Update: Today was DS1's last day of the evaluation and they said that he does qualify to go the rest of the year, starting Monday with an at risk diagnoses. The team decided that they want to get to know him a little better and will discuss an IEP at our meeting at the end of Oct, but the at risk diagnoses lets him join their program immediately. I'm a little surprised because we were originally told that we wouldn't find out any information until our meeting. I think we will try keeping the private preschool in the mix for at least a month to see how he is doing and if going to both are what is best for him.
DS1 is halfway through a four day evaluation with the school district. So far they have said he is doing well with some accommodations. We went in thinking he would probably not qualify for the preschool program and would most likely qualify for just speech. I know we will not know anything until his IEP meeting.
We have him enrolled in a private preschool. He has had a rough few weeks, but things are turning around a little and his teacher said this week has been going well. DH and I figured if he qualified for the school district preschool we would just pull him from the private preschool. However, I was speaking to his preschool teacher and she said she has had a few kids that did both. If he qualified it would be a p.m. class and his private preschool is a.m. I didn't really think much of it but the social worker at the school district brought it up as well. Saying it is good that he is currently in a.m preschool because he could stay in it if we wanted to.
I know this is putting the cart before the horse, but I want us to have a decision made so once we find out if he qualifies or not we could try to get a partial refund from his private preschool since the date to get a refund is approaching fast. So in this situation wwyd? If he qualifies, what would be the benefits of him going to both at the same time? The social worker just said that the parents who choose to do both do it because private preschool is a priority to them.
I feel it will be a long day (kindergarten is only half day here) and we would have to change a few things (therapies, etc..) to make it work. It would also be a little difficult on the days I work and we have a sitter since now they would be running him to two preschools plus his and DS2's therapies. He also goes to a language preschool on Saturdays, so I don't know how he would handle going to potentially three different preschools a week plus private therapy. On the other hand, if this is something that would benefit him we would make it work.
Re: Update Private preschool and school district preschool? wwyd
DD1, 1/5/2008 ~~~ DD2, 3/17/2010
When he was in preschool the bus would pick him up at our home and he'd do the public preschool program from 8:30 - 1pm, then the bus would drop him at a private preschool who had school aged kids there as an afterschool program as well. He's spend the afternoon there doing their activities and I picked him up around 4:30.
Now that he is in first - he goes to public school then takes the bus to a sports based after school program where I pick him up at 5ish. He often asks to stay later because he has so much fun.
I've been lucky in that there are a lot of options in my area for programs that are welcoming to kids with developmental differences, and it works for us. The more I can get him out with peers, with caring adults to supervise and help, the better.