Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Does it ever end???

Will there ever be a point in Mr 5 almost 6's education when I will not have to fight and pursue people for what he needs and what he has a right to??? I thought we had come full circle with this; he got funding, ipso facto he gets an aide...No biggie. But no, its not that simple, despite the Catholic Education Office(CEO) having no published info on due process for funding, PSGs etc as the Department Of Education(DET) do, and me having no formal, written confirmation from the school of funding ( only verbal from the principal that he has 5 hours a week aide). Firstly I get palmed off to the Deputy Principal,(DP) fine, he handles Student Wellbeing etc,then after I track him down; he has to wait till after the Leadership meeting to arrange a time with me( why?? I am unclear). SO finally yesterday, I pin the DP down to arrange a meeting......And he has to refer to the PRINCIPAL and have him there too!!!!! I really feel I am getting the run around , Mr 5 Almost6 has no aide to date and the Principal tells me yesterday that they have two other children who may get funding and they will not be advertising for an aide until Term 2.
MY SON HAS FUNDING NOW>>>WHAT HAPPENS TO THE $1500 FROM TERM ONE? I also get told that the priest is the employer and has to make the decision as to whom to employ for the job!!!!!
So now I have a meeting on Friday with the DP and the Principal, Mr 5 Almost 6's early intervention co ordinator is coming ( on her day off, so it better not be cancelled) I have a feeling of loss of control here as the guidelines are in accessible to the public and you only have what you are being told by the staff at the CEO and always the same person, whether you ring the regional office or the main office,...You are referred back to the same person. Today I spoke to a psychologist at the regional office who was very informative about the process and says I can ask about the utilisation of the funding from term1 if he is not being supplied with an aide till term 2. One of the differences I found is that the DET or State system funds the child, whereas the CEO funds the program and is designed for the child learning needs. Only drawback is that the school gets the money and its up to them as to how they spend that money, which may mean I have a fight on my hands, even thought the majority employ aides with the money. Mr 5 Almost 6's aide from kinder who is qualified to work in schools took her resume' to the school yesterday (after my meeting with the DP and the Principal). Must have looked like a right set up to the Principal!!!!LMAO I did not know about this until today!!!


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