Guys, I want feedback about how you feel about the current state of the school system. What schools do your children attend (if you care to share that info.), and how would you rate the experience? I'd like to hear from a spectrum of people on this one.

Well, you guys understand why I can't tell you which school my children go to. Since my name is out there, I have to be careful about what personal information I reveal on the board...

But, either way, we can talk about that in person.

My children attend a K-5 local public elementary school. The experience has been okay. I have had some BIG communication problems with teachers, some who wouldn't listen when I had concerns about a situation. But, I found that those issues were teacher-specific.

With dwindling funding, they do a great job of going on field trips to some really neat places.

My biggest frustrations...that one teacher who is so unorganized that I can't even understand what's going on, even when I talk to her in person. AND fund-raisers. Okay, so I understand the need to fund-raise but please do not send my kids home after hearing about the cheap little clock radio they could win, to solicit me. It's okay once in a while, but it can get a little out-of-hand.

Overall, I would rate my kids' school a 7/10.

My son is at special needs pre-k at Talbot..

his program is fantastic, so I have to give it a 10. But the school is cutting budget and aides, and it's overcrowded, so for that reason alone my rating would go down.

IF I had the educational resources I would homeschool Elijah..since he is autistic I feel out of my league. However, I will take him out if he is ever in academic difficulty through the school.

So Talbot gets 8/10

My son is deaf and attending Lake Forest Elementary. (The only school available for the deaf or hard of hearing in Alachua county)

First let me preface this with the fact that we haven't lived in Gainesville that long. So I have other schools and Deaf/HOH programs to compare with.

Lake Forest Elementary: On the surface it seems like a pretty good school. It's when you go a little deeper you find some very disturbing things happening.
I've always been of the mind that children learn by example. The examples set at Lake Forest is screaming, condescending, and hostile. I found that my son's first teacher was inadequate to teach. Her lesson plans were an absolute joke. Let me give an example: Monday: Teach the letter A. Tuesday: continue with letter A, and start letter B. This is not an exaggeration either. The teachers seem to not comprehend how to reach a child other than to scream. If the child responds by crying, they are removed from the classroom. (It should be noted they are usually carried out, some by reasonable means, others on the verge of hurting the child)
Parent involvement is discouraged.
I give the school a 1 out of 10.

The Deaf/HOH program:
One shining factor in this program is the speech /language teacher. She actually cares about the children and tries her best with them. I've also heard that the 3rd-5th grade teacher is the same, although I have no first hand knowledge of this.
Right now the K-2nd grade is non-existent as the teacher I spoke of above was the teacher and since the parents of this group pulled our children from her class, the school moved her to the Pre-K class. (There are other issues with this teacher, if you have a child in Pre-K at Lake Forest, feel free to contact me for this information). So with no teacher, all of these children have been mainstreamed with a facilitator. This is clearly not the best situation for the children, but the district seemed to care less. So as this year progresses to it's end, these children are falling farther and farther behind their peers. Special needs children need extra support, not substandard.

My rating for the Deaf/HOH program: 2 out of 10. (only because of the speech language teacher)

I want to also say that compared to the other schools my son has attended, Lake Forest ranks far below any of them.

It is really sad to hear that you and your child are going through this. Is this the only program in Gainesville for HOH kids in the public school system? I honestly think that you could really help change things since the system is lacking.

I know that there are a lot, (and many of them un-tapped) resources at UF. What if a student helped to develop a program that would benefit this segment of the population? They could get credit and really help to change things. It is wroth looking in to, if no one else is, yet.

Suzy,

Yes this is the only program in Alachua county, public or private. There is a oral program starting next year, but some of these kids are not ready for a strictly oral program. Also, this program is only for the younger children. My son is already too old.

I know that some graduate students have come and helped the speech/language teacher. From what I've been told though, those same graduate students are not allowed in the classrooms, as they are not certified and the union contract does not allow it. The union seems to have more power than anyone in this district. I'm only allowed to go to school or even visit my son's class with his teacher's permission. Thank goodness she granted this.
I'm doing what I know to do, and can do to help and I welcome any advice.
A last note of information once a deaf/HOH child has graduated from the 5th grade here, the parents have two options only. One to mainstream their child, the other to send them to St. Augustine to the state school. I don't know maybe I'm over protective, but sending a 6th grade student to board away from home isn't a viable option for me.

That's crazy that those are your only options. Have you thought about what you would do? What you will do?

My kids go to Shell. My kids are 2nd grade and pre-k.
So far they have awesome teachers there. They really care about the kids and want to do their best for them. I have never been discourage to ever be involved or to drop by whenever I wanted and help out. The teachers are usually thrilled.
We have a music, art and PE programs with some other extra programs for 3-5 graders afterschool.

My biggest problems with the school is that being in there are alot of low income students (not attacking them, just stating facts. Lord knows we are no means "better off") I find that alot of low income families either don't really care that much about their children's education or don't have any higher ambitions for their children. "Whatever is good for the parent is good enough for the child"
This effects the children around them; right now my son. I want my children to grow into adults that want to go father and do more things than me. I want them to have high ambitions and know they can achieve them.
What I am also not liking is the principal. I feel she sees alot of the problems and doesn't want to hear solutions. She says exactly what the parents want to hear and to me I feel like she speaks to me as if I am as old as my kids.
She is a smart lady who uses it to cover her own butt and to show how much she does for the school.
I know the spouse of one of the teachers and they tell me how if a parent complains about too much homework, they are instructed to give less. If parent complains about low grades, they are instructed to go over the test before they give it to help the kids get better grades. (including answers)
The teachers never know exactly what is expected out of them from the principal.

Overall I give a 7.5.
Positives:
The teachers are great
They do their best to give a well rounded program
Negatives:
Better school overall student body (generally speaking)
Replace the principal

quote:

Originally posted by Suzy Richardson:
That's crazy that those are your only options. Have you thought about what you would do? What you will do?

I think about it everyday and worry over it constantly. I'm looking into schools out of state, so we are considering moving. Obviously at this point I don't have many options.

Would you consider moving to St. Augustine then? It's one of my favorite places.

IMO, if you feel your son is not getting a fair and reasonable education, you have recourse under the law in florida (or any state) to take the school system to court and fight this. I would look into that, too.

I am looking into taking action through legal means, as well as a due process hearing. While this is a long term solution, the effects on my son as we go through this process are devastating. He will continue to fall farther behind.

Are there any programs at UF for HOH children? Summer programs, anything?

We use an online public school...Connections Academy. I would give it an 8.5/10. I would actually rate it higher, but the teacher we had this year actually made things kind of hard..through no real fault of her own. This was our first year using them and our teacher was hired the first day of school. She was trying to do training and start teaching at the same time. Apparently, they had 2 teachers who moved right before school started and she was hired last minute. She was very nice but I think a little overwhelmed. Thankfully though, we don't rely all that much on the teacher and I was able to catch on pretty quickly. I like the curriculum and also their additional resources, plus all the free time we have to go and do things on our own.

anyone have input on Millhopper Montessori(39th)? My son will be going there this fall

I have a friend whose daughter goes there, Freyja and has for all her school years. She loves it.

If I had the money, I'd send my daughter to the montessori in a heartbeat.