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  • [-]DO NOT use Regina Skyer (attorney). Her work is sloppy, her firm is unresponsive and she almost screwed up our case beyond repair. If you are looking to file for pendency to maintain your special needs child's service coverage from the board of ed look elsewhere.

    6 replies [ Reply | Watch | More
    08.05.10, 07:17 AM Flag ]
    • really? so many people rave about her work (im at special needs school too)

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      08.05.10, 07:25 AM Flag
      • I know - why do you think I went to her in the first place? What a disappointment! I am really surprised at the qualtiy of her work. Maybe she used to be good but she seems really distracted now and did some errors a secretary or paralegal could easily have fixed. Even when I pointed them out she just got defensive and told us to leave.

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        08.05.10, 07:40 AM Flag
        • I disagree, although I used her associate Greg C. He attended meetings with me and we got a NYS approved nonpublic totally funded.

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          08.05.10, 04:34 PM Flag
    • what about rosenberg?

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      08.05.10, 08:18 AM Flag
      • I heard he has so many clients it is like a mill. Which is more or less my complaint about Skyer - she was using a "boiler plate" and left details from some other kid's case in our filing - rendering ours obsolete.

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        08.05.10, 08:31 AM Flag
    • I second that. Do not use her. She charged me a $450.00 consultation fee and recommended that I pursue a school that she told me was an ABA school for my autistic son and when I went to the DOE and told them that I wanted to transfer my son to this school the DOE told me that it was not an ABA school. I told Regina and she said she was surprised. She is a child advocacy lawyer in NYC and she should know which schools are ABA and provide ABA therapy and which ones do not. I am filing a complaint against her with the BAR association. You should do the same. Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Department 61 Broadway, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10006 (212) 401-0800

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      08.20.10, 07:50 AM Flag
  • [-]Coming to terms with the idea of my son needing special ed and feeling really bad about it. he was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Anyone else been there done that? How did it turn out for you? TIA.

    14 replies [ Reply | Watch | More
    08.12.10, 07:27 AM Flag ]
    • Yes, SN schools and the related therapies did my child a world of good. How old is your child? Putting your child in the right environnent can be such a catalyst for good things. Do not fear the label. Do what is right for your child.

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      08.12.10, 07:29 AM Flag
      • Also check out the SN board of youbemom. Very active supportive place. Lots on BTDT types.

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        08.12.10, 07:30 AM Flag
        • I will check out that board. Thank you, I was looking for a board! I am in the process of filing for pendency, and just getting so frustrated. Why am I bucking the system if in fact he really needs something more, which he can get in a special ed setting...it just feels so sad to let my dreams and hopes for him go.

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          08.12.10, 07:49 AM Flag
    • Not BTDT, but have dc with SN. The best thing you can do for yourself and ds is to accept that he needs therapy (LOSE the term "special ed") and then work hard with those therapies to get the best out of him. The earlier the better, but anytime is better than never. Sure, this is not what you wanted, hoped for, etc., but it is what it is. Also remember the spectrum is WIDE.

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      08.12.10, 08:06 AM Flag
    • I might suggest you get more than one diagnosis. We've been told our son had sensory integration disorder, possible autism, audio processing disorder. We've finally settled on language processing disorder. This last one makes sense to us. I'm not suggesting your specialist doesn't know their stuff, but specialists tend to diagnosis many kids according to their specialty.

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      08.12.10, 08:18 AM Flag
      • Thanks. We took him to a pretty good psychiatrist and we did get at least 3 opinions. For me the ASD makes the most sense. Sensory Integration Disorder seems like a tamping-down term for mild autism. He is very smart but he needs things his way or a tantrum ensues. He needs constant input and structure. He's not getting that at regular school - and he's not getting help for overcoming his issues (like needing everything his way). He may also have a learning disability. He's responded well to some medication but not the whole way. He may have ADD as well.

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        08.12.10, 09:53 AM Flag
        • OR from above - Now that you have a (or a few) diagnosis, hopefully you will find he shows great response to the exercises/strategies you learn from his therapy. It doesn't remove or change the diagnosis, but you may feel less bleak about it. GL!

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          08.12.10, 10:03 AM Flag
          • Thanks. feeling so overwhelmed. Just called one special ed school and it is $85,000 a year tuition. Unbelievable.

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            08.12.10, 11:37 AM Flag
            • Are you in NYC? Unless your son is seriously autistic, why can't you stay with current school and go the IEP route? Not so much fun to deal with the DOE and administrative BS, but certainly cheaper than $85K and some great therapists out there.

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              08.12.10, 12:41 PM Flag
              • ^^Also, you JUST found out. Give yourself some time to process and grieve and know it is going to be day by day for a little while. And then the clouds part...

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                08.12.10, 12:41 PM Flag
              • ^^Not to mention he could have a SEIT (someone assigned to accompany him throughout the day to smooth things out) or since he is bright be put in a CT class (mixed class of typically developing and bright SN kids). Another public school program for bright spectrum kids is called NEST.

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                08.12.10, 12:44 PM Flag
                • NEST rejected us, and I am filing for pendency now through DOE. But past age 5, he can't keep the SEIT. SO we have to consider special ed. But yes, would definitely sue to get DOE pay for his special ed. But I can't pay $85k upfront.

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                  08.12.10, 12:59 PM Flag
                  • Sorry I wasn't more helpful. These are things I've just heard about and I didn't know where you were in the process. You sound well informed and like a fighter. Your dc is lucky to have you :)

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                    08.12.10, 01:11 PM Flag
                    • Thanks. I am trying. If he needs something extra - I would much rather do it now, than have to pull him out of mainstream school down the line.

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                      08.13.10, 07:23 AM Flag
  • [-]What are the differences between Churchill, Stephen Gaynor and Gateway? TIA

    2 replies [ Reply | Watch | More
    08.12.10, 11:25 AM Flag ]
    • churchhill focus is LDs, Gaynor - language based learning disabilites, Gateway wider range of issues including some kids I know there with autism (but Gateway never says it takes such kids). Churchill goes through elem and is a non-public funded school,whcih means in many cases DOE pays full tution - no suing needed. Gateway is a funded non-public thru 5th grade. It has a new non-funded middle school. Gaynor non funded and Ithink goes through 8th. This all said many people apply to all three schools.

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      08.12.10, 11:29 AM Flag
      • Thanks. How can you end up funded at Churchill without suing? This is all new to me.

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        08.12.10, 11:43 AM Flag
  • [-]Anyone do any therapy at Happy Hour 4 Kids? Thoughts? TIA

    13 replies [ Reply | Watch | More
    01.23.08, 09:13 AM Flag ]
    • yes, btdt. waste of cash

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      01.23.08, 09:13 AM Flag
      • NP: why?

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        01.23.08, 09:23 AM Flag
        • OP: They take CPSE. Thinking of going there for OT

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          01.23.08, 09:26 AM Flag
        • Did nothing. In fact, dc pickd up more bad habits. Spent tons of $ on this place. sorry to say.

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          01.23.08, 09:37 AM Flag
          • ^^^What therapy services did your dc get there that you did not think helped?

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            01.23.08, 09:42 AM Flag
      • Are you referring to OT or social skills classes?

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        01.23.08, 10:16 AM Flag
    • My dc did great at Happy Hour.

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      01.23.08, 10:14 AM Flag
    • it cost a lot of money, our dc didn't benefit, but the group may have been too large at the time

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      01.23.08, 10:45 AM Flag
      • how many in your dc's group?

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        01.23.08, 11:19 AM Flag
        • the social class is a mix bag and also, np here, waste of money

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          01.23.08, 11:28 AM Flag
    • dc gets ot, pt, and st there. so far we are very happy--much happier than at previous sensory gym. have no experience with the social skills classes there

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      01.23.08, 11:51 AM Flag
    • Social skills class is good. But more for high functioning kids.

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      06.03.10, 08:40 PM Flag
    • ugh.. what a terrible place, not professional at all.

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      08.06.10, 09:41 PM Flag
  • [-]Could anybody provide a recommendation for an attorney to advocate for special ed private school funding in Manhattan. TIA

    3 replies [ Reply | Watch | More
    • Advocates for Children are experts on special education and successfully sued the DOE several years ago re: providing educational parity for special education services in private school settings. Google them. They should easy to find.

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      11.24.09, 04:12 PM Flag
    • Regina Skyer, Lauren Baum, Gary Mayerson, Neal Rosenberg are the top names in NY.

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      11.24.09, 04:13 PM Flag
      • Regina Skyer has seen her day. She was way too lax in our case and made several careless errors, which, when pointed out to her she still overlooked and ended up filing faulty documents. She gave me a lot of headache I did not need and I hear I am not the only one with this experience. I heard Rosenberg's firm is a mill and not a lot of individual attention. Don't know Lauren Baum or Mayerson. Heard Joanne Simon or Susan Lugar may be good.

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        08.05.10, 07:22 AM Flag
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