New school year

[Mammahuff]

Austin will be starting the 4th grade this year. Typically since he has started school I have made an appt. with the new teacher for the year and talked to them about CF and they were welcome to ask any questions they had for me regarding Austin and CF/

The situation this year is different. He will have a home room teacher and then they will be rotating clasess. He will have 4 different teachers this year. I could meet with his homeroom teacher but will she inform the others or should I just set up a time to meet with all four of them at once.

I also sometimes feel a little awkward talking to some of the teachers. Only because there is another child at the school who also has CF and she is a sophmore this year. Our school is small grades K thru 12. I don't know if her mother tlaks to the teachers or not about her condition. She is more of a keep to yourself type of Mother.

Me on the other hand I wanna make sure my child is being looked after and is taking all precautions.

Austin also has a shunt in his head due to hydrocephalus and Arnold Chirai Malformation.

I have given the previous teachers info about CF and they have placed it into a folder and have passed it down every year so far.

I also tlaked to the NEW principal when i dropped Austin off at summer school and she said in all her years she has not EVER had one child with Cysitc Fibrosis. So I guess it would be time to educate her also.

Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[Mammahuff]

Austin will be starting the 4th grade this year. Typically since he has started school I have made an appt. with the new teacher for the year and talked to them about CF and they were welcome to ask any questions they had for me regarding Austin and CF/

The situation this year is different. He will have a home room teacher and then they will be rotating clasess. He will have 4 different teachers this year. I could meet with his homeroom teacher but will she inform the others or should I just set up a time to meet with all four of them at once.

I also sometimes feel a little awkward talking to some of the teachers. Only because there is another child at the school who also has CF and she is a sophmore this year. Our school is small grades K thru 12. I don't know if her mother tlaks to the teachers or not about her condition. She is more of a keep to yourself type of Mother.

Me on the other hand I wanna make sure my child is being looked after and is taking all precautions.

Austin also has a shunt in his head due to hydrocephalus and Arnold Chirai Malformation.

I have given the previous teachers info about CF and they have placed it into a folder and have passed it down every year so far.

I also tlaked to the NEW principal when i dropped Austin off at summer school and she said in all her years she has not EVER had one child with Cysitc Fibrosis. So I guess it would be time to educate her also.

Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[Mammahuff]

Austin will be starting the 4th grade this year. Typically since he has started school I have made an appt. with the new teacher for the year and talked to them about CF and they were welcome to ask any questions they had for me regarding Austin and CF/
<br />
<br />The situation this year is different. He will have a home room teacher and then they will be rotating clasess. He will have 4 different teachers this year. I could meet with his homeroom teacher but will she inform the others or should I just set up a time to meet with all four of them at once.
<br />
<br />I also sometimes feel a little awkward talking to some of the teachers. Only because there is another child at the school who also has CF and she is a sophmore this year. Our school is small grades K thru 12. I don't know if her mother tlaks to the teachers or not about her condition. She is more of a keep to yourself type of Mother.
<br />
<br />Me on the other hand I wanna make sure my child is being looked after and is taking all precautions.
<br />
<br />Austin also has a shunt in his head due to hydrocephalus and Arnold Chirai Malformation.
<br />
<br />I have given the previous teachers info about CF and they have placed it into a folder and have passed it down every year so far.
<br />
<br />I also tlaked to the NEW principal when i dropped Austin off at summer school and she said in all her years she has not EVER had one child with Cysitc Fibrosis. So I guess it would be time to educate her also.
<br />
<br />Any suggestions are welcome!

 

[Ratatosk]

Have you gone to Lisa Greene's site and used her letter to teachers, as well as the different handouts linked to her site? We did that last year and it became part of DS' 504 plan and they made copies for the different teachers he dealt with --- gym, library, music...

We met with the teacher, principal and school counselor prior to the start of school to answer questions. Our biggy was the enzyme issue -- making sure he got his enzymes, didn't miss out on class....

Other items we mentioned were bathroom breaks, access to water (and salt if need be) and making sure they enforce their sick child/germ rules. Last year I believe people were more aware of that issue due to H1N1.

I'm hoping we'll be able to have a similar meeting before school starts just to answer questions, touch base because DS goes to a new school this year.

 

[Ratatosk]

Have you gone to Lisa Greene's site and used her letter to teachers, as well as the different handouts linked to her site? We did that last year and it became part of DS' 504 plan and they made copies for the different teachers he dealt with --- gym, library, music...

We met with the teacher, principal and school counselor prior to the start of school to answer questions. Our biggy was the enzyme issue -- making sure he got his enzymes, didn't miss out on class....

Other items we mentioned were bathroom breaks, access to water (and salt if need be) and making sure they enforce their sick child/germ rules. Last year I believe people were more aware of that issue due to H1N1.

I'm hoping we'll be able to have a similar meeting before school starts just to answer questions, touch base because DS goes to a new school this year.

 

[Ratatosk]

Have you gone to Lisa Greene's site and used her letter to teachers, as well as the different handouts linked to her site? We did that last year and it became part of DS' 504 plan and they made copies for the different teachers he dealt with --- gym, library, music...
<br />
<br />We met with the teacher, principal and school counselor prior to the start of school to answer questions. Our biggy was the enzyme issue -- making sure he got his enzymes, didn't miss out on class....
<br />
<br />Other items we mentioned were bathroom breaks, access to water (and salt if need be) and making sure they enforce their sick child/germ rules. Last year I believe people were more aware of that issue due to H1N1.
<br />
<br />I'm hoping we'll be able to have a similar meeting before school starts just to answer questions, touch base because DS goes to a new school this year.

 

[peter]

What an important post. You are apparently in a rural community or a private type setting with set limited enrollment. The nature of your post suggests you may be in a public school. I can imagine the concern with health between 2 students with cf, let alone the general student body.

My first observation is the "school nurse" is first responder in school health matters and should make sure all the faculty and administration know about cf and its "community" risks for the 2 children. If you could have a conversation with the nurse, I presume that would would be fully compliant with all school health education guidelines. I doubt the nurse will feel "in the loop" if you do not include him/her in your plans to speak with the teachers or other parent(s).

In some fashion there may be a need for you to converse with the other student's parent(s) (arranged by the nurse or principal if you do not personally know them or health confidentiality is in force).

Knowledge is safety and you are certainly one of the "opportunities" to educate the public in the vicinity of Austin.

Tactfulness will win the day for Austin, the other cf student, and clearly the school community itself. Just curious, does the school present itself as a possible forum for Great strides or other fund raising "awareness' events?

Hopefully more members will weigh in on this with and for you(Austin) and the rest of us.

Good luck and maybe this topic would be good formulated in wording at the Teenagers section as well.

Peter

 

[peter]

What an important post. You are apparently in a rural community or a private type setting with set limited enrollment. The nature of your post suggests you may be in a public school. I can imagine the concern with health between 2 students with cf, let alone the general student body.

My first observation is the "school nurse" is first responder in school health matters and should make sure all the faculty and administration know about cf and its "community" risks for the 2 children. If you could have a conversation with the nurse, I presume that would would be fully compliant with all school health education guidelines. I doubt the nurse will feel "in the loop" if you do not include him/her in your plans to speak with the teachers or other parent(s).

In some fashion there may be a need for you to converse with the other student's parent(s) (arranged by the nurse or principal if you do not personally know them or health confidentiality is in force).

Knowledge is safety and you are certainly one of the "opportunities" to educate the public in the vicinity of Austin.

Tactfulness will win the day for Austin, the other cf student, and clearly the school community itself. Just curious, does the school present itself as a possible forum for Great strides or other fund raising "awareness' events?

Hopefully more members will weigh in on this with and for you(Austin) and the rest of us.

Good luck and maybe this topic would be good formulated in wording at the Teenagers section as well.

Peter

 

[peter]

What an important post. You are apparently in a rural community or a private type setting with set limited enrollment. The nature of your post suggests you may be in a public school. I can imagine the concern with health between 2 students with cf, let alone the general student body.
<br />
<br />My first observation is the "school nurse" is first responder in school health matters and should make sure all the faculty and administration know about cf and its "community" risks for the 2 children. If you could have a conversation with the nurse, I presume that would would be fully compliant with all school health education guidelines. I doubt the nurse will feel "in the loop" if you do not include him/her in your plans to speak with the teachers or other parent(s).
<br />
<br />In some fashion there may be a need for you to converse with the other student's parent(s) (arranged by the nurse or principal if you do not personally know them or health confidentiality is in force).
<br />
<br />Knowledge is safety and you are certainly one of the "opportunities" to educate the public in the vicinity of Austin.
<br />
<br />Tactfulness will win the day for Austin, the other cf student, and clearly the school community itself. Just curious, does the school present itself as a possible forum for Great strides or other fund raising "awareness' events?
<br />
<br />Hopefully more members will weigh in on this with and for you(Austin) and the rest of us.
<br />
<br />Good luck and maybe this topic would be good formulated in wording at the Teenagers section as well.
<br />
<br />Peter

 

[Ratatosk]

One thing Peter brings to mind is notifying other parents... I imagine Austin is getting to the age where he doesn't want to draw attention to himself in terms of being different...

Does your school/classroom have a newsletter? Last winter due to parents sending sick kids to school, DS' teacher asked if she could put a blurb in the newsletter reminding parents to keep their children home due to student(s) in the classroom with health issues who could end up very sick and/or hospitalized.

 

[Ratatosk]

One thing Peter brings to mind is notifying other parents... I imagine Austin is getting to the age where he doesn't want to draw attention to himself in terms of being different...

Does your school/classroom have a newsletter? Last winter due to parents sending sick kids to school, DS' teacher asked if she could put a blurb in the newsletter reminding parents to keep their children home due to student(s) in the classroom with health issues who could end up very sick and/or hospitalized.

 

[Ratatosk]

One thing Peter brings to mind is notifying other parents... I imagine Austin is getting to the age where he doesn't want to draw attention to himself in terms of being different...
<br />
<br />Does your school/classroom have a newsletter? Last winter due to parents sending sick kids to school, DS' teacher asked if she could put a blurb in the newsletter reminding parents to keep their children home due to student(s) in the classroom with health issues who could end up very sick and/or hospitalized.
<br />
<br />

 

[JORDYSMOM]

I would definitely ask to meet with all of the teachers, the nurse & the principal. That way you get them all together at the same time. You tell all of them personally what Austin needs, and then nothing gets lost in translation. If you leave it to a nurse or administrator to pass the word, they may leave something out.

Our kids started switching classes in 4th grade too. I think it really does help prepare them for middle & highschool.

Stacey

 

[JORDYSMOM]

I would definitely ask to meet with all of the teachers, the nurse & the principal. That way you get them all together at the same time. You tell all of them personally what Austin needs, and then nothing gets lost in translation. If you leave it to a nurse or administrator to pass the word, they may leave something out.

Our kids started switching classes in 4th grade too. I think it really does help prepare them for middle & highschool.

Stacey

 

[JORDYSMOM]

I would definitely ask to meet with all of the teachers, the nurse & the principal. That way you get them all together at the same time. You tell all of them personally what Austin needs, and then nothing gets lost in translation. If you leave it to a nurse or administrator to pass the word, they may leave something out.
<br />
<br />Our kids started switching classes in 4th grade too. I think it really does help prepare them for middle & highschool.
<br />
<br />Stacey