Looking for good LD High School program in Lakeland or close

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MR Mom on February 1, 2013 at 11:03pm

Hi Sarah

If your looking for an education understand they are selling a service and expecting to make a profit. You are on the right track in visiting the schools, you also need to ask for help in writing an IEP (individual education plan) and making sure the goals are all met yourself. Choosing an atmosphere right for your child is a difficult choice, as many ESE teachers are working outside their field of training. They may be science teachers but not ESE specialists. Having a good or great para-professional, even one assigned as student specific may also help your child meet his needs. I wish there was someone out there who did not have a hidden motive or agenda who could to assist parents of children with special needs in finding the right services, welcome to Poke County. The PCSB says they have a network of parental educational meetings, though the only real purpose is CEU's the teachers must attend. Maybe we can start a parental advisory committee, gather and share real information on what works best :-)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DeEtte on February 2, 2013 at 6:04am

Have you checked out the Monarch School. It is private. Also check into the Countywide program. I have a 14 year old attending there. She started a few weeks ago and feels very comfortable there.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sarah Clark on February 2, 2013 at 10:04am

We still have copies of the IEP we had in place when he was in public school before, so we have precedent for the help he needs. Getting it is another matter entirely, as you know. My son needs one on one or a very small ratio to stay focused enough to get his school work done. He needs accommodations, but can handle the academics with help. I've homeschooled for five years and we are getting to the point where he needs more than I can easily provide. I'm hoping that eventually he will be able to attend college or trade school and I want him to have that option. DeEtte, We cannot afford the tuition to Monarch and we do not qualify for McKay because we have been homeschooling. We are only about 2 blocks from George Jenkins, so I'm going to make an appointment to meet the appropriate person there. Does anyone know about them, good or bad?


MR Mom said:

Hi Sarah

If your looking for an education understand they are selling a service and expecting to make a profit. You are on the right track in visiting the schools, you also need to ask for help in writing an IEP (individual education plan) and making sure the goals are all met yourself. Choosing an atmosphere right for your child is a difficult choice, as many ESE teachers are working outside their field of training. They may be science teachers but not ESE specialists. Having a good or great para-professional, even one assigned as student specific may also help your child meet his needs. I wish there was someone out there who did not have a hidden motive or agenda who could to assist parents of children with special needs in finding the right services, welcome to Poke County. The PCSB says they have a network of parental educational meetings, though the only real purpose is CEU's the teachers must attend. Maybe we can start a parental advisory committee, gather and share real information on what works best :-)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sarah Clark on February 2, 2013 at 10:05am

What is Countrywide?

DeEtte said:

Have you checked out the Monarch School. It is private. Also check into the Countywide program. I have a 14 year old attending there. She started a few weeks ago and feels very comfortable there.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DeEtte on February 3, 2013 at 6:09pm

Couontywide is Dwight Smith located behind Crystal Lake Middle. It is a small school K thru 12 with about 65 students total. It is for kids who have a hard time in regular schools and it is all ESE. It is suppose to be a transitional school but they stay as long as needed.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tabby on February 4, 2013 at 7:43am

My friend has both her boys going to Monarch School and they love it as does she.  Her on boy is Autistic and really has benefited from the school. Her other had ADD and had issues fitting in at regular school so she placed him in Monarch as well.  He's doing great and should be graduating this year (considering it look like he wasn't going to in regular school.

Our son goes to Lake Gibson Middle and they do offer 2 types of ESE classes.  One is mixed with mainstream (as our son is in) and the other is full containment with a handful of kids and 2 teachers.  So far this is his first year and it's been going good.  Few bumps along they way, but we iron them out as they come.  They are really great at sticking to the IEP as well.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sarah Clark on February 4, 2013 at 3:23pm

Thank you for your suggestion and your honesty.  We have home schooled for the past five years because we had negative experiences in both public, charter and private schools.  I am definitely reluctant to try again, but he has improved so much over the past five years that I feel he stands a much better chance at having a good experience this time and it will offer him the socialization I know he needs. 

Monarch has been suggested and I thank each of you for those suggestions, but not only can we not afford the tuition (we don't qualify for McKay), but we were there when it was Crossroads and that was a horrible experience.  I am concerned at their level of academics because I know someone who's son goes there and I haven't been impressed.  I've also left an email for the principal at Countywide Dwight Smith, so we shall see.

My son is such a sweet and loving, kind and sensitive person that I worry for him in a public school setting.  People, especially kids, can be so cruel and I just don't want that spark of joy and creativity to be extinguished.  Our schools stress conformity and oppress any thinking outside the box and that concerns me as well. 

You've given me some great places to look and now it is simply a matter of determining which, if any, will meet his needs and provide the education we want for him.  In all honesty, I just don't want to home school another four years.  I'll do it if I have to, but I really don't want to.  Thank all of you for your responses and please let me know if anyone else has any other thoughts or suggestions.  Have a blessed day. - Sarah

Lakeland Mom said:

I know Bartow High School has a special program.  Although I do not know about the ESE program, I will tell you, much to my surprise, BHS seems to be one of the best schools in the County, Mr. Pritchard, the Principal, is a very caring, and involved individual, as I see it.

There is a difference you can feel in the students, and while I am sure there are problems, it is certainly more welcoming than the other schools I have done extensive research on. 

Also, there is, for the most part, a very unlikely comradery between IB, Summerlin, and BHS, as I would never have believed.  What this tells me, for your situation, is that there is a higher level of acceptance of people in general.  Unlike the results I found in the other local high schools.

Much to my surprise, there is not one Private high school, in range, that I would send our child to, however, I may research too much. This does come from actual parents of students, and students themselves, in these schools. While there were some accolades, when weighted, a truer (hidden) picture came to the surface,

I am glad for your child you did not choose Plant City High, and I will leave it at that. Regardless of how I may feel about the school, I would not want our child to be that far away, especially if there are special needs.

While Polk County gets a bad rap, from me also at times, there are diamonds in the rough. I have personally witnessed some of the finest teachers, and administrators, but that was not by accident.  Your advance planning and research will pay off.

Keep asking questions until people roll their eyes and run, tour the schools, drop in classrooms (if you can anymore), talk to MANY parents, (this venue is great), do numerous internet searches regarding the schools, and also news articles, check posted stats, talk to students if you know any, and get a psychologist's opinion if possible.  Sometimes just a short period of waiting in the school office, or a slow walk during class changes to get there, can show you a lot.

Good luck and it is so refreshing to see parents who take the job of caring for their children seriously.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion