4 Pokanoket Trl
Warren, RI 02885

(Continued again) Well I'll just try and finish this up. Anyway, as if that wasn't bad enough, it was time for me to go to lunch as it was 10:41 and I had English next and 1st floor D wing usually has first lunch... And guess what? I wasn't even allowed to go to much because one of the teachers said I had to go back to the Alternative Learning Program room as I was enrolled in that program to be rewarded for doing what I was supposed to do but even then I really didn't receive many rewards for doing exactly that and when I tried to get away, he blocked the door on me, of course! So now I get punished for trying to follow my routine? Give me a break! So basically, from my view, the staff in this school cares nothing for you if you have an I.E.P and just seems to throw common sense out the window when dealing with these types of ordeals... Thank god for homeschooling!

The school unfortunately just doesn't have an appropriate program for children with LD issues. The SLP services are not integrated into the classroom and the sizing of least restrictive classes / mixed classes are far too large. Compounding this is the administrations dismissive attitudes toward finding better ways to teach or improve services for LD kids. They generalize services and complain at IEP meetings that they are 'only a public school' . However, in most cases placement at this school does not meet FAPE standards for LD kids and the district has done little to enable children or parents to improve access to basic education and needed therapy services. instead aids are put in classes for children with severe behavioral issues. I view this as firefighting while the issues for LD kids continue to exponentially grow throughout their entire academic career. Parents are faced with the choice of accepting inappropriate services or paying for a private placement or worse a settlement for FAPE. Basic improvements in teaching how LD kids learn as well as social, speech and sensory therapies are urgently needed in order to improve this school and district.

The school is amazing, the staff is dedicated and nurturing to a degree. The administration has changed, and it has changed the climate quite a bit. Mr. Carbone was an awesome leader, kept everyone happy. Mrs. Hayes and Mrs. Homen are quite a bit more aggressive and keep a keen eye on each and every teacher. It has changed the climate, making teachers more accountable, but also not as happy. Change is difficult, and I think the staff are taking deep breaths and trying their hardest to cope with the added struggles. All in all, kids are number 1, and they are trying to teach responsibility, so if you forget your book or your homework frequently, yes, their are consequences, and I think that is a great thing!!