Brooklyn Special-Ed Yeshiva - Help

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)

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amother

Babypink

Fri, Jul 14 2017, 10:49 am

Hi. I have a developmentally delayed DS. He may be on the spectrum. Or not. We are planning on having him tested. Anyway, he is in a special pre-school program now but is aging out next year. I don't even begin to know how to look for a new school for him. What's out there? He is "high functioning" -- whatever that means. He is verbal, but not at age level, and he is easily distractable and has trouble self-regulating. Despite all this, he seems pretty smart. He most probably can't sit in a regular yeshiva classroom all day without being disruptive though.

Does anyone have any schools they would recommend? It would be pre 1A age.

Thanks.

amother

Babypink

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 9:25 am

bump

cnc

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 10:46 am

Would you consider a mainstream school with related services and/ or a para? (Special Ed., OT, ST , etc...)

amother

Firebrick

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 10:52 am

Somebody ideas, you need to look into them I don't know if appropriate:

Pathways
Atideynu
Gesher yehuda
Lauria academy
Ichud
Or maybe a small school like yob?
Is the special ed school he is in now helping you with this decision? They usually do. They should be a good resource for U as well

cnc

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 11:01 am

Do you have an evaluation set up? Some specialists have staff on hand to help guide you with school placement. Feel free to PM me if you'd like more specific information.

Mothers

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 2:49 pm

If it were my child, I'd try to mainstream him as much as possible. (You want him to have positive peer role models, etc.) Try to find a mainstream school that has smaller classes and will work with you on implementing a behavior intervention plan (with the help of a 1:1 paraprofessional, if necessary.). See if they will be flexible about modifying expectations and schedule (e.g. breaks and/or shorter school day, if he can't handle the regular school day). You can obtain related services (e.g. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, 1:1 paraprofessional, etc.) as necessary from the DOE.

Studies show that overall, students are much more successful when integrated into mainstream classes, than when isolated in special classes. Depending upon the severity of the disability, I'd try to obtain the needed support in as mainstream environment as possible.

ILOVELIFE

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 4:44 pm

Yaldeinu may be an excellent idea for you. They have low and high end children. I know some very high functioning
Kids doing
Really well there

amother

White

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 4:58 pm

between preschool and pre1a there will need to be another evaluation to determine his current level of functioning. depending on those results, you can determine if any of those special ed yeshivos previous posters have listed would be a good fit or perhaps mainstream with supports? I would consider the least restrictive environment if he has some classroom skills. even within a special ed environment, consider if there's a pathway to mainstreaming if that's a future feasible goal.
he's in a special ed program right now, do they have higher grades? what services is he receiving now? does he get aba? medicaid services? what does his teacher recommend?

naomi2

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 5:04 pm

Look into the nest program.

Mothers

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 5:21 pm

The NEST program is an excellent, integrated, NYC public school program for high-functioning children with an ASD diagnosis. Students need to have a classification of Autism. Intelligence and academics need to be at least Average (preferably High Average), and there should not be any significant behavioral problems.

amother

Babypink

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 5:34 pm

Wow, thanks for all the replies! The school he is in now is just a pre-school, there are no older grades. (It's not a Jewish school.) His teacher is mid-process with a formal evaluation, but we happened to have a conversation about something else and I asked her about it then. She didn't recommend a regular ed classroom, because even if he could manage, he would be "that kid" you know, the different one would be looked at as odd and nebach. She also didn't think a yeshiva would be able to provide enough support or be willing to deal with disruptions.

I love the idea of the nest program, but at that point I really think he would need to be in a yeshiva already, not public school. I am not the sort who will be able to teach him all the brachos, parsha, aleph-bais, etc. on my own.

Thanks for the replies, keep the ideas coming!

Mothers

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 5:50 pm

I disagree with his teacher, re: being looked at as odd, etc. If his behavior is different, that may well be how he's looked at - but maybe not. Kids can be remarkably accepting and tolerant of classmates they are used to and have accepted. In any case, if that's how he will be viewed and treated by the outside world, he will have to learn to deal with that. Isolating him in a bubble and pretending that his behavior is typical is giving an inaccurate (and unfair) perception of his own behavior, and will not give him the tools necessary to deal with the world at large (I.e. outside his special ed. classroom).

Regarding a yeshiva, you'd have to find one that is small and flexible, and be prepared to assemble the support he needs by yourself - in conjunction with the DOE.

naomi2

Sun, Jul 16 2017, 6:34 pm

amother wrote:

I too, thought my son needed to be in a yeshiva but I regret not sending him even for 2 years to the nest program and then transitioning him. There are no other suitible solutions really. There aren't Jewish programs that will help him with his specific difficulties.
Although maybe call yeled vyalda and see if they have a half day program for him and he can go the other half day to yeshiva maybe.

DREAMING

Mon, Jul 17 2017, 12:50 am

I don't know where you are but some public schools in Brooklyn have a Jewish program for special needs children

gold21

Mon, Jul 17 2017, 1:03 am

Try Gesher Yehuda

Mothers

Mon, Jul 17 2017, 8:55 am

DREAMING wrote:

I don't know where you are but some public schools in Brooklyn have a Jewish program for special needs children

There are no Jewish programs in public school. There are bilingual Yiddish (bi-Y) programs for Yiddish speaking children. Since students are now educated in their zoned schools, the only ones left may be in Williamsburg (and possibly one in Boro Park). (The programs are not supposed to daven or teach anything related to Judaism, but the classes are composed of Jewish children.)

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