504 Plan For Pre-K/kindergarten

[Fourmonkeysjumping]

Hi everyone,

My daughter is currently in preK (she's a peer model in an integrated public program) and currently does not have a 504.  We have never needed it with our son (3rd grade), because he has an amazing elementary school nurse who goes above and beyond.  Alas, we are now having to look into it for our daughter, because her teacher just really isn't getting it.  The final straw was an email we received yesterday asking if she could help make papier-mache as long as she wore gloves or should she just watch.  I explained the dangers of being in a class with flour (AGAIN) and sent some links along as well as alternatives (making it with watered down glue), but I'm now just feeling like it's time to move forward.

 

I would love to know ideas of what you have in your plans for young ones.  I know that the challenges they face are different than kids in an elementary class, so I don't want to miss anything.

Thanks!

[StephanieL]

1) No food unless it's from home.

2) All art products are vetted by me.

3) If the school is archaic enough that they allow outside foods treats for birthdays, you get 48 hours notice.

4) Being there to monitor class parties. 

5) Access to bathroom as needed.

[frieze]

at least the teacher is asking.....

[dilettantesteph]

Good luck.  Some schools are better than others.  You must read things about it being a fad.  When it is people who deal with our children who have that opinion, it can be very difficult.  It is amazing to me that school administrators can believe that they know more about your child's health than your child's own doctors. 

[africanqueen99]

We have an "agreement" with our Early Childhood Center because my youngest is currently only in Mom & Me classes (so I'm there).  She starts Kids Morning Out in the fall so we are putting her 504 in place this Spring.

 

Things we are addressing:

- only food from home and either NOT touched by any adult or served first

- her eating space needs to be clean before she sits

- she should eat at the end of the table (sandwiching the celiac preschooler between other gluten eaters is a bad idea)

- have a "birthday box" that she can have a treat from there when others bring in cupcakes/cookies for their day

- unrestricted access to bathroom and handwashing station (NO use of hand santizer)

- safe sensory table contents

- safe art supplies

[Fourmonkeysjumping]

Thankfully, at this point, she brings her own snack and the school requires all kids to wash their hands before and after eating (they started that just for her).  I send in all playdoh (the gluten-free kind from discount school supply) and she has a sink in her classroom.  So, on the whole, things have been okay.  Unfortunately, her teacher went out on maternity leave and the new teacher is pretty old school and likes things her way.  There are no class parties and no outside treats allowed at all in our district, so that makes life a LOT easier.  The art supplies issue is really the only one we have had (we had it with our oldest's kindergarten teacher, but she was just an idiot anyway).  I just want to make sure I don't miss anything.  I'm going to get moving on this ASAP.  I'll put in a call to the district nurse (I'm fortunate there, because her daughter is a Celiac!) and see where to go.  I've already dropped the word "504" in relation to this, so I"m hoping that scares them out of doing it tomorrow.  Frustrating!

[africanqueen99]

Oh, I should have mentioned this above, but our ECC is through our school district and they bought all new playdoh tools for my kid in a box labeled "Gluten Free/Celiac".  They are prepared to move the box up with my youngest as she moves, but if another Celiac shows up we will share.  The alternative is for me to purchase all tools, playdoh making equipment (bowl, spoon, etc) and it becomes owned by my kid so no other teacher but hers will use it.