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Post by marisa on Jul 7, 2006 15:01:35 GMT -5
I am just curious as to how far your kids travel to school. The school I am seriously (almost positively) going to send Laura to is about a 40 min drive. Do any of your kids travel that far? how do they do with the drive? Most of my driving is within a 5 mile radius because everything is so close to my home. Kathyn's school is only a little over a mile away. We are eligible for busing, but I may decline it and drive her myself because it is so far. This whole travel thing is quite ironic as well because I live directly across the street from the public school.
Since I haven't posted in a while I thought I'd give you an update on Laura. She has actually started crawling, which is a surprise because she is such a good scooter. We all thought she was going to skip the crawling and go to walking, but she still scoots more than crawls. She is pulling to stand on everything and can walk with us supporting her hands! We are very excited about her progress. She is also the little jokester and thinks she is soooo funny, and usually she is! Laura is also a chatter box, although most of the time I have no idea what she is saying, but she definitely knows! All in all, she is doing great and we couldn't be happier!!
Marisa
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Post by momofrussell on Jul 7, 2006 17:40:43 GMT -5
Russelll went pretty far back in CA and in IL (his second year) About the same as what you are saying. I had no probs with it... it was "appropriate" placement.. and in my mind BEST placement (can't say best outloud LOL) so he rode the bus and was fine with it.. and we were fine.
A.
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Post by Jodi on Jul 7, 2006 18:04:42 GMT -5
We are pretty local here - 15 minutes?? Good placements for both my kids too!
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Post by ashleysmom on Jul 7, 2006 21:13:08 GMT -5
Ashley goes to our regular school here in Tabernacle,NJ it is about 3/4 of a mile(very nice) I do understand that they do take kids from other districts.(hint hint). Why wouldn't Laura go to your district?
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Post by CC on Jul 7, 2006 21:27:51 GMT -5
Christopher now goes out of district which has him on the bus bout 45 min. each way BUT when he was in distinct he also was on the bus 45 min. each way with all the stops and pick ups and such. We live in a very large town  Chris has been taking the bus since he was 3 and is now 13 and honestly is one of his favorite parts of the day  I will share though that sometimes in the afternoon he will fall asleep on the ride home even now at 13. For me if the BEST program was even longer I would send him I will also share that our district if the bus ride is over an hour will make you prove big why the program is the most appropriate before agreeing. BEST of Luck |
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Post by Emilysmom on Jul 8, 2006 6:22:37 GMT -5
The school Emily has attended since kindergarten is less than a mile from our house, and I have always driven the kids to school. (the rule changed a few years ago, and you have to live over a mile away to ride a bus anyway, but it's on my way to work)
IF there was a school much farther away that I thought would be good for Emily, I would drive her that far. My kids have always been good travelers, so she wouldn't have minded the long drive to school.........at Laura's age, we would have been singing Barney songs all the way there!
Sounds like Laura is doing great!! Thanks for the update.
Susan
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Post by kellyds on Jul 8, 2006 8:34:05 GMT -5
We just clear the cereal bowls from the breakfast table and spread out the books. (homeschool) |
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Post by Cathy on Jul 8, 2006 13:21:18 GMT -5
Hi.
When Katie first started school (PPI) she was 2 and half years old and was on the bus for almost an hour. She continued at the program for two years. It was only 2.5 hours a day and Katie would fall asleep every day on the way home. Last year she was in Developmental Kindergarten for 3 hours and CI for 2 hours. The bus ride was only about 15 minutes. Katie would fall asleep before they left the school grounds.
This summer, I have her in an Early Childhood Center Daycare (Head Start). She is there from 8-5 and does not take a nap. It is a half hour ride there and back, and she is doing much better. She falls asleep before we cross the bridge back into MI (Her Day Care is in WI, 20 miles from our house, 1 mile from my work) but she does not take a nap at "school".
Katie loves to ride the bus and WANTS to ride the regular bus, not the special ed bus. She likes to be with all the kids and she is always accepted.
I think that bus riding is a big part of the whole schooling picture (For those of us who cannot home school). To me its so worth the extra time, because I know Katie wants to be like the typical kids and riding the big bus makes her feel like one of the gang. She literally will have a melt down if I have to drive her to school.
I know it is so hard to put that kiddo on the bus the first time (Or in my case the first 100 times) but there comes a point when we need to admit, they are growing up, they need the experience and they like to be with all the other kids.
Good luck and I would make the best choice for placement, the transporation issues are minor. You can have accomodations on the bus; car seats, harnesses, aide.
Good luck,
Hugs,
Cathy
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Post by andrewsmom on Jul 8, 2006 13:28:46 GMT -5
Andrew will be going to preschool thru 4th grade at the same school which is only about 2 miles away. There is no bus for preschool so I will be driving him and picking him up. There is a seperate bus for kindergarten so it will be a short trip (not alot of stops). I think from 1st thru 4th he will be on a regular bus although they have already told me because he is special needs he can have a seperate minivan. My older daughter is going to the same school so it would be nice for them to ride the bus together....we'll see.
If there was a "better" school or a school that would meet the needs of Andrew more, I wouldn't care how long of a ride it was, I would make it work.
-Trisha
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Post by momofrussell on Jul 8, 2006 21:43:16 GMT -5
Trisha... usually kids in spec ed get "transporation" as part of the package... I assume you don't mind taking Andrew but you should be able to get it! A. |
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Post by justinsmom on Jul 9, 2006 9:31:20 GMT -5
Justins' school is about 10 miles away and he takes the bus and has been since he was 3 of course I couldn't help myself the first week or 2 and followed the bus. He absolutely LOVES the bus ;D. If you are going to be driving Laura you can also have transportation added to the IEP just in case you can't drive her like car is broke down or flat tire or you are sick, we did that with my nephew.
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Post by marisa on Jul 10, 2006 6:50:23 GMT -5
Glad to hear that your kids with the longer commutes do so well. Laura is pretty good in the car, but like I said, we don't routinely travel far. One of Laura's therapist suggested following the bus to school in the beginning for MY piece of mind. Definitely considering that option. Laura will probably do fine, it is just me. My little girl is getting so big!!!
Marisa
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Post by SuziF on Jul 10, 2006 9:41:32 GMT -5
Marisa~
You might try that if you can keep far enough back to not be seen, but if Laura is as sharp as Merideth, she'd see your car & possibly freak more. (Maybe you can have a friend go undercover with you in their car ?)
Suzi
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Post by steffipoo on Jul 11, 2006 18:28:37 GMT -5
our home school 2 blocks from here
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Chris has been taking the bus since he was 3 and is now 13 and honestly is one of his favorite parts of the day 
I will share though that sometimes in the afternoon he will fall asleep on the ride home even now at 13.
&
Susan, Proud mom of Michael (32), Justin (25) Emily (22ds), and Jordan (20).
jackie
