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flbound10

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Does anyone have ( cochlear ) implanted children who attend public school in south Florida ?
 
Hi Florida Bound!
There are some states that have decent mainstream sped, and others that have really crappy mainstream services. Unfortunatly, Florida isn't that great when it comes to special ed. However, the good news is that the Floridia School for the Deaf and Blind is one of the REALLY good deaf schools.
How old's your kid? Have they been mainstreamed before or what? Paretns really need to be careful about mainstream placement in a public school. Yes, some kids do well, but overall mainstreaming hasn't really been awesome overall. I'm not bashing mainstreaming...........just trying to emphasize that mainstreaming isn't always the best educational placement for dhh or otherwise disabled kids.
Maybe one idear might be when u first arrive in Florida, look into a regional program that attracts a lot of dhh kids to one school, as well as neighborhood mainstream school. Have your child attend both, so that you can find the perfect fit for them educationally speaking. SO many totatlly mainstreamed kids aren't aware that there's other educational options.
 
Just wanted to say to be sure to be child centered when it comes to educational placement. Parents are almost trained to think of mainstream (ie regular school, regular classes) as THE BEST placement. That CAN be a good placement for some kids.....and there are kids who really thrive with a mainstream approach. However, I really do think that parents need to be a wee bit more openminded as to non mainstream educational placements. It's like..........they could do OK in the mainstream, but they might be able to do EVEN better with a non mainstream placement. Also, just b/c your kid would be in a non mainstream sitution, it wouldn't mean that they couldn't do something like partial mainstreaming etc. I know I'm harping on this.....BUT, even my parents now say that they should have exposed me to non mainstream educational situtions. I know there's at least one parent on this site, who had her child totally mainstreamed and then the child's CI malfunctioned. She was then placed in one of those regional programs for the dhh. The parent said she was astonished at the difference in quality. Like the teachers actually knew how to teach dhh kids. They hadn't had just some token lessons on basic Sign etc. (and trust me..........it can be SO nice not to have to constantly fight over IEPs and accomodations and low expectations. Like one common problem of mainstreamed dhh kids is that if they don't suceed with minimal accomondations, they're labeled as a Dumb Deaf who is going to end up on welfare)
I was looking at the FSDB site. You may want to have them evaluate your child. That could really provide answers to the dilemma of educational placement. : http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/outreach_services/family_support
I also think that mainstreaming can really work if there's interaction, and intensive support.
Also, if your kid doesn't know Sign at this time, it can be a very good tool to have. Think about it this way......they can be BILINAGL and they can function both WITH and without their hearing assistance! It's also a lot more fun then Hearing 101 and endless speech therapy.
Just to inform you I don't have a CI, BUT I am hoh. CI kids are basicly functionally hoh. They're going through a lot of the same things that I (and other hoh kids) went through. You may want to buy this book to help you understand : Netfirms Commerce Pro
Here are some really good resources for you : American Society for Deaf Children
and the affliated listserv : Archives of PARENTDEAF-HH@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU
 
flbound10 said:
Does anyone have ( cochlear ) implanted children who attend public school in south Florida ?
Click to expand...

flbound10,

There are very few parents of deaf children on this forum. I would suggest that you try forums like the ci circle and hearing exchange as there are many more parents there, especially with ci kids. I would also contact AGBell as they may have a local chapter in the area of Florida you are moving to, also I would contact your ci manuafacturer as they may be able to refer you to other children in that area as well as give you the names of local implant centers who would most like know of other ci kids.

Good luck,
Rick
 
Here is a listing of all the programs, public and private, for the deaf in the state of Florida. Perhaps you can contact the ones in your area regarding services and perhaps a parent/mentor program.

FLORIDA
Special Schools or Centers
Residential/Boarding & Day
Florida Schooi for the Deaf& the Biind
207 N. San Marco Avenue
St. Augustine FL 32084
Phone: 904-827-2210
TTY: Same
Fax: 904-827-2598
President: Elmer Dillingham, Jr.
email: dillinghame@fsdb.kl2.fl.us
web: www.fsdb.kl2.fl.us
Day Only
darke Jacksonville Auditory/Oral Center
9857 Old St. Augustine Road, Suite 6
Jacksonville, FL 32257
Phone: 904-880-9001
TTY 904-880-9001
Fax: 904-880-9007
Director: Susan G. Allen
email: sallen@clarke-jax.org
web: CLARKE: School for the Deaf - Center for Oral Education
Charter School-Residential/
Boarding & Day
National Deaf Academy
19650 U.S. Hwy 441
Mt. Dora FL 32792
Phone: 352-735-9500
TTY 352-735-9570
Fax: 352-735-4939
Community Relations Director:
Elena L. Moore
email: emoore@nationaldeafacademy.com
web: www.nationaldeafacademycom
Tampa Bay Academy
12012 Boyette Road
Riverview FL 33569
Phone: 800-678-3838
TTY 866-678-3838
Fax: 813-671-3145
Professional Relations: Troy Newport
email: troynewport@tampa.yfcs.com
web: www.tampabay-academycom
Local Programs
Manatee County Schooi District Deaf/HH
PO. Box 9069
Bradenton FL 34206-9069
Phone: 941-721-2300, x 350
Fax: 941-721-2308
ESH Coordinator: Jeffrey R. Schneiderman
email: schneidj@fc.manatee.kl2.fl.us
Voiusia County Exceptionai Student Ed
1825 Dunn Avenue
Daytona Beach FL 32114
Phone: 386-258-4670, x 52914
Fax: 386-274-3436
Program Specialist, Deaf and HoH:
Cynthia Sears
email: ccsears@volusia.kl2.fl.us
web: www.volusia.kl2.fl.us
Schooi District of Lee County
2523 Market Street
Ft. Myers FL 33901
Phone: 239-337-8367
Fax: 239-337-8654
Coordinator, Communication Disabilities:
Lyn Ferreira
email: LynF@lee.kl2.fl.us
School Board ofBroward County, ESE
600 Southeast 3 Avenue, 9th Floor
Ft. I.auderdale FL 33301
Phone: 754-321-2207
Fax: 754-321-2715
Curriculum Supervisor DHHA'I
Programs: Terry Spurlock
email: theresa.spurlock@
browardschools.com
web: browardschools.com
St. Lucie County School Board
1901 South 11th Street
Ft. Pierce FL 34950
Phone: 772-429-4570
Fax: 772-492-4589
Program Specialist: Traci Wilke
email: wilket@stlucie.kl2.fl.us
web: www.stlucie.ese.kl2.fl.us
Citrus County Schools
1007 W Main Street
Inverness FL 34450
Phone: 352-637-9710
TTY: 352-726-6086
Fax: 352-726-6698
FSE Director: Jean Reed
email: reedj@citrus.kl2.fl.us
Duval County Public Schoois
4037 Boulevard Center Drive
Jacksonville FL 32207
Phone: 904-348-7788
TTY: 904-348-7763
Fax: 904-348-7819
Specialist, Deaf/Hard of Hearing:
Lauren Dehaan
email: dehaanl@educationcentral.org
web: www.educationcentral.org
Dade County Pubiic Schools, ESE
1500 Biscayne Boulevard, Room 407
Miami FL 33132
Phone: 305-995-1290
Fax: 305-995-1760
Instructional Supervisor:
Dr. Deborah Finley
Marion County Public Schoois
1517 S. F. 30th Avenue, Suite 2
Ocala FL 34471
Phone: 352-671-6832
Fax: 352-671-6833
ESE Director, D/HH Program:
Wylene Herring-Cayasso
web: www.marion.kl2.fl.us
Orange County Pubiic Schools
445 West Amelia Street
Orlando FL 32801
Phone: 407-317-3493
TTY 407-317-3915
Fax: 407-317-3451
Sr. Admin, FSE: Jane B. Busbee
email: busbeej@ocps.net
web: www.ocps.net
Hearing Impaired Program of
Bay County
203 N. East Avenue
Panama City FL 32401
Phone: 850-872-4765
Fax: 850-872-4727
Teacher of the Deaf: Kay Hicks
email: hickskk@mail.baykl2.fl.us
Seminoie Co Pubiic Schools
400 E. Lake Mary Boulevard
Sanford FL 32773
Phone: 407-320-0212
TTY: 407-320-0290
Fax: 407-320-0294
Administrator: Kathi Durnford
email: kathi_durnford@scps.kl2.fl.us
web: www.scps.kl2.fl.us
Leon County Schools
2757 W Pensacola Street
Tallahassee FL 32303
Phone: 850-487-7160
Fax: 850-487-7297
Coordinator, HI Program: Maria Deckert
Brevard County Exceptional Education
2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way
Viera FL 32940-6699
Phone: 321-631-1911x535
TTY: 321-632-7603
Fax: 321-631-3589
Coordinator, Hearing Impaired Program:
Kim Riddle
email: RiddleK@brevard.kl2.fl.us
web: http://www.brevard.kl2.fl.us/
Paim Beach County Schools-D/HH
3378 Forest Hill Boulevard
West Palm Beach FL 33406
Phone: 561-434-8066
TTY 561-434-8653
Fax: 561-963-3866
Program Planner, Sp/Lang/D/HH:
Susan Z. Alex
email: alexs@palmbeach.kl2.fl.us
 
Rick, sorry but it's pretty much a fact that Florida public schools really do suck in terms of sped resources.
Floridabound, look at jillo's and my links. Rick's are a little too biased in favor of mainstreaming and oral speech. Explore ALL the options first, and see which ones will be a good fit for your child. You really don't want to look back in ten or fifteen years and think "I should have gone with a self contained classroom/other options."
I really would have your child evaluated at FSDB, first. One good thing about mainstream sped sucking is that, generally the specialized schools tend to be VERY good!
 
deafdyke said:
Rick, sorry but it's pretty much a fact that Florida public schools really do suck in terms of sped resources.
Floridabound, look at jillo's and my links. Rick's are a little too biased in favor of mainstreaming and oral speech. Explore ALL the options first, and see which ones will be a good fit for your child. You really don't want to look back in ten or fifteen years and think "I should have gone with a self contained classroom/other options."
I really would have your child evaluated at FSDB, first. One good thing about mainstream sped sucking is that, generally the specialized schools tend to be VERY good!
Click to expand...

While you provided some incite and Jilio's links are good suggestions there is not a thing wrong with Rick's suggestion to try a few different internet sources to contact parents in the area that this parent is planning on moving to. He didn't state that FL schools were good or bad when it comes to sped/mainstreaming. He did suggest a few other internet options that would increase the likelihood of finding parental contact . FYI very few schools in the whole USofA do a good job in the sped/mainstreaming area. Even deaf schools are a crap shoot when it comes to good education and mainstreaming and AV programs. the more suggestions this parent receives the better the decision he/she will make.
 
jag said:
While you provided some incite and Jilio's links are good suggestions there is not a thing wrong with Rick's suggestion to try a few different internet sources to contact parents in the area that this parent is planning on moving to. He didn't state that FL schools were good or bad when it comes to sped/mainstreaming. He did suggest a few other internet options that would increase the likelihood of finding parental contact . FYI very few schools in the whole USofA do a good job in the sped/mainstreaming area. Even deaf schools are a crap shoot when it comes to good education and mainstreaming and AV programs. the more suggestions this parent receives the better the decision he/she will make.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It is a crap shoot. That is why I provided an extensive list for both public school and specialized programs. The email addresses facillitate easy contact with program directors themselves for details and connection to parent/mentor programs. The list I provided includes both oral and oral/sign programs, as well.
 
deafdyke said:
Rick, sorry but it's pretty much a fact that Florida public schools really do suck in terms of sped resources.
Floridabound, look at jillo's and my links. Rick's are a little too biased in favor of mainstreaming and oral speech. Explore ALL the options first, and see which ones will be a good fit for your child. You really don't want to look back in ten or fifteen years and think "I should have gone with a self contained classroom/other options."
I really would have your child evaluated at FSDB, first. One good thing about mainstream sped sucking is that, generally the specialized schools tend to be VERY good!
Click to expand...

I have no idea what you are talking about and why you are linking me to Florida public schools. I offered a few suggestions as to how a parent could possible make contact with other parents of ci kids. Why you are turning it into a referendum on the Florida public school system with me at the forefront is beyond me.
 
jillio said:
I don't see where this parent requested informationr egarding oral only. Many Ci implanted children are enrolled in programs other than oral only.
Click to expand...

as you can recall that you posted a similar response to rick's and your post ended up being removed. you are doing it again and you will see your post removed again... you need to cut it out and heed this warning: http://www.alldeaf.com/hearing-aids-cochlear-implants/49876-important.html

http://www.alldeaf.com/hearing-aids-cochlear-implants/29332-your-final-warning-please-read.html

So quit it!
 
Boult said:
as you can recall that you posted a similar response to rick's and your post ended up being removed. you are doing it again and you will see your post removed again... you need to cut it out and heed this warning: http://www.alldeaf.com/hearing-aids-cochlear-implants/49876-important.html

http://www.alldeaf.com/hearing-aids-cochlear-implants/29332-your-final-warning-please-read.html

So quit it!
Click to expand...

It is simply a statement, Boult. Why so defensive? And my post was removed prior because of the wording. As was one of rick's. I just don't see anything wrong with providing information on all programs because it is incorrect to assume that a child implanted with CI is automatically in an oral program, or that all public school programs are oral.
 
I would suggest that you try forums like the ci circle and hearing exchange as there are many more parents there, especially with ci kids. I would also contact AGBell as they may have a local chapter in the area of Florida
Click to expand...
Rick, your response is quoted verbatim. Hearing Exchange and AG Bell are VERY staunchly oral. They do have some ASL resources BUT, it's very tokenist. Their resources on non oral support/resources vs oral support/ resources is VERY unbalanced.
Jag, if rick had suggested resources such as American Society for Deaf Children, or the resources such like jillo gave I wouldn't even have spoken up.
 
Huh? Rick what are you talking about? The resources you've offered ARE pretty much primarily oral. If you had suggested a BUNCH of different resources, INCLUDING BOTH Sign and oral programs/resources I wouldn't even have said anything. You claim jillo's biased against oral methodology............but how come she offered NONBIASED (BOTH oral AND Sign) resources?
jag, I know that sped is a crapshoot wherever you go. However, even at deaf schools where most of the students are multihandicapped, the early education programs (like up to around first grade age) tend to be much better quality then the local Chapter 766 (sped) collabrative. I'm really not trying to bash mainstream (meaning regular classes regualar school) Just trying to make a new parent understand that it's best to be openminded and experiment intially with different placements, to find the best one.
 
deafdyke said:
Huh? Rick what are you talking about? The resources you've offered ARE pretty much primarily oral. If you had suggested a BUNCH of different resources, INCLUDING BOTH Sign and oral programs/resources I wouldn't even have said anything. You claim jillo's biased against oral methodology............but how come she offered NONBIASED (BOTH oral AND Sign) resources?
jag, I know that sped is a crapshoot wherever you go. However, even at deaf schools where most of the students are multihandicapped, the early education programs (like up to around first grade age) tend to be much better quality then the local Chapter 766 (sped) collabrative. I'm really not trying to bash mainstream (meaning regular classes regualar school) Just trying to make a new parent understand that it's best to be openminded and experiment intially with different placements, to find the best one.
Click to expand...

Exactly, dd. I offered comprehensive information, not information biased toward any particular methodology. As this parent did not request information directed toward any specific methodology, it is innapropriate to make assumptions regarding a preference based simply on the fact the the child mentioned is implanted.
 
Oh......another good resource is Hands and Voices. I emailed the orgional poster......hopefully they will think "Oh I never thought of it that way before."
It does seem that organizations like AGBell tend to portray mainstream as some sort of wonderful utopia. Certainly there are kids who do well with minmal accomondations etc, BUT it does seem that many of the kids who do well, are the type who would have done well even pre-PL that encouraged wholesale mainstreaming. Kids with classic disabilites SHOULD NOT be automaticly kneejerkingly mainstreamed. It's FAR too easy for them to fall through the cracks. Especially seeing as even most SPECIAL ED mainstream teachers really have never had the training on how to teach kids with classic disablites.
Oh I see Rick deleted his post.
 
deafdyke said:
Oh......another good resource is Hands and Voices. I emailed the orgional poster......hopefully they will think "Oh I never thought of it that way before."
It does seem that organizations like AGBell tend to portray mainstream as some sort of wonderful utopia. Certainly there are kids who do well with minmal accomondations etc, BUT it does seem that many of the kids who do well, are the type who would have done well even pre-PL that encouraged wholesale mainstreaming. Kids with classic disabilites SHOULD NOT be automaticly kneejerkingly mainstreamed. It's FAR too easy for them to fall through the cracks. Especially seeing as even most SPECIAL ED mainstream teachers really have never had the training on how to teach kids with classic disablites.
Oh I see Rick deleted his post.
Click to expand...

I'd say the mods deleted it, as my response to him was also deleted.
 
deafdyke said:
Just wanted to say to be sure to be child centered when it comes to educational placement. Parents are almost trained to think of mainstream (ie regular school, regular classes) as THE BEST placement. That CAN be a good placement for some kids.....and there are kids who really thrive with a mainstream approach. However, I really do think that parents need to be a wee bit more openminded as to non mainstream educational placements. It's like..........they could do OK in the mainstream, but they might be able to do EVEN better with a non mainstream placement. Also, just b/c your kid would be in a non mainstream sitution, it wouldn't mean that they couldn't do something like partial mainstreaming etc. I know I'm harping on this.....BUT, even my parents now say that they should have exposed me to non mainstream educational situtions. I know there's at least one parent on this site, who had her child totally mainstreamed and then the child's CI malfunctioned. She was then placed in one of those regional programs for the dhh. The parent said she was astonished at the difference in quality. Like the teachers actually knew how to teach dhh kids. They hadn't had just some token lessons on basic Sign etc. (and trust me..........it can be SO nice not to have to constantly fight over IEPs and accomodations and low expectations. Like one common problem of mainstreamed dhh kids is that if they don't suceed with minimal accomondations, they're labeled as a Dumb Deaf who is going to end up on welfare)
I was looking at the FSDB site. You may want to have them evaluate your child. That could really provide answers to the dilemma of educational placement. : http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/outreach_services/family_support
I also think that mainstreaming can really work if there's interaction, and intensive support.
Also, if your kid doesn't know Sign at this time, it can be a very good tool to have. Think about it this way......they can be BILINAGL and they can function both WITH and without their hearing assistance! It's also a lot more fun then Hearing 101 and endless speech therapy.
Just to inform you I don't have a CI, BUT I am hoh. CI kids are basicly functionally hoh. They're going through a lot of the same things that I (and other hoh kids) went through. You may want to buy this book to help you understand : Netfirms Commerce Pro
Here are some really good resources for you : American Society for Deaf Children
and the affliated listserv : Archives of PARENTDEAF-HH@LISTSERV.KENT.EDU
Click to expand...
Thank you. My kids are 4 & 11 years old.
The only oral-deaf school in Florida has an age limit of 6 years old.

We moved from North Florida to Missouri last year so that the kids could attend
an oral-deaf school and learn how to speak properly.

The Missouri school goes only through " middle school " , and therefore
we will be relocating back to Florida ( South Florida, that is ) in a few years.

What I am seeking is information concerning the Southern Florida
public school system in regards to: speech therapy, reading tutoring, cochlear implant awareness and FM systems.

We don't want to move to a county that lacks these facilities and programs .
 
Umm.. From what I hear that FSDB may not be up much longer due to Budget. I also heard that they talking about FSDB may move to somewhere in Jax, FL and Flagler College will take over those FSDB Campus. It's just a rumor. FSDB went over the Budget and they cut down on hiring Staffs, Teachers, Dorm Supervisors, Field Trips and everything else has been cut due to Budget. Who knows what may happen in 5 years from now.
 
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