A few months ago my husband and I jokingly started looking at houses in Central Florida. It was a pipe dream really. His son informed us that he'd be moving out and we told him to rent our house and let us move to Florida instead. We were completely kidding of course but the idea was firmly planted in our brains and hasn't been something we could avoid going back to talking about since. Now, we are more seriously discussing the idea to the point of planning for putting our house on the market.
I am lucky enough to be in a job that allows me to work 100% from home. I can live anywhere in the country without impacting my job. I just need to have internet and a phone line and I'm good to go. That makes considering where we would want to find a house rather simple. But...
Those who remember me may also remember that I have a son on the autism spectrum. These days doctors don't diagnose the individual disorders anymore that now roll up to ASD but, if they did, he'd be diagnosed with Asperger's. He's just like any "normal" kid really. Most folks that meet him have no clue he's autistic but, he has some sensory issues, difficulty with controlling his emotions, and issues with occasional aggression. He's incredibly smart but can't function in a normal classroom setting. He needs more one-on-one attention and teachers that are trained in techniques for dealing with his aggressive meltdowns. Right now, here in NC, he is in a fantastic classroom that has a small group of students (12 max), 1 teacher and 2.5 teacher assistants. The class has made all the difference in the world in his education. I share all of this because ultimately, his needs are the most important factor in considering where we may move.
That brings me to the reason for this post. I need help from other parents out there with children that may have similar needs. I am looking for information on awesome schools with either programs for children on the spectrum or similar classroom settings for children like our son. We are looking at houses throughout Osceola, Orange and Polk County so the options are pretty wide open. The decision on where we find a home will ultimately come down to where in those counties we can find the best school/program/classroom. In speaking to the superintendents, each has assured me that all school districts have classes that accommodate children on the spectrum but none have been willing to provide any details beyond that short of starting an IEP (uhm no).
I know there are many parents here on these forums with children on the spectrum, or with similar needs. I also know there are many parents here that live in Florida. I'm hoping that there are some that fall into both categories and can tell me about what their children are enrolled in, and how they feel about the program. Understanding that very often this is something people won't want out there for the world to see, please feel free to PM me instead of replying here.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer! If anyone knows of somewhere I can find the answers I need without parents giving me the information directly, that's awesome too! Thanks again!
I am lucky enough to be in a job that allows me to work 100% from home. I can live anywhere in the country without impacting my job. I just need to have internet and a phone line and I'm good to go. That makes considering where we would want to find a house rather simple. But...
Those who remember me may also remember that I have a son on the autism spectrum. These days doctors don't diagnose the individual disorders anymore that now roll up to ASD but, if they did, he'd be diagnosed with Asperger's. He's just like any "normal" kid really. Most folks that meet him have no clue he's autistic but, he has some sensory issues, difficulty with controlling his emotions, and issues with occasional aggression. He's incredibly smart but can't function in a normal classroom setting. He needs more one-on-one attention and teachers that are trained in techniques for dealing with his aggressive meltdowns. Right now, here in NC, he is in a fantastic classroom that has a small group of students (12 max), 1 teacher and 2.5 teacher assistants. The class has made all the difference in the world in his education. I share all of this because ultimately, his needs are the most important factor in considering where we may move.
That brings me to the reason for this post. I need help from other parents out there with children that may have similar needs. I am looking for information on awesome schools with either programs for children on the spectrum or similar classroom settings for children like our son. We are looking at houses throughout Osceola, Orange and Polk County so the options are pretty wide open. The decision on where we find a home will ultimately come down to where in those counties we can find the best school/program/classroom. In speaking to the superintendents, each has assured me that all school districts have classes that accommodate children on the spectrum but none have been willing to provide any details beyond that short of starting an IEP (uhm no).
I know there are many parents here on these forums with children on the spectrum, or with similar needs. I also know there are many parents here that live in Florida. I'm hoping that there are some that fall into both categories and can tell me about what their children are enrolled in, and how they feel about the program. Understanding that very often this is something people won't want out there for the world to see, please feel free to PM me instead of replying here.
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer! If anyone knows of somewhere I can find the answers I need without parents giving me the information directly, that's awesome too! Thanks again!
