Special Education Resources for Parents

Though I am not a paid advocate, I am certainly a pretty vocal one when it comes to my daughter's education, and other parents often ask me where I get my information. To be honest, there is so much more to special education law than the little parent's rights guidebook handed to you during an IEP meeting. To that end, I want to share with you the many different resources I have found since my journey into the world of special education. Some of these resources are specific to Louisiana's special education process, and others are national, but please be sure to explore them all, as there are many issues that overlap, regardless of where you may live.


Wrightslaw
A fantastic site run by Pete Wright, a special education attorney. Current case law, Q&A on specific issues to families, and many articles on the IEP process. Pete has also written some of the most comprehensive books on special education law, and hosts conferences to teach parents how to navigate the system. I attended one of his conferences, and it was a life-changing event for me.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities
A central source of information on disabilities in infants and children. Focused on both IDEA and early intervention programs as well. Spanish information available.

Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center
A statewide resource that offers training to parents seeking to better advocate for their child's education. Advocates from the center may also attend an IEP meeting with a parent to assist in the process. Offered are self-guided trainings, online pajama trainings, and on site trainings available, with a quarterly newsletter and other resources. One of the best places to visit for info, in both English and Spanish.
***Every state receives federal funding to support similar centers. For a listing of centers nationwide, please visit:
http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/help/ptis.htm

Louisiana Partners in Policymaking
Partners in Policymaking is a national leadership training program for people with developmental disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities. It provides the most current knowledge about disability issues and develops the competencies necessary for effective advocacy to influence public policy at all levels of government. As a graduate of this program, I can tell you I have never learned more, embraced the concept of equality, and felt more empowered to make a difference in the world than I did during my time in Partners. You must apply and be accepted to the program, but believe me, it will change your life.
***The national Partners in Policymaking website:
http://www.partnersinpolicymaking.com/

These are just some of the many resources that have been invaluable to me as I navigate the world of special education and disability advocacy. Please remember, every state has a Department of Education, and usually a website. Don't be afraid to actually check them out. If you have a question and your local Dept. of Sp. Ed. is not helping, call the state. You have a right to as much knowledge as your child's school team in creating the best outcomes for your student. Good luck!

What's for Dinner: Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Cabbage, Apples, and Prunes

This is my slow cooker version of a recipe by Clotilde Dusoulier, a blogger whose website, Chocolate and Zucchini, totally changed my world. She cooks with fresh seasonal ingredients, humor, and a lot of heart. For a Parisian, that's huge (just kidding Clotilde, I promise I don't call them Freedom Fries). The original recipe can be found at here at her blog, Chocolate and Zucchini, a fantastic foodie wonderland. In addition to this recipe, her Nutella ice cream is fantastic and her yogurt cake is my base for all cakes I bake now. Check her out. Seriously.

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin, or pork roast of your choice (boneless)
1 small head of red cabbage, sliced finely
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 prunes, cut into fourths
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced, with skin on
1/4 cup red wine (I use Syrah)

Directions:
Place roast into bottom of large slow cooker. Mix together cabbage, apples, and prunes, and arrange around the roast. Sprinkle on seasonings on both cabbage mixture and and roast, and pour wine over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for around 5. Stir cabbage mixture to combine seasoning and wine before serving. Serve with a spicy brown mustard like Zatarain's Creole Mustard, which you can find here, and a fresh salad and bread.

The Results:
This is a unique dish, both sweet and savory, and is really interesting if you have never combined the ingredients before. The mustard is a must, and I really enjoy this dish a great deal. Spud likes it too! It is an autumn staple in my home, but I do enjoy it any time of year.

Gelish Manicure: Review

For those not in the know, there is a new nail treatment making the rounds called Shellac. It is a gel based polish system, requiring each coat be set by UV or LED lamp, creating a lasting bond that can last for several weeks, without peeling or chipping, and requiring no acrylic overlay to get a great look and strength. It is removed with an acetone soak, and will not damage the natural nail like an acrylic set.

I have been dying to get a Shellac manicure, and found a local salon that said they offer them, so I made an appointment. I researched the Shellac brand, and when I got to the salon, I was disappointed to see that they do not use Shellac, but another brand called Gelish, from Hand and Nail Harmony. I declined a full manicure and asked that they just do the polish job, to see if I like it.

The manicurist begins by lightly buffing my nails and pushing back my cuticles. She then applied the foundation coat, and I placed my hands under the UV light for 30 seconds. Two coats of color (I selected Hot Rod Red) with a 30 second light setting between each coat, and a final top coat, with 2 minutes under the light to set the polish layers. Afterward, she used a pad with an alcohol solution and rubbed vigorously over each nail to remove the components of the gel that makes the nail tacky. Some cuticle oil, a hand washing, and I was done.

The verdict? I loved the fact that my nails were hard as glass upon completion, no drying time needed. The color is perfect and the time it takes to polish them seems no longer than a typical manicure. The shine is beautiful, and two days later, no chipping or peeling has occurred.

I am disappointed that the salon claimed to use Shellac when they don't, though most reviews of Gelish tout the same results and if one wished to use the product at home, the cost of the polishes are cheaper for more product as well. Also, the salon did not paint close enough to my cuticle, which will require a trip back sooner, and there are bubbles in some of my nails, as a result of a too thick coat. So while I will not use this salon again, as long as I get a two-week wear out of the polish, I will happily look for another establishment when needing a Gelish or other gel manicure. That is, until I buy the UV light and products myself. I do enjoy doing my own beauty treatments, and love the challenge of learning something new.

Cost of mini manicure: 15.00 plus tip, for full Gelish manicure: 28.00 plus tip. As I understand it, prices vary all over the country.

Here is a pic of my nails, please disregard the freakish alien claws that appear to be my hands. Will post another pic in two weeks to update:

IEPS, Extended School Year, and Resource Rooms, Oh My!

For those of you with children with developmental disabilities, it's that time of year again. The end of the year Individualized Education Plan must be written for next year. A determination must be made for Extended School Year Services. And for Short Stack, a move into Kindergarten (seriously, where in the hell has the time gone?) and a decision as to whether resource supports are necessary for her to meet her goals for the program.

I am honestly dreading this meeting next month. I have already learned that her school wishes to give her 60 minutes of in-class resource instruction, which is under the direction of a special education teacher, but in addition to that, another 60-90 minutes of pulling her out into a resource classroom, with only children with disabilities, to help her learn. This is in addition to two sessions of speech therapy, which take place outside her class, one session of occupational therapy, which takes place outside her class, Adaptive Physical Education, which takes place outside her class, and Applied Behavior Analysis therapy which also takes place outside her class (NOTE: We are paying for ABA, not the school, don't get excited, you know they suck on that type of useful therapy, sorry folks). So my question is, when exactly will she be in her general education classroom, learning with her peers? When she says the Pledge of Allegiance, goes to lunch, and gets in line to go home?

So, that is a tricky issue, as her teacher thinks resource is a helpful thing she should start out with, not build up to as needed. I love, no adore her teacher, her school, most of the staff and those who love to teach Short Stack, but I gotta stand my ground. I am sorry, but that just isn't going to work for Short Stack. Any sort of additional pulling out of her classroom that has not been proven to be necessary will not be written into her IEP because "that's how we handle it with other children" or "more instruction is better for her, in a one on one setting". Not a good enough reason, even if everyone thinks it's a good idea. I would like to see her excel with the minimum accommodations needed, to get her learning and growing as close to a typical child as possible.

So, if you are facing your own issues with end of year IEPs, tell me about it. What's working for you? What have you done to make it an easy transition? What issues have you stood your ground on?

Dot's Diner: Review

I've noticed that sometimes commercials hype an item or restaurant up, only to have you make a purchase or eat there, steal your hard earned money, and leave you feeling empty (or with indigestion). Since I am well aware of this phenomenon of the advertising world, I make a point to not visit such establishments or purchase such products until I have actually read reviews from those who already have.

That is, until Dot's Diner. One day on the radio I heard this comforting voice (which to me means the voice of a chain smoking, take no prisoners, matter-of-fact Chalmette grandma, but that's just how I roll)  of an older women telling me "I'm not ya mama, but you're always at home at Dot's Diner". She sounded so fun, and relaxed, and since I am a secret fan of diners (would rather hit up Camellia Grill than Emeril's, yeah, I know it's crazy) I always planned to stop there next time I was in the area.

Short Stack had an appointment in New Orleans, so on the way back, Spud suggested we give Dot's a try, since it was on Hwy 90, on the way home. We pulled into what I thought was a tiny building, hopeful to enjoy some great food and reasonable prices, without being crammed up into a corner booth too small. Once inside, we were greeted and seated at a very roomy booth by a friendly waitress dressed in green for St. Patrick's Day. Short Stack got a pack of crayons and a coloring book, and Spud ordered his coffee. The menu was full of great breakfast, lunch and dinner options, with super reasonable prices. I ordered a Philly Cheese omelet, Spud the Lumberjack Platter, and Short Stack got, well, the Short Stack with bacon, of course!

The coffee was great, the sweet tea was perfect, and the food....wow, it was fantastic! All fresh, made to order, and piping hot when it hit the table. Short Stack's pancakes were in the shape of Mickey Mouse, and she gobbled almost all of it up, which is rare for our picky eater. Our portions were enormous, enough to feed two, and I ADORED their hash browns, all crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and well seasoned. I had so much food I could not finish it all, though Spud cleaned his plate, cause he likes a challenge you know. He regretted it later after the carbs hit him...

The service was really great, which is unusual for some places these days, and the waitstaff were attentive without being overly helpful. Refills were steady, and they had folks from all walks of life hanging out, eating, reading the paper, taking advantage of the FREE WIFI inside. The menu is made to order at all hours, and the atmosphere is really serene and friendly, which is so important to our family, as Short Stack's sensory issues were a non issue there, which is huge.

So, the verdict? Dot's is a great place to chow down for a great price, and their commercials are actually truthful in what they are selling! Who woulda thunk it? They should totally be on that Food Network show Diner's Drive-ins and Dives. Thanks Dot's! I know you aren't a real person, but we really enjoyed the place anyway!

Dots website: http://www.dotsdiner.com/

What's for Dinner: Slow Cooker Caribbean Pork and Rice

As I seem to find myself at work more than not, I have resorted to making the most of my slow cooker to get dinner on the table. I am to the point where I would much rather "set it and forget it" than drag out my pots and pans and heat the stove, and most of my meals turn out quite delicious. I decided to turn a pork roast into a sweet and spicy meal that didn't break the bank.


SLOW COOKER CARIBBEAN PORK AND RICE

Ingredients:
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ Sauce)
3 large carrots, chopped, or 2 cups baby carrots, halved
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 of large can of pineapple tidbits, juice included
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 tsp. Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
1 pork shoulder roast, bone out, or pork tenderloin 2-4lb. (or any pork roast of your choosing)

Directions:
1. In a large slow cooker, place vegetables, pineapple, BBQ sauce and water into bottom. Place pork roast into center of veggie mixture.
2. Sprinkle Creole seasoning onto roast and veggies, and stir to combine into veggie mixture.
3. Close lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours, high on 5, until pork is tender. Serve over steamed rice and Hawaiian rolls, or any bread of choice.

The Results:
This was a tasty meal that everyone enjoyed. It is sweet, but not too sweet, and chock full of veggies with a lean cut of meat. I liked the spice kick, but if you feel it may be too much, start with a little less and taste when done, you can always add more if you like!