Which school district best for Asperger/Autistic children? (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids: appointed, live in)

[QuadCityImages]

I'm not sure how the grades work in that special program, but in Davenport schools 6th grade is the first year of middle school.

[gavandgraciesmommy]

My son has autism and if you are looking for a very small school with a lot of one on one attention and a regular classroom setting check out the WACO school district. It is about 35 min south of Iowa City. We moved our son here for the school alone. It is wonderful. They listen to what the parents have to say and truly have your child's best interest in mind. Problem- very very small town

[Mesawoman]

I love small towns though, so that just might work for me! Thanks for the input!

[Teri Ashford]

YAY! Great to hear good things about the Davenport Community Schools Autism ABA program.
Short history - my son - now 19 - was fortunate to have a fabulous Kindergarten thry 6th grade teacher and staff. They used the T.E.A.C.C.H. system then (predecessor to ABA) - and taught me everything I knew about autism. However - all autism specific programs ended at 6th grade - and we spent 7th, 8th and 9th fighting for an ABA program - all while watching my sons behaviors increase, and speech decrease.
The ABA program began 3 years ago and all staff went thru serious training - I attended Terry Carbones workshop with them and they followed thru by having mentors monitor them monthly.
The Autism ABA program starts Pre-K - at Madison Elementary. The Intermediate School ABA program is now at Walcott - I think - the High School ABA program is at Davenport Central.

Each childs needs are accessed based on the severity of their autism - and a program is built around that. My son (moderate to severe) started a "work experience" recycling job at a local college last year - assisted by a job coach - which has turned into a paid job. He is happy, loves school - and behaviors are almost non-existent. Speech improves regularly (typically when he needs it to) and my biggest concern is transitioning him OUT of that program into the real world in the spring.

I've visited programs in other Iowa cities over the years - as well as in Wisconsin. I've researched other programs as well - and am proud to say that Davenport schools stepped up to the challenge and succeeded.

I like to think of my son as one of their "miracles."

[Teri Ashford]

On another note - while at this point education and socialization - as well as dedicated staff - are your key issues, you may also want to consider what is available in any area as far as services for your son - now, and once he is an adult.

I am sorry to say that I have been mostly dissatisfied with the agencies around here - but Iowa now has a program - through the MMR Waiver - that allows you to choose your own respite / Supported Community Living staff - and pay them accordingly. I now have 3 fabulous staff who provide respite for us and are basically friends to my son. There's some paperwork involved - faxing payroll sheets, tracking your budget with the money the State allows you - but it isn't bad. However - job coaching or job assistance - on a full time basis does not exist. Even our area facilities for the handicapped expect to keep a job coach on for a week or two - and then the client is on his own. Won't work for my son. God forbid something different happens - or they end up with a door that won't shut right - he'd just obsess over it all day - and they'd fire him.

To that end, I have been gathering information and brainstorming with other parents so that - hopefully within the next 2 years - we can launch a state-of-the art Autism COMMUNITY - complete with HOMES (not apartments or a "facility") staffed as each client needs, a greenhouse, a screenprinting / pad printing workshop, a recreation facility - including a pool. The goal would be for the us to be self supporting through products and services offered to area businesses.

We are at the ground floor now - and need to generate a lot of money to get this going - but response so far has been great. There are a lot of Autistic adults who will not otherwise have a meaningful job if something like this doesn't get going.

Anyway - something to consider.

Blessings!

[shaugland]

Originally Posted by Taz Mainiac

Is this someone in Cedar Rapids? (I'm in Cedar Rapids and have a son who has Asperger's). Thanks!

Taz - I have a 2nd grade son with Asperger's and we're considering a move to Cedar Rapids. He HATES school here - there are limited resources and not a lot of understanding. How are things there for your son?

Susan

[Kitten59]

Hello from a mother with a son who was not diagnosed with Asperger's until he was 24. There is nothing in the state of Iowa for someone with Asperger's and this is being written on November 16, 2009.

As you know most of the books written on it are for children with it and not for the adults who are diagnosed late. I always knew my son was different and could never make anyone else understand it. My son at the age of 7 was tested and was found to communicate and had thinking skills of a 17 year old but was only the age of 2 in organizational skills and social skills were that also of a very young child.

I do not think that most can imagine having a child that his main mission is collecting as many facts as he can digest in a day neatly filing them away and never forgetting them while he can not read one iota of body language or feel any emotion except frustration.

I had my son tested many times over while he was growing up at the University of Iowa Behavioral Management Clinic which I tried to get the school to work with on my son and his problems. I do not know of any school that has an understanding of a child with Asperger's and how that child can not flow from one activity to another.

I believe that they should have an engineer teach these children because that is how they think. They take everything apart and put it together many times without finding a final solution.

I am proud of my son and he is a graduate of the University of Iowa but getting him there has been a war. I did not know that colleges are required to offer special services to children with Asperger's such as housing because a dorm environment is a nightmare worse than high school. He works well with people from other countries due to they know about Asperger's and are more accepting of my sons differences.

Junior High was were the kids really noticed my sons differences and started making him an outcast and high school was even worse. I spent more time in school than my son sometimes.

My son will soon be 28 years old and I know that he still has to have lots to keep him busy and he still collects many things and always continues to learn.

The biggest thing that I think I have learned about my son is how he sees things in pictures. If I want something specific from him I have to give him a picture so that he knows exactly what I mean, I have learned when talking to him not to raise my voice because then he can not hear me, I do not make him look at me because then he can not see or hear me because he then only concentrates on the level of my voice, something on my face, a piece of hair that may be out of place.

There is a school in Des Moines that has started a class for just children with Autism but there is a waiting list to get your child in. The Autism Society of Iowa is a good source but only until the age of 25 because then they no longer offer services. Little did I know that I just had to wait until my son was 25 and he would no longer have Asperger's or High Functioning Autism.....Imagine that!

[ashaAnnie]

My niece and nephew have Asperger's and it has been a struggle! it is always hit or miss with grade school and middle school...however your best bet would be to contact AEA in Des Moines (area education agency), the number is 515-242-7714, and ask to speak to Ann Krogan (she is FABULOUS and she will always tell it to you straight Ann usually isn't in her office, but they will tell you what school she is at that day and you can contact her there. I can tell you Merrill Middle school was a nightmare for my nephew, and Perkins was great for my niece. My niece and nephew both went to Hoover in High school and had the time of their life! They actually have a classroom for autistic students! It is amazing. The teacher is really dedicated to the students. They have something called people's PE where all the special needs students are together and the regular class kids volunteer to come in and have their PE with them. It is a pretty amazing program. We specifically moved into the Hoover district when the kids were young to ensure we could get them in. The classroom is small and it is a perfect learning environment for autistic teenagers.

I hope this helps! Good luck

[mom2many]

Originally Posted by teacherman35

The Davenport Community School district has the state model for programming for students with autism. They run an AVBA based program that is entirely focused on communication, behavior, and socialization. All the students in the districted that have autism are housed there. They have great young teachers that have been working there for years and have been trained by the best (staff from Vincent Carbone). Many miracles can been seen there. Check it out if you can. All I hear is wonderful things about their program.

I have to completely DISAGREE with this!!

I lived in Iowa from 2006-2009. my now 10 yr old son went to the Davenport School District and went monthly to a psychiatrist at Vera French. They kept labeling him ADHD and giving us Ritalin. I kept saying something is not right here. I just do not see ADHD, I see more Aspergers. The dr refused to listen to me AND his ped. The school system refused to give us an IEP even though he was struggling.

Low and behold we moved to Orlando. His psychiatrist saw red flags right away, had him tested (which I BEGGED Vera French and the Schools to do in IA) and it IS Aspergers.

So no... as a mom who has BTDT in the Davenport schools, I do NOT recommend Davenport Schools for an Aspie child.

[sweta108]

I am actually from Iowa and I went to the Iowa City Public Schools many years ago. My daughter went to a small town Iowa Public school. My son has Aspergers and went to pre-school in Iowa, but we moved to Minnesota when he started school. My husband just recently lost his job and I'm looking at the possibility of starting my Aspie son in hs in Cedar Rapids or some other place. (Cedar Rapids could potentially have jobs for my husband.) I'll have to say that we were extremely lucky in Minnesota. I'm in the Moundsview district and his experience was so good. His middle school experience has been extraordinary. So we want to stay here at least through middle school (one more year).

For anyone who wants to know, my son is in a special program for Asperger's in middle school. They have one class a day of social skills, another class of guided study hall, and aides for all of them as a group. They all know each other and hang out together. It's a great situation.

I'm really happy to know that Cedar Rapids schools are good wtih kids with Asperger's. I'm also really interested in hearing about young adults with Asperger's. I'm a little frightened by the fact that there's little support for young adults with Asperger's in very few places and I'm wondering what will be available to my son when he grows up. (He's 13 right now.)

It can be hard for Aspie kids in a school setting, though my school absolutely does not tolerate bullying or teasing. But even so, imagine the difference in repercussions between being an outcast in school and being an outcast on the job. The later can be devastating -- esxpecially if someone were to lose their job. Aspies don't interview well. How are these kids going to navigate themselves in the job market?

The whole situation really concerns me. Also many aspie kids have older parents. I was 45 when I had my son. What will happen to him when we aren't around to help him? I think that with more and more kids with Asperger's, this is something our society is just going to have to address. It's not just a question of Iowa schools and the support system in Iowa. Everywhere is going to be challenging for these kids and adults.