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GAH!! No! Seriously! GAH!!
Cam starts school tomorrow. I am more nervous this year than I have been any other year. I want him to be successful. I want to know that pushing for his placement in the therapeutic day school was the right move. I want him to find just a little joy in learning. I want him to have transportation to school ...
What? That's right! Less than 24 hours before school starts and he still has no transportation.
This was one of my greatest concerns when the district "embraced" Cam's placement back in May. I was assured transportation would be provided (the school is a good 60 minute trip from Podunk). Based on experience, the word of the school district meant very little to me.
When Cam and I went to the intake/orientation meeting at the therapeutic day school on July 21st, I expressed my concerns regarding transportation. The therapeutic day school made a phone call to the district and let me know that I should hear something within two weeks, and if I didn't, I should contact the district special education office.
I heard nothing.
On August August 12th (three weeks later), I emailed the director of special education for the district. She claimed she "didn’t receive a call," that the therapeutic day school "would have called the office secretary to set that up," and that she would "make sure Lenore gets back to you regarding the transportation schedule for Cam."
I did get a call from Lenore. She explained it was just a 24-hour process and I would have transportation information by the end of the day Friday, August 13th.
On August 19th, after hearing nothing, I called Lenore again. She told me I have a new contact - Patty - and transferred my call to her. When I spoke with Patty she told me I would have transportation information by the close of business on August 20th.
Anyone want to guess what happened?
After hearing nothing from anyone at the district, I called again yesterday at about 2PM. I got Patty's voice mail and left a message including my name, my phone number, Cam's full name and my reason for calling. My call was not returned.
The district offices close at 4:30 - at 4:31 I sent another email to the district special education director (copying God and country) explaining my attempts to get information and the complete lack of action on the part of the district. I let her know I'd be showing up on her doorstep this morning and planned on staying until the issue was resolved.
Obviously, the director of special education heard that I am a trained killer. I got an after-hours response from her saying, "I will check into the situation tomorrow morning. Let me see what contacts I can make. It really won’t be necessary to come to central office on the 25th because the transportation is not run from that office. We do the special education transportation out of the PPS office at the High School."
Ha! Sure! Send me to a building far, FAR away from where you work. I get it ...
The special education director went on to say, "I do know that Patty was directed to work on all the schools that started up already and most likely is working with the taxi company on Cam’s transportation now. I will contact you via email tomorrow and Patty will be calling you with the times."
What do you guys think? Should I hold my breath??
I think what irritated me the most about this recent exchange with the special education director was the opening line of her email.
I am very sorry to hear of your communication issues.
Really? My communication issues?? I don't have any communication issues - I've been communicating quite well, assuming communication consists of me following up FOUR times after being told FOUR times that I would receive information on a specific day and hearing nothing.
I've got an idea! How 'bout you step up to the plate and apologize for the fact that your transportation people have clearly dropped the ball? How 'bout you apologize for their lack of communication. You are very sorry to hear of my communication issues??
GAH!! No! Seriously! GAH!!
*UPDATE* I received a call from the area special education director this morning. She assured me a transportation request was submitted at 9AM and that she would call me before she leaves today (4:30pm) She then explained to me how my expectations were unreasonable - that this is the way it's done. That's when I told her it would have been nice had someone explained that to me rather than telling me they'd get back to me the following day just to get me off the phone. *shakes head*
*UPDATE 2* Husband called me at work this morning (asking for favors - no, not sexual favors) and I shared my frustrations with him. He told me to talk to our attorney - to have our attorney call the school district - and that he (husband) would pay for the attorney *gasp*
*UPDATE 3* At 2:15PM I received a phone call from the district detailing Cam's transportation arrangements. If you see a large plume cloud in Illinois at 7:00 AM CDT tomorrow, you'll know the taxi didn't show up.
GAH!! No! Seriously! GAH!!Cam starts school tomorrow. I am more nervous this year than I have been any other year. I want him to be successful. I want to know that pushing for his placement in the therapeutic day school was the right move. I want him to find just a little joy in learning. I want him to have transportation to school ...
What? That's right! Less than 24 hours before school starts and he still has no transportation.
This was one of my greatest concerns when the district "embraced" Cam's placement back in May. I was assured transportation would be provided (the school is a good 60 minute trip from Podunk). Based on experience, the word of the school district meant very little to me.
When Cam and I went to the intake/orientation meeting at the therapeutic day school on July 21st, I expressed my concerns regarding transportation. The therapeutic day school made a phone call to the district and let me know that I should hear something within two weeks, and if I didn't, I should contact the district special education office.
I heard nothing.
On August August 12th (three weeks later), I emailed the director of special education for the district. She claimed she "didn’t receive a call," that the therapeutic day school "would have called the office secretary to set that up," and that she would "make sure Lenore gets back to you regarding the transportation schedule for Cam."
I did get a call from Lenore. She explained it was just a 24-hour process and I would have transportation information by the end of the day Friday, August 13th.
On August 19th, after hearing nothing, I called Lenore again. She told me I have a new contact - Patty - and transferred my call to her. When I spoke with Patty she told me I would have transportation information by the close of business on August 20th.
Anyone want to guess what happened?
After hearing nothing from anyone at the district, I called again yesterday at about 2PM. I got Patty's voice mail and left a message including my name, my phone number, Cam's full name and my reason for calling. My call was not returned.
The district offices close at 4:30 - at 4:31 I sent another email to the district special education director (copying God and country) explaining my attempts to get information and the complete lack of action on the part of the district. I let her know I'd be showing up on her doorstep this morning and planned on staying until the issue was resolved.
Obviously, the director of special education heard that I am a trained killer. I got an after-hours response from her saying, "I will check into the situation tomorrow morning. Let me see what contacts I can make. It really won’t be necessary to come to central office on the 25th because the transportation is not run from that office. We do the special education transportation out of the PPS office at the High School."
Ha! Sure! Send me to a building far, FAR away from where you work. I get it ...
The special education director went on to say, "I do know that Patty was directed to work on all the schools that started up already and most likely is working with the taxi company on Cam’s transportation now. I will contact you via email tomorrow and Patty will be calling you with the times."
What do you guys think? Should I hold my breath??
I think what irritated me the most about this recent exchange with the special education director was the opening line of her email.
I am very sorry to hear of your communication issues.
Really? My communication issues?? I don't have any communication issues - I've been communicating quite well, assuming communication consists of me following up FOUR times after being told FOUR times that I would receive information on a specific day and hearing nothing.
I've got an idea! How 'bout you step up to the plate and apologize for the fact that your transportation people have clearly dropped the ball? How 'bout you apologize for their lack of communication. You are very sorry to hear of my communication issues??
GAH!! No! Seriously! GAH!!
*UPDATE* I received a call from the area special education director this morning. She assured me a transportation request was submitted at 9AM and that she would call me before she leaves today (4:30pm) She then explained to me how my expectations were unreasonable - that this is the way it's done. That's when I told her it would have been nice had someone explained that to me rather than telling me they'd get back to me the following day just to get me off the phone. *shakes head*
*UPDATE 2* Husband called me at work this morning (asking for favors - no, not sexual favors) and I shared my frustrations with him. He told me to talk to our attorney - to have our attorney call the school district - and that he (husband) would pay for the attorney *gasp*
*UPDATE 3* At 2:15PM I received a phone call from the district detailing Cam's transportation arrangements. If you see a large plume cloud in Illinois at 7:00 AM CDT tomorrow, you'll know the taxi didn't show up.
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16 comments:
I'd have to pull out the bitch. It sucks but uhm... yeah, no. I need answers right now.
I'd leave a comment now, but I'm kinda busy. I'll get back with you at the start of blogging business hours tomorrow. However, we do appreciate your post. Cheers Dana!!
Ah. That last part brings out the lawyer in me. I want to argue why you DO have communication issues.
If you didn't have any issues you wouldn't have contacted them. Your communication issue is that there hasn't been proper communication.
Anyway, hope Cam gets to school tomorrow.
I really hope for all those involved, but mainly for Cam, this gets resolved pronto!!
Fingers are crossed for Cam & you.
Hey I am Negative Nancy! lol
Not really surprised but you already know that. At this point all I can say is good luck!
What a stress inducing nightmare this is! There is no excuse for this type of management especially when you are just trying to get your child to school. Jeez!
Curvy Jones, actually, I have pulled out the attorney - even better!
Matt-Man, this is where I feel all warm and fuzzy and lower my expectations, right??
Karen, Ha! Indeed you are correct!
Baseball Mom, "pronto" would have been a week ago :)
Raquel's World, it's ALL your fault! OK, maybe not, but I've been known to give people FAR too many chances and I was cautiously optimistic!
nitebyrd, and that is really what it boils down too - stress. It's not by any means the end of the world, but sending Cam to this Therapeutic Day School has been a difficult decision. Worrying about if/how he'll make the 70 mile round trip each day is the frosting on the cake.
I'm tellin' ya. Make sure you have a full tank of gas tommorow. And you may want to mention to your boss you might be a little late for work.
Listen carefully. ;)
You need to throw around some weight here. Remind them that specialized transportation is a part of Cam's IEP and you'd hate to go to "DUE PROCESS" due to noncompliance.
DUE PROCESS are the key words.
Say them, and then let me know what they say.
Please update!
Mike, already done ... and will be keeping track of mileage in order to bill back the district for transportation.
Gina, letting the attorney throw around his weight instead. I am just so stuck on how wrong all of this is. It's really unbelievable!
Taxi to school...and they wonder why funds are so low????
Hope it shows up...mushroom clouds scare me
The incompetency would be hilarious if this weren't so real. You shouldn't need to jump through all of these hoops to get people to do their jobs! It is in no way reasonable to expect them to do what they promised to do and to do that (and communicate with you) in a timely manner.
Wow. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you guys. If I were Cam and was allowed to pick who was in my corner..
it would be you.
I would love to comment on all of this, but my comment was submitted last week and it has to go through the process.
Your comment expectations are unreasonable because this is the way it's done.
here's a drink!
OMG, this makes my son's school district sound awesome!
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