Any POTS high school kids doing school on-line?

[HoldOnToHope]

Just curious to know if there are any POTS teens taking on-line classes and what your experience has been. Have you had good support from your schools? Did your school have problems accepting credits from outside your school district's on-line program? Did they allow you to be a part-time student attending a couple classes per day AND take on-line classes at the same time? Thanks!

[faithinspires]

My daughter did not have alot of support with the school system where we live in accomodating her in her condition at the time of her diagnosis. Eventually, she became too ill to attend school even part-time. The schools are to accomodate children with this condition, just as they do children with any other disability. Most will work with you, the doctors and come up with a plan, even if it is a part-time attendance option. As for my daughter, we withdrew her from school to homeschool. She is homeschooling through: American School 2200 East 170th St, Lansing, IL 60438. (708) 418-2800. They except monthly payments for tuition. They send her her books, she does the work at home and sends in her tests to be graded. She will receive a normal highschool diploma. The credits are accepted at Colleges. Course may also be done online. After much searching I found them on the web. They have been a blessing for her, easy to work with, accredited, allowing her to work at her own pace. She is getting all A's. We are pleased she is able to receive a normal diploma and that the credits are accepted at college's. You can request an application/information packet on the web or by calling the above phone number.

[faithinspires]

http://www.connectionsacademy.com/state/home.asp?sid=wi

This academy is based in WI and throughout many other states. I stumbled across this one recently, and they sound wonderful.

Aside from homeschooling my highschool student with NCS/POTS, last year I homeschooled my middle school child. For her I purchased a curriculumn and graded and kept records myself.

She is back at school this year, but had we decided to do it again this year, we would have looked into connections academy.

With having had to search for homeshooling options whether an on or offline curriculumn and the necessary legal process to do so (which turned out to be very simple...one form.) I have a wealth of information on the subject. So if there are any other ways I could be of help, please let me know.

[PattiL]

HI,

When my daughter became ill in her sophomore year, her school was fabulous. I contacted her counselor immediately when she first became ill, even b/f we knew she had POTS. They worked with me from day one. She started feeling ill in October 2001after a bout of broncitis and never returned her entire sophomore year. The school was the one that suggested using American School for correspondence classes. There were only so many credits per year she was allowed to take through them---I'm sorry but I can't remember how many. She didn't feel well enough at all to have any tutoring or correspondence classes until about Feb. 2002. She then had a tutor come to the house (school paid for in its entirety)--we paid for any American School classes she took. In her junior and senior years of high school she went to our local community college part time and took classes thru American School. She received high school and college credits at the same time (all paid by the school district including books). She is now in college staying at the dorm and is doing much better, although still has her bad days AND she can't wait for the COLD weather!! There is another forum that deals alot with school-age children that have POTS, fibro, CFS that might be helpful to you also: it's www.pediatricnetwork.org. You can e-mail if you have any other questions also, I'd be glad to help with what I can.

Take Care, Patti

[melly4]

Hi. I homeschool my 13-yr-old who suffers with the autonomic dysfunction crud along with me. I have never tried to work with the local public school system, here in GA or when I lived in SC. In SC, there was once a big stink about homeschoolers not being allowed to utilize public school resources that OUR tax money used to go to, but I think some laws changed that. In SC and GA, if you follow the legal guidelines for homeschooling, they spell out specifically how to get your teen high school credits. In both states, the homeschoolers and approved correspondence school teens get the same high school credits and diplomas as other kids.

If you are unsure or have had problems in your local school district or state, I highly recommend visiting the HSLDA website (Homeschool Legal Defense Association). They have specific, up-to-date legal information for each state regarding non-traditional schooling. I think their website is www.hslda.org. If you join their organization (there's an annual fee) and you find yourself needing legal help regarding your child's education in your state, they will send one of their lawyers to represent you at no charge.

Melly

[Marie]

WI Mom,

I am a special ed. teacher in Wisconsin. If your child qualifies for special education under Other Health Impairment and her disability prevents her from going to school, she is serviced through special education. Students are provided an education at home by a teacher the district hires. I have also had students go to school for half days or just a few hours, then be taught at home also. We have also had a student video linked to one of our classes. If they say they cannot provide the elective classes at home, could she make it through the elective classes at school and do the rest at home? To get her evaluated for special education (if you haven't already), you need to contact the school's guidance counselor and ask for an evaluation for special education in the area of Other Health Impairment. When they give you the Parent Rights information, there is a number on it you can call to have an advocate go with you to the meeting. They have 60 days to do the evaluation after the form is filled out. Also, it is of benefit to have her serviced through special ed. through high school because if she is accepted by a federally funded university and informs them of her disability, the university provides free academic assistance. As of now, teachers charge about $30 - $50 an hour for tutoring. She will be able to access a resource center for free. I hope this helps.

Marie

[Aprilmarie52]

I dont know if you are a member, but alot of the kids that belong to dyna do online school. The website is dynakids.org. It is a site for kids and their parents.

[BallroomA]

I completed high school through Clonlara (located in Ann Arbor, Michigan) they are amazing, and Compu-High which was the first ever on-line high school. I graduated early had an easy transition to college and absolutly loved it. Send me a private message if you would like more information

ballrooma