situation, is a tutor.

 

hopanka

ESY = extended school year ("summer school")

Auntie - this is interstesting that you supplemented a tutor for a traditional ESY in the IEP. I did not know that you can do that. Our problem is that ESY is offerred less and less in CA and so the students that go/qualify automatically (without serious advocating) are usually severely impaired. It is almost starting to be not a good fit for DS. Is tutor an actual service you can request at the IEP meeting in lieu of the class setting? How do you advocate for that?

Thank you - and sorry OP for hijacking your post. ESY is a hot topic at my house now as well :-)

hopanka

Our elem school actually hosts a fantastatic summer/winter camp on the school grounds. I've tried advocating for it instead of the classroom setting last year already, but was told at the IEP meeting that the camp has nothing to do with school/education, it's a leisure activity...so for that I need to contact the RC. I did and they do provide me with an aid to accompany DS when he goes to camp, however this is not a qualified BII that I have at school - this is along the lines of respite...either a teenager or a nurse who has this as a second job - no special needs qualifications. It pays minimum wage. You can imagine how that works for us. (We had a lady once who fell asleep in my house while doing respite....DS was roaming around freely. DH came home early and found her on the couch snorring. She said she had just pulled an all-nighter in the hospital, so she was tired...

Also, I still have to pay for camp, which is $$$, so we can unfortunately do only 2 weeks this summer. It's still better than ESY - classroom setting, though. Last year, DS picked up a bad stim after a couple of days of being in the classroom. We are set up to go this summer again - but, I'll see how it goes for a few days and I'm prepared to pull him out, if it's not appropriate for him.

You hit the nail on the head when you said DS needs good peer models for social situations and for retaining appropriate behavior in the class. Educationally - he's actually above average and all his reading/math assessments score him in the top 10 percentile in his class. His BID told me today she wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in gifted later on down the road. I'm not sure about that, but he's clearly doing well. So, he doesn't really need ESY for catching up on school work. I wonder what angle I should take this from, if I do revisit advocating for camp in lieu of the summer classroom in the future.

Suggestions?

smiling76

I'll know in about 7 weeks --LOL.  DS1 is going through his ESY starting in another week and I'm nervous.  He's going because party for retention of skills but also to just keep him going--- like keep him taking the bus and things that he tends to fall back when he's on break.  It's going to be rough because it's at a totally new school--- very long bus ride--- totally different teachers--and no friends from his current class.  I actually feel horribly guilty sending him. 

To make matters worse---he's going in the afternoon so he's being forced to give up his nap earlier than we expected (he was going to have to do this beginning in August anyways)--but he's the type that really does need a nap--and likes it.  I don't know what we're going to do.  I'm having trouble weening him from it. 

AND to also add to it--it means we actually had to add another day of daycare to keep him on routine---that way it's the say place everyday he's being picked up and dropped off (I work part-time).  Such a pain but it's a good thing for him. 

A part of me is just hoping maybe the change will be good--another part is fearful.

 

torrey111

omg, such great info ladies!