Ilene Beth Miller, M.S. Ed.

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Introducing: Private Therapeutic School Selection

As your family liaison, I can research, vet, and tour private therapeutic schools on your behalf so you can make the right choice for your child with special needs.

As a parent, there are many situations and hurdles you must address and overcome.  Whether it be a family issue, academic issue, professional issue, or just the day-to-day goings on.  Being a parent is one of the hardest yet most important jobs one could have.  We all assume when a baby is born healthy, we are grateful and expect that the child will grow up like every other child.  However, when you notice something as a parent that is not right, Step 1 of this arduous process begins.  Not knowing all the twists and turns that life will bring to the family, it is a situation presented that MUST be addressed and addressed correctly.  There is no room for error as your child’s future depends on you and all that you do for the betterment of their life.

Placement of your child in the proper school and the proper classroom is imperative

If your child has been placed, in what you believe is an incorrect setting then you need to be proactive. You may choose to have their classroom placement/staff member changed within the school that they are currently attending or look to place them within a different district that could offer your child the appropriate fit or decide to place your child within a private school whereby the environment is the exact fit for your child for not only the academic piece but for the social and lifestyle piece as well.  I look at the situation as a puzzle that has many different pieces or facets to it.  In order for it all to work correctly, ALL the puzzle pieces MUST come together correctly and seamlessly.  If this does not occur then any strides and progression that your child may make will be at a much slower rate than what it should be.

Trying to find the one and only placement where positive outcomes are plentiful and set a standard for everything else can be daunting. The questions are endless..

  • What type of schools do I look for?

  • What should their curriculum include?

  • What is their classroom ratio?

  • What type of support do they offer?

The questions are endless but equally important.  You must have all of your questions answered and feel 100% comfortable with your decision.  If you don’t then your doubts will carry over to your child which in turn will affect their outlook, mindset, and results.

That’s why I’m excited to introduce my latest product, Private Therapeutic School Search - concierge-like assistance in researching, vetting, touring, and evaluation the perfect private therapeutic school for your child

If your public school isn’t meeting their needs and placement in a local district that might be better suited for your child is out of the question, your child’s public school might pay for your child to attend a private school that is more equipped to handle their issues. This is common in districts that are unable to offer adequate support. This means that your child can attend a local private school and you don’t have to pay a thing.

Or you might opt to forgo your local district and pay for a school yourself if you have the means.

If you are located outside the United States but in search of an appropriate school to place your child in America, I act as your family liaison in the States who can complete the school selection process virtually with you in your home country.

I have had many requests from families to assist in the selection of the perfect private school and I’m happy to announce this is now a package that can be purchased.

Wherever you place your child, ideally they will be there for many years to come as they make great strides in a supportive environment tailored to them.

Why Outsource Your Therapeutic School Selection?

  • You can stay home, without interrupting your normal routine.

  • Having personalized support and guidance can be the difference between making the right choice the first time or having to go through the process again in another year when you realize the school you selected actually isn't a good match.

  • You can save time by not traveling to the schools yourself. Be there without actually being there.

  • There are numerous perks that come with having a seasoned advocate as your voice, like asking the right questions at the right time.

There are several steps that I go through in order to find you the perfect placement for your child, no matter where you live

If the school does not match the child’s needs no matter how nice the people are, then progress will be minimal or not at all.  Being nice or having staff tell you that everything is rosy, sweet, and fantabulous does not get the job done.  You want results!!!  Clearly, you want the individuals who are working with your child to be nice and caring and feel as though they are invested in your child’s progress however, you DO NOT want someone to sugarcoat things and not tell you the way they really are.  Honestly, this will only help them as well as yourselves to work on what is necessary while continually encouraging the details that have been mastered.

Research

A great deal is given to this first step as it is what builds and creates the necessary school to educate, empower, and support your child.  After speaking with you in depth in regard to your child during an Open Opportunity Session, I will research and compile a proper list of therapeutic schools that are specific to your child’s needs.

Once you have read through and gone over my list, YOU decide which schools would be the most appropriate for your child, with my assistance.  Many things need to be considered including proximity.

One of the most important questions you need to ask yourselves is if you want your child to attend a school that offers a day program only or if you would like them to attend a school where they are further from home and board at the school.  Once the list has been narrowed down, I contact the schools directly to set up a day and time for a tour.  These tours that I schedule are one-on-one with either the Director/Clinical Staff or Head of Admissions.  In some cases, it can be all of these individuals.  I do not tour schools with other individuals (parents) as I require all the attention to be on my inquiries and my interests on behalf of your child.

Personal Tour

With permission from the school, I will conference you in to see the school firsthand.  I also speak with admissions and clinical personnel on your behalf so I am able to ask questions that are pertinent to your child.  I also request prior to the tour that I would like to meet with staff, therapists, classroom teachers, and more. 

By doing this and speaking with these people, it gives me as well as yourself a sense of what the academic and social life on campus is.  My position within this is not only being your liaison but also advocating for what your child needs and asking the tough questions directly before a decision is made.  The last thing that you want is to choose the wrong school for your child and have to change at some point because the school is not the “right fit" for your child and family. 

As you know, change is very difficult for children with special needs in so far as becoming a detriment to their progress.  Change in many instances can cause a child to regress, which no one wants especially the child.  This disruption can cause greater frustration, anxiety, and additional behavioral problems or the beginning of some.

Photos and video

Within each school, I will take photos and videos of the school.  Again, this is pending approval from the school.  My main reason for doing this is so you can get an inside look at some of the classrooms, study areas, library, gym, amenities, and more.

Evaluation

Once the tour is completed, I sit down and evaluate how well the child’s needs would be met at each school.  I provide a formal evaluation of my professional opinion.  I include a list of pros and cons along with recommendations so you can move forward and make the decision as to when and if you would like to apply to this academic setting.  

Prep for admissions

After discussing all the pertinent information, the next step would be to prepare for the admissions process.  This is a very important part that needs to be discussed when touring the school as it is imperative you know what is expected and what the school is requesting within what timeline.

Although all support services are extremely important, school placement is paramount!

Having your child placed in a school and or classroom that is not appropriate and does not offer the least restrictive environment in order for them to learn at their optimal level is wasting everyone’s time, especially your child's.  Don’t you get tired of having to contact the school, the teacher, the therapist, etc. because there are problems, things are not working, your child is not learning, your child is being bullied and nothing is being done about it, etc.?  You know the drill.  YOU are the only one who can change all of that. 

Don’t waste another moment of your child’s future with all this nonsense.  Make every moment count with a perpetual wheel of progress.  Don’t let the schools take advantage of you and your family. 

Don’t let the schools tell you what they think you want to hear. 

Don’t let the schools continue to waste your time.  Time is a very valuable commodity and for those who do not respect one’s time, then they have no respect for people. 

Why would you want to spend another moment trying to convince the school and staff what your child needs when they blatantly don’t care? 

How many times are you going to allow the school and staff to have you be on that wheel going to nowhere?  You keep moving but nothing is changing for the better or for that matter, changing at all.  Your child deserves the world and you are the only one who can give it to them. 

Your child did not ask to be born with these difficulties. As a parent, it is your job to be there and come through for them

Unfortunately, the school and staff can be that weak and/or broken piece of the puzzle that is responsible for the whole puzzle disintegrating with no opportunity to become whole.  Why give them that power over you and your child?

Be proactive.  Your child is counting on you!

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