[Ohiogift] gifted parents as advocates

[Bodart, Barbara (Licking County ESC)]

Katie and other gifted parents,

Margaret is absolutely right.  You must advocate for your son. Talking to your legislators is crucial.  Ann Sheldon and/or the Ohio Association for Gifted Children website at oagc.com can give you advice.  Click on advocacy on the left, and then advocacy alerts you will see that gifted is once again embroiled in a fight to have units reinstated so that districts actually have gifted teachers and gifted coordinators who understand and actually like gifted students and know how to address their needs.  The House had addressed this issue, but the Senate seems poised to revert to the initial budget which did not specify exactly how money should be spent for gifted--if at all.  Regrettably most classroom teachers have had zero coursework of any kind on gifted children.  Your representative needs to hear your story. 
Good luck to you,
Barb


Barb Bodart, Coordinator of Gifted Services
Licking County Educational Service Center
675 Price Road, Newark, Ohio 43055
740-349-6096  FAX 740-349-6107
________________________________________
From: ohiogift-bounces+bbodart=laca.org at lists.service.ohio-state.edu [ohiogift-bounces+bbodart=laca.org at lists.service.ohio-state.edu] on behalf of Margaret DeLacy [margaretdelacy at comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2013 6:12 PM
To: ohiogift at lists.service.ohio-state.edu
Subject: [Ohiogift] common core

Katie commented that:


>In the past I've
>sent a letter to state officials in hopes of having concerns addressed, but
>haven't a clue if it was even read... My main concern is helping Zachary and
>others like him who've fallen through the cracks, even with "failsafes" in
>place, like his IEP (which is mainly to address his "ED"- which of course,
>began upon his entrance to public school...hmmm). My gifted son has called
>himself a "failure"



This is a sad situation, and frustrating too.  I come from another state, but my own experience has been that it is extremely helpful to take stories such as these to your own state legislators.  They will usually agree to a face-to-face meeting which ensures that they actually hear what you have to say (as opposed to an e-mail which may not receive any response).  Check with Ann Sheldon first for pointers on what to say or not to say.  (As an advocate, I sometimes get questions from legislators about what a parent said to them and it is hard to respond when I have no idea what the parent actually said!)  You can ask for these meetings at your convenience and in your hometown during recesses and/or attend town halls in your neighborhood.

It is also helpful when parents and students volunteer to testify on bills.  Check the OAGC website for some excellent examples.

In the mean time, for what it's worth, I wouldn't leave a student in an environment that is not helping him to be successful or to feel successful if there are any other options available.  I've seen with my own children how huge the difference is between a child in a bad situation and the same child in a good one.

Margaret






_______________________________________________
Ohiogift mailing list
Ohiogift at lists.service.ohio-state.edu
https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/ohiogift