Comments on: Excluded and Included: The School Yearbook http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:46:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Cameron http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-565529 Cameron Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:40:06 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-565529 Yearbooks are supposed to trigger all these wonderful memories - but all too often exclusion seems to be more common than inclusion. Some kids appear on all the pages, while others are delegated to a single awkward portrait. I recently discovered this great new yearbook company called TreeRing. With TreeRing, the school's yearbook staff produces most of the book, but 10% is left for every student to PERSONALIZE. And the process could not be any easier - the web-based program is simple to use and sharing/borrowing photos from across the web is seamless (you don't even have to wait for your photos to upload from your favorite photo sites!). I urge you all to check out this site: treering.com - you won't be disappointed! Oh, and the prices are a downright bargain! Yearbooks are supposed to trigger all these wonderful memories – but all too often exclusion seems to be more common than inclusion. Some kids appear on all the pages, while others are delegated to a single awkward portrait.

I recently discovered this great new yearbook company called TreeRing. With TreeRing, the school’s yearbook staff produces most of the book, but 10% is left for every student to PERSONALIZE. And the process could not be any easier – the web-based program is simple to use and sharing/borrowing photos from across the web is seamless (you don’t even have to wait for your photos to upload from your favorite photo sites!). I urge you all to check out this site: treering.com – you won’t be disappointed! Oh, and the prices are a downright bargain!

]]> By: Chatterbox http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-549838 Chatterbox Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:09:04 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-549838 I am really surprised that more parents from the Quail Glen Elementary School haven't complained and that they haven't contacted Darla. There is strength in numbers and it would be more difficult for the school to discriminate on these children. They have a right to be treated with dignity and respect and a right to be a part of their school. After all Darla and Blandon pay taxes on that school just like every one else. The only ones that don't pay school levy taxes are renters. I am really surprised that more parents from the Quail Glen Elementary School haven’t complained and that they haven’t contacted Darla. There is strength in numbers and it would be more difficult for the school to discriminate on these children. They have a right to be treated with dignity and respect and a right to be a part of their school. After all Darla and Blandon pay taxes on that school just like every one else. The only ones that don’t pay school levy taxes are renters.

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-552423 Kristina Chew, PhD Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:45:58 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-552423 I think we'll be hearing more of these types of "exclusions" and of cases like what Joeysmom describes. I don't think the exclusion is always conscious but that, very often, people don't realize the assumptions they may be making, or why an attempt to include ends up excluding a child even more. I think we’ll be hearing more of these types of “exclusions” and of cases like what Joeysmom describes. I don’t think the exclusion is always conscious but that, very often, people don’t realize the assumptions they may be making, or why an attempt to include ends up excluding a child even more.

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-552413 Jennifer Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:32:48 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-552413 Exactly what I asked our PTA not to do. I honestly don't think there was bad <i>intent</i> on their part -- one of them is an instructional aide in our preschool class -- but I think things get done a "certain way." Also, people were very invested in the idea of my class as an "other" -- they were shocked when I said I was sending homework home, for instance, and I also had to ask to be listed at "4th - 6th grades" instead of just "Special Ed" on the class picture. Once I asked that we be put with the rest of the intermediate grades, they immediately said yes, and that's where we've been for the past 4 years. I think it's a reminder that inclusion isn't just about the kids -- it's an attitude that needs to be prevalent in the whole school community, that everybody is a part of the school, and belongs to it, no matter where and what kind of support they receive. Exactly what I asked our PTA not to do.

I honestly don’t think there was bad intent on their part — one of them is an instructional aide in our preschool class — but I think things get done a “certain way.”

Also, people were very invested in the idea of my class as an “other” — they were shocked when I said I was sending homework home, for instance, and I also had to ask to be listed at “4th – 6th grades” instead of just “Special Ed” on the class picture.

Once I asked that we be put with the rest of the intermediate grades, they immediately said yes, and that’s where we’ve been for the past 4 years.

I think it’s a reminder that inclusion isn’t just about the kids — it’s an attitude that needs to be prevalent in the whole school community, that everybody is a part of the school, and belongs to it, no matter where and what kind of support they receive.

]]> By: Joeymom http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-552407 Joeymom Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:26:47 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-552407 Sometimes being included is not much better. Whoever did our yearbook placed the special ed classes in their own "special section" for no apparent reason- so that instead of being with teh rest of the kindergarteners, my son's small class was listed and shown after all the other "regular" classes. Sometimes being included is not much better. Whoever did our yearbook placed the special ed classes in their own “special section” for no apparent reason- so that instead of being with teh rest of the kindergarteners, my son’s small class was listed and shown after all the other “regular” classes.

]]> By: Bonnie Sayers http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-554992 Bonnie Sayers Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:45:48 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-554992 My son Matthew culminated from fifth grade this morning. There was no yearbook at the school that I know of. Nick's school last year did not have one either. His aide sat behind him and this guy had to watch the other kids on either side of him. Matt had a few fidgets and the other kid used one of his and they seemed to alternate from what I could see as they were in the second to last row. Matt went up to get an award for his class for most improved. They did a video type presentation of each child and it started with the autism class. It had a photo of the student and a statement of what theywanted to be. They had Matt as a chef since he likes to eat. Not sure who put that on there as it is not true at all. I got a call last nite before 7 pm with the offer of another middle school since I went to informal dispute and this one starts in Sep and 7 minutes away so I accepted the offer. It is not an autism class but an MRS - mental retardation severe. So there will be mixed kids and this might be better for Matt. My son Matthew culminated from fifth grade this morning. There was no yearbook at the school that I know of. Nick’s school last year did not have one either. His aide sat behind him and this guy had to watch the other kids on either side of him. Matt had a few fidgets and the other kid used one of his and they seemed to alternate from what I could see as they were in the second to last row. Matt went up to get an award for his class for most improved.

They did a video type presentation of each child and it started with the autism class. It had a photo of the student and a statement of what theywanted to be. They had Matt as a chef since he likes to eat. Not sure who put that on there as it is not true at all. I got a call last nite before 7 pm with the offer of another middle school since I went to informal dispute and this one starts in Sep and 7 minutes away so I accepted the offer. It is not an autism class but an MRS – mental retardation severe. So there will be mixed kids and this might be better for Matt.

]]> By: Club 166 http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-552329 Club 166 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:40:40 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-552329 A couple of years ago when Buddy Boy was in First Grade the school had an assembly where they made a BIG deal about how everyone in the whole school had painted a rock that was to be included in the school's outdoor area. How this symbolized the ideals of the school, how each person contributed, etc., etc., etc. My wife happened to attend the ceremony and noticed that not exactly EVERYONE had made a rock. A few special ed kids who weren't included in the mainstream art class (Buddy Boy among them) were sitting there without a rock. No one had thought to include them in this "Big Project". My wife was crying, as well as furious. After a number of phone calls these kids did get to make their rocks. Some of the school people thought it was no big deal that they got missed. I mean, it was only a rock, after all. Except that they made it such a big deal for everyone else. That one still hurts. Joe A couple of years ago when Buddy Boy was in First Grade the school had an assembly where they made a BIG deal about how everyone in the whole school had painted a rock that was to be included in the school’s outdoor area. How this symbolized the ideals of the school, how each person contributed, etc., etc., etc. My wife happened to attend the ceremony and noticed that not exactly EVERYONE had made a rock. A few special ed kids who weren’t included in the mainstream art class (Buddy Boy among them) were sitting there without a rock. No one had thought to include them in this “Big Project”.

My wife was crying, as well as furious.

After a number of phone calls these kids did get to make their rocks. Some of the school people thought it was no big deal that they got missed. I mean, it was only a rock, after all. Except that they made it such a big deal for everyone else.

That one still hurts.

Joe

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-556056 Jennifer Thu, 19 Jun 2008 20:33:54 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-556056 Our school's yearbook is by class, and when I first started at the school, all the special day classes were lumped together at the beginning. I asked that we (4th - 6th) be put at least with the upper grade kids. It's sad the kids were excluded; it reminds me again how far the school I teach at now has come in five years (when I started, my students were not even expected to eat lunch with the other kids). Our school’s yearbook is by class, and when I first started at the school, all the special day classes were lumped together at the beginning. I asked that we (4th – 6th) be put at least with the upper grade kids.

It’s sad the kids were excluded; it reminds me again how far the school I teach at now has come in five years (when I started, my students were not even expected to eat lunch with the other kids).

]]> By: Emily http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-558500 Emily Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:32:00 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-558500 Can you fire a volunteer? How mean. I'm glad Charlie got his bag. And people wonder why there's a neurodiversity movement. Can you fire a volunteer? How mean.

I’m glad Charlie got his bag. And people wonder why there’s a neurodiversity movement.

]]> By: Shash http://www.blisstree.com/articles/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/comment-page-1/#comment-555955 Shash Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:54:09 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/excluded-and-included-the-school-yearbook/#comment-555955 It'll be nice for next year when he goes to middle school. We had a parent volunteer at our school that tried to do that a few years ago, and another parent volunteer who has a special needs child spoke up. We also have a great administration who sees all the kids in the school. Sometimes that happens where administration forgets about the special needs kids in their own school. I can't believe it happens, but it does. Shash It’ll be nice for next year when he goes to middle school.

We had a parent volunteer at our school that tried to do that a few years ago, and another parent volunteer who has a special needs child spoke up. We also have a great administration who sees all the kids in the school. Sometimes that happens where administration forgets about the special needs kids in their own school. I can’t believe it happens, but it does.

Shash

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