Going up to High School

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I had a meeting with my 9 year old aspie sons school today and was told that I have to start thinking about which high school I want him to go to because he has his review in June and they need to know then because of getting things ready for him next year. One of the choices is a smaller school and they've got good SENS people. The other one is a much bigger school, but most of his class will be going to this one. Can people tell me how they made the decision on which school they chose.

Thanks Lisa

He has to choose his HS when hes 9??? And no clue other then that (Im not always the best unofficial official parent helper child.)

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I'm not sure how differently the schools are set up across the pond, but is he going to HS this coming term? If not it seems too early to make that decision. Or has your son been skipped and at 9 is in an advanced grade?

My son is 11, just finishing 5th grade, and we had to give a request by last week for which middle school he wanted to go to for August. We have magnet schools here that narrow their focus, but he's chosen the local school since none of the magnet schools offer anything he perseverates on.

Magnet schools generally seem to suck as aspies seem to have...unusual interests or specific and they go with the more normal math/science/arts or whatever though they also do a type of student that come with is a little less likely to bully or anything like that and more likely to be an "aspie friend":shrugs:.

_________________
"we never get respect ... never a fair trial
[swearing removed by lau] ... as long as we smile"
Im tired of smiling.

Vote for me in 2020

Even if they had such classes, most of our kids would likely be bored, knowing more than the teachers usually!

The good thing is middle school is much more academic then elementary, so he's much less likely to be teased as there's no playground time and no PE. There's also full coverage video of every hallway and nook and cranny, and all the kids know it.

Here's hoping!

aspiesmom1 - He doesn't go to high school until September 2007, but we need to know in June this year to make sure that all is being done at the school he's going to. We have a group called the Autism Outreach Team here and they make quite a few visits to the school and then take the child on visits too. That's why they need to know quite early on. I just want to make the best choice for him and it's really worrying.

Balto - I didn't mean to downplay your concern for your child. I guess it's just confusing when the school systems are sooo different.

You know your child best, and so probably are the better judge of which school would be a better fit. My son has auditory sensory issues, so for him probably the smaller school would work better. But you have to weigh what's important for you and your child vs. what the two schools offer differently.

It certainly sounds like the schools are on the ball, with teams and people helping to guide the way. I have had to ask (sometimes demand) for many things I'd consider basic for a kid on the spectrum.

aspiesmom1 - no problem. I never really thought about which school he'd be going to, just took it for granted that he was going to the same as nearly all the other children go to. We have now found out that they don't cater a lot for special needs children and the other smaller school is brilliant. So think that's made our minds up, but just worried how my son will take it because he won't be going to the same school as all his classmates, but with us having over 12 months to explain it to him and him having visits, we hope he'll accept it better.

around here, when my students are beginning to transition to our school ( or even just thinking about it), the parents/guardians, caseworker , and students are encouraged to visit our school....they visit a variety of classrooms, meet students, and talk to staff and students.........can you do any of this at the proposed selections ?

when we were looking at schools for my son, we got to go on visits without our son first....just to see if it was someplace that we thought would be appropriate for him~for some people, this is easier ~the plus side is that we came home with knowledge of what the school looked like and how the program ran, so we could share that info with son before he even set foot in the door.