I don't feel inspired today so I'm finding it kind of hard to select a title for today's entry. If you would like to suggest a title for it, please leave it in the comments sections. If there is more than one, I'll choose the one that I like the best and change it and give you bragging rights.
Let's see, where to begin. I get in and prep some stuff for a trip to the school. I put everything in my very professional looking cardboard box that was acquired from the room where we store paper for the photocopier. I leave a voicemail for the tech guy to box thank him and remind him that my email still isn't working. I then head off to an initial referral conference at one of the other elementary schools. I get there a little early and find that the parent is waiting already, which is a nice thing. I explain to her that everyone else is on the way and the case manager for their student has all the paperwork. Once we are all assembled (I have the geek urge to say, "assembled, like a child study team version of Voltron but I'll resist; "And I'll form the head"), we meet with the parent and learn that not only is this the students first formal education but English is not the first language and the student has been tagged for ESL (English as a Second Language, for folks outside of education). The family only speaks Spanish in the home. The parent explains that their child has problems finding the correct words to use in both Spanish and English. Prior to coming to school in our district, the student attended a daycare/pre-school in another town. We explain that the limited exposure to English at the previous school and the exposure to Spanish at home may be confusing for him. We also explain that since their child is tagged for ESL and is just now having exposure to organized education, we cannot do an evaluation. The student needs the exposure to the curriculum to see how he responds. We check to make sure that there isn't a hearing problem and the most recent physical reports that the student's hearing is normal. We also go over the procedure to follow if this concern continues. The parent seems satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and the meeting breaks up (and we separate into our different lion shapes).
Following this meeting, I go to my assigned school. I do some labeling and filing. I discover that the remote desktop trick that my tech friend arrange for me works like a charm and it seems that he fixed my email while I was out. Now that I have access to my email, I send him a thank you.
I just have to say, this remote desktop thing is awesome. I have access to all my icons on my office computer, which mean I can even use my scoring software from a mile away. On this day, technology is truly my friend. The only problem I encounter is that if I try to print, it will print out in my office. Still, I think it is awesome.
I send an email out to teachers telling them that I will be available tomorrow to pick up IEPs. I would have liked to be available for them today but one of the emails I get tells me that I have to attend a meeting that afternoon back at my office. I also see an email from my supervisor, asking me to stop by and see her about the initial referral meeting that I have tomorrow.
So I finish up at the school and return to home base (Arus?) after picking up lunch on the way. After lunch, I head to my meeting but first meet with my boss about the initial referral. I discuss my approach to the meeting, to treat it as an initial referral meeting and see where it takes us. My supervisor also brings up the student's brother, who I also tested during my first year in the district. This student may also be coming up for an initial referral again. I explain that unlike tomorrow's student, this one would need a whole new battery since the testing was over a year old.
After this, I go to the meeting and wonder why I'm there. I learn that the teachers that I was there to meet with didn't bother to come to the meeting. This leaves me a little miffed but I do get the opportunity to talk with the supervisor of special ed teachers about a possible parent issue that may come to her attention. I tell her that I'm just warning her and not to be surprised.
After this, I return to my office and complete an IEP and go through my case load to double check how many of each IEP I'll need. This brings me up to quitting time (I don't have a Voltron themed ending for this). Good night, all.
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