Best Long Island School Districts for Special Education (Lindenhurst, Manhasset: lawyer, job)

[foreric]

I think HHH only takes residents of the district. They don't accept packets from other districts.

[nbres]

Originally Posted by foreric

I think HHH only takes residents of the district. They don't accept packets from other districts.

Half Hollow Hills supposedly has the best Autism program, but they do not accept packets from other districts. Why, I don't know, but it leads me to believe that they are either uncaring or maybe they are not so good.

Perhaps there is a way to get into HHH if you use the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND law and get a good lawyer.

[sharon s]

I was considering looking at HHH for my son who is going to middle school next year.I am in the North Shore district but I do not know if this will be right for next year. I need places to look would love to hear of a great program for a high functioning child who is in a typical class with a full time aide.Hepl Please.......

[akitasun]

Hello All,

I live in Lindenhurst and looking to move to a bigger house. I have 2 boys 1 with special needs and 1 typical. I have to say Lindenhursts services are good but we had to fight alot for the first year and half. We had about 8 IEPS in one year and half. I'm sure its like that in most districts.

From my research the following districts seem to be consistently well regarded.

1) Northport/East Northport (They have inclusion classes in all elementary's except one).
One person on this thread said that their is 1 SPE teacher to avoid and thats why you shouldn't choose this school district. Could you be more specific and what school she teaches at. Its a large district with many good programs so it would be a shame to discount it just because of 1 teacher. All districts have at least 1 bad teacher.

2) Half Hallow Hills (have alot of programs for Autistic kids)

3) Commack (also has a wide set of servics, check out their districts website)

4) Lindenhurst (has a good autistic program and is known in Suffolk county, hard to get into. Inclusion Classess from what I see are few to none. Danielle Street only has 1 in the 3rd grade).

5) Levittown ( I heard are very accomodating and have wide range of services, my advocate highly recommended it).

6) Oceanside (have a wide range of services but like Lindenhurst you have to work for it. This info came from a septa member at Oceanside)

7) Jericho (Has alot of money to spend so from what I hear they will out district you if they can't accomodate, no fighting from them. My advocate said this and so did the a member of the spe dept).

I am looking at these towns and for me the regular school has to be good as well since my 1 son is typical.

Thanks and good luck

[pjandamom]

Does anyone know about Massapequa and Wantagh special ed. programs?

[yankeefan1960]

Massapequa has a wonderful self contained program up to MS/HS. A few years ago they decided to departmentalize all the self contained classes and do away with the traditional self contained classes at the secondary level. The only alternative is a life skills class. The life skills classes are excellent from what I hear, good teachers, etc. But the problem is there is no alternative for the student who might be local diploma bound. It's either regents track self contained, or life skills. Personally, life skills in 7th grade sounds a little too soon. Don't most of those type programs start around 11th grade?
Don't know anything about Wantagh, but would be interested in what they have to offer.

[2GR8BOYS]

In my opinion, East Islip would get a 9. My son was diagnosed with PDD. He received early intervention from Marion Salomon, a fantastic agency, then was placed at the ECC in East Islip for preschool and now kindergarten. We are unfortunately looking to move for personal reasons and are trying to find out which school district it better for spec. ed. Sayville or Blue Point/Bayport. Anyone know??

Originally Posted by yeaitsme

I am interested in people who have special needs family members responding preferrably parents/primary caregivers but others please answer too just mention your child's relation to yourself ie: grandparent, uncle etc...

On a scale of one to ten... 1 being horrible and 10 being great...please rate your district and say why you gave the rating you did. I am asking for 2 reasons. First I may have to move if I cannot get what my child needs and secondly there are no resources for families of 'atypical' children on how districts preform in this area.

We are in Sachem school district and I have to give it a 1 for horrible. The nickle and diming is insane and the head of student services runs special ed like he is a dictator. The sad part is much of the teaching staff and some of the old administration still remember the good old days under a previous administrator. So the great reputation Sachem used to have in this area is not even close to how the district is being run now. As far as the superintendent he seems to encourage the behavior and/or convienently let it slide. He is being told he is saving money on paper but too ignorant to factor in all the wasted $$$ for extra CSE meetings, impartial hearings and lawsuits ...not factoring in that each meeting has at least 5 staff members and the law fees associated with all the legal actions.

To sum it up....Sachem is making programs for their lowest functioning students just to keep them out of Bocese and save $$. All the while cutting in a stealthy way (putting more responsibility on one person when clearly another should be hired). They will not provide OT more than twice a week for children despite the child's disability, they push speech groups of 5 children (in one 30 minute session btw 5 minutes a child) on parents saying "they need to learn pragmatics" but the child is non verbal and would obviously need intense therapy on a one on one basis to even speak a word....all in an attempt cut the amount of speech therapists. They cut previous programs especially their once well regarded Step program(for sutistic children) . It is now a shell of what it once was due to cuts especially in one area where they cut Teacher Assistants and replaced the position with aides (aide is a non certified HS dimploma position compared to having to be a certified teacher).

They question even the recommendations of the disabled child's medical team for example not providing air conditioning for children who have medical conditions (remember ALOT of children in special ed in Sachem need a 12 month program) or not providing the appropriate assistive technology or another example is not broviding the appropriate therapist to help with the needs of the child (like no feeding therapist).

So we are at a point of if you are not going to really provide a free appropriate education for kids with disabilities let them go private or cross district them out to a district that will.

So you can see I really wish there was a rating for a districts Special Education departments since obviously I am really dissappointed with Sachem.

So again 1-10 on your district and your opinion please. It will certainly help me and other parents who have kids with special needs.

[mommytochris]

Originally Posted by 2GR8BOYS

In my opinion, East Islip would get a 9. My son was diagnosed with PDD. He received early intervention from Marion Salomon, a fantastic agency, then was placed at the ECC in East Islip for preschool and now kindergarten. We are unfortunately looking to move for personal reasons and are trying to find out which school district it better for spec. ed. Sayville or Blue Point/Bayport. Anyone know??

They are small and I have heard they dont have alot to offer. BUT this is not from experience and they dont get the credit they deserve. Their regular ed is stellar. They are one of the best preforming districts. Maybe call their Special Ed coordinator and see what programs they have.

[john247]

Im a master student of special Education at Dowling College, I wanted to know what SD is more welcoming to special teachers. And also if an Agency is better than a school SD, also what agencies are out there to hire me when i do graduate.Thank You.

[Septamom]

John you might try a special ed school like Variety Child Learning Center in Syosset. Variety is the best! They (Variety) also work with both the Jericho and Westbury school districts.