I met with the principal a year ago to talk about ADD, and she herself knew little about it. The "school psychologist" is highly lacking in the congenial department, and I had a sour taste in my mouth after meeting with her. My sons (twins) score higher on standardized tests than they do on daily work usually, which is typical also of kids with higher than average IQ (not necessarily gifted even). She curtly said, "They definitely aren't gifted." and shrugged off any further conversation in that direction. <sigh>

When people in their positions aren't even that attuned to the problem, how can we expect the entire teaching staff to be? This is what I want to change. If it's something that involves more personal time than the PTO can do, maybe it's high time someone stepped up to the challenge.

Sheila

I give you a thumbs up for the idea. I have been very lucky at my school because it is so small. All of the teachers work together and know each other's students. My son has ADHD and his teacher this year worried that he wasn't active enough so we switched his medicine. It made a big difference. You may want to check with the principal or the school counselor to see if their are ways for the school to pay for it first. I believe our districts guidance department pays for things like that. Maybe find out if any of the teachers themselves have ADD or ADHD children. Our principal's 2 children had ADD and that may be why our teachers were taught so much about it. Good luck!

Has anyone's PTO done anything to see that teachers at their school are better educated and informed about the sometimes less obvious learning disabilities such as ADD-Inattentive Type, Dyslexia, and Dysgraphia?

My twin boys have ADD-IT (above), and every year I have to attend a repeat of the previous year's conferences with all new teachers to "educate" them on my children. Usually they don't even believe my boys could possibly have ADD because they are so well-behaved in class.

MISCONCEPTION #1: Not everyone with ADD is hyperactive!

I know a very small part of the college curriculum for education focuses on special needs and learning disabilities. I'd like to designate an amount from our PTO budget for 1) a guest speaker who might dispell the myths, and 2) sending one or two teachers per year to a seminar or special class on this topic.

I'm looking to make a difference for children to come - not only for my own children while they are in this school. We have enough computers (at least 7 or 8 in every classroom, 12 in the library, and 12 more in the technology room - not to mention the many networked iPads that classrooms can check out). It's past time to do something for the underdogs - the ones overlooked and swept under the carpet.

Sheila