HI there,
DS (PA) begins kindergarten in the fall and he will have same teacher as my older DS (doesn't have allergy). Needless to say, I am getting anxious. Our meeting with the school is set up for the middle of March. The school nurse stated that DS did not need 504, but an IHP would be adequate. What is the difference? DS teacher said we would go through the same things, guidelines for the IHP. I hate to make waves... especially since we are on a varience there (its not our home school). I love the school and have been blessed by having my older DS there (who has special needs).
One more question - DS soon to be kindergarten teacher states she doesn't keep the Epi-pen in the classroom because she won't give it. Our school has 2 full time nurses and a nurses aide at all times (this school has a special needs classroom for severely handicapped children) and the school is very small. Kindergarten classroom or any other room isn't more than 30 seconds to the nurse's office. What do you all think? I was taken a little off guard when she told me she wouldn't give it since there would always be a nurse available. I really really like this teacher and she made the difference between my older DS needing a aide/spec ed class and making it in the regular class. She goes out of her way to be helpful and is willing to help me implement other PA issues.
Thanks so much,
Andrea
Some schools may not understand that 504's apply to those with life threatening food allergies. Some understand that they do apply to these people, but they do not want to carry the responsibility or be held accountable for it.
Either way, they can put up quite a fight.
An IHP is just a health care plan, written out. It is not based on federal anti discrmination laws and therefore the school is not held accountable for the accomodations within.
For example, the school who has a FA student with a 504 plan, and that student's 504 plan begins to be violated (school is not following through with agreed on accomodations) can have their federal funding pulled if they do not come back into compliance with the 504 plan (this would happen through a complaint).
If the school is not following the [i]IHP[/i] for a FA student, then there truly are no repercussions for the school...it becomes more like 'we're [i]trying[/i] to do this' instead of 'we will do this'.
Is this a public school? Is the nurse only at your school and yours only? Never to leave, ever? Always to have a trained replacement in her absences? Every minute of the school day??
More on that later.
Thank you for clarifying this. THe school nurse is always at our school - in fact there are always 2 RNs there and one nurse's aide there since there is a special needs school inside the regular school. It is a public school. I remember the prinipal telling me earlier this year that she didn't think DS needed a 504, but if I really wanted one we could do that. I just love everyone at this school and I don't mind at all being an advocate for my son (in fact, I have lots of practice with that with my older son- evening hiring an advocate to attend IEP meetings)... I just want to do what is best.
I am so glad you were able to distinguish the difference between the IHP and 504 for me.
Andrea
Well, actually I think you can get an IHP but you need to put it within your 504 plan....does that make sense? As long as an IHP is [i]within[/i] the plan, then its accomodations are binding so to speak.
Oh my, RUN for that 504 and don't look back. Not many people get one [i]offered[/i] to them for LTFA's.
But that teacher/epi thing bothers me. I'm glad to hear the nurse is always there. Now, you need to put in place the training to recognize symptoms, take them seriously, vigilence, and treatment protocol. Work with your allergist to determine a good allergy action plan. Or use the FAAP on FAAN's website.
Good luck.