High School and 504

[vampirefan]

Hi,

I live in a small school district so while I am in the 7th grade, it is part of the High school.

Anyway, my "notes" started last year when I was still in elementary school, and there wasn't a problem at ALL.

This year, before I started 7th, I had a few more notes from Dr. Keitz. I had one for Unlimited bathroom breaks (which I had before because I have IBS and other stuff) one for having extra time to do assignments (due to my hands), and one for self-limiting in Gym.

Within about a month, he also wanted to send a note to let me keep a set of books at home so that I wouldn't have to carry the big textbooks everywhere. Especially after I fell down the stairs. :blink:

This was like a big thing. My mom had to bug the school constantly until finally they decided on the 504...which took till November!:hmmm

Then, of course, the 1/2 year classes ended a few weeks ago and I got a new health class, an Art class and a Computer class to replace what i had done the first two marking periods. Again, my mom had to call because one of my teachers said we got one bathroom break a week.

Does anyone else have to deal with this all the time??????:sad

Its embarrassing. Not only do I not want to have special treatment, but it can never be easy, you know?

[SophieeBabessxo]

I also now get extra time in exams, and a break if needed. I'm now in year 10 and we have been trying to get this sorted since year 7! It bugs me because when I tell a teacher about this, they have to get back to me so they can find out what EDS actually is. But I guess that's because it is uncommon.
Hang in there, and keep trying at it (:

[vampirefan]

Thanks for understanding. My mom even had to get mad for anything to happen. I mean,how should it really be???:huh:

[SophieeBabessxo]

Personally, i think that the teachers should have more understanding about things they don't know about, or even to look into it to help their students

[vampirefan]

Actually, the teachers have been cool with it. My math teacher even told my mom he would be willing to give me less homework. Of course, my mom didn't like that idea. Its just the office that's the problem. My principal is, I don't know, very strange. And scary. Though I think he might be afraid of my mom now.

The special needs lady and the principal and the guidance counsellor are the ones who are supposed to take care of it. They don't until my mom gets really mad and yells at them and sends email. She even had to go to the superintendant (who is nice) Once the teachers know, none of them give me a problem, though some might forget at times.

Are your teachers the problem?

[SophieeBabessxo]

Some of them are, but most of them are cool with it :)

[Johnna]

Hi there, I'm Johnna and I'm 20 years old. When I was in 11th grade my counselor suggested a 504. I truly wouldn't have graduated without it.

Most of my teachers were really good about it; all but one. She was very angry that I was allowed to turn in work late, but she really had no choice, haha. Use it, don't abuse it, it's a great tool!

Remember no one knows your body better than you!

-Johnna

[SophieeBabessxo]

What is this 502?

[Johnna]

A 504 plan is a plan put in place by the federal government for disabled students.

With it I was able to:

-Use the elevator
-Have a set of textbooks for both school and home so I wouldn't hurt myself carrying them
-Be late to class by up to 5 minutes if I was having a hard time walking
-Turn in assignments as late as I needed as long as they got turned in
-Miss as many days of school as I needed without being held back

[SophieeBabessxo]

Oh awesome :)
Never even heard of it before now, thank you :)

[ReineDeLaSeine14]

I had double books, a key lock instead of a combo one, large print stuff, computer use etc etc

In public school they weren't really enforced except the book one because I was also supposed to be allowed to use calculators and have someone take notes for me.

High school was harder because I went to private and they aren't required to do 504s but for the most part I'd eventually get what I needed.

College is soooo much better though!

[xxBrittany]

I had all the same accommodations that most of you all had as well.
My principal of High School and Dean of College however, were the most supportive and helpful of helping me achieve these accommodations due to my EDS!


I highly recommend that you all get accommodations even if you don't think you'll need them, because you never know when something can come up, and it may take days for them to help you. So getting the service early might be beneficial in its own ways.

[TinyBrooke]

I've had 504s at school ever since I can remember because of my hearing loss. Up until recently, it's only been to make sure I get a good seat in class so I can see and hear well. This year, though, I received:
-a pass that gets me out of class up to 5 minutes early so I can get to my locker and my next class on time
-an elevator key
-and for most teachers, I'm allowed to type most assignments rather than write them all out.

It helps soooo much and I'm thinking about talking to my mom about maybe having a wheelchair in the nurse's office in case I need it on a bad day.
So yeah. I have lots of experience with 504s, and my teachers were willing to make these accommodations even without it.

[ReineDeLaSeine14]

That's awesome...I've had some teachers who were great and others that didn't believe I should have accommodations...it really was individual. At my Catholic high school some teachers gave me them and others didn't...they weren't required to by law b/c it was a religious school.

[xxBrittany]

That's dumb. They should have been required whether it was a religious school or not!

[AliceSpittles!xxx]

I have had the same problem waiting for my diagnosis of EDS with my previous diagnosis of HMS and tendinitis, eventually after my diagnosis I got everything sorted pretty quickly in all fairness to the school. I have one brilliant teacher who went away herself to try and understand what I was going through. She is now looking into some kind of support system for me and how she can help me through this which is amazing- wish all teachers were like her in all honesty!