One of the questions we hear most from parents is, “Can you help us with the school system?” We’re glad to say that the answer is a resounding yes! In fact, it’s one of our favorite aspects of our organization. Why? Because we believe that changes in the community start here.

What will we do?

On your request, we will attend your child’s IEP with you. We’ll be there to support you and to provide you with the knowledge of the laws and established precedents to help move your child’s education forward. We will be as much a part of the discussion as you want us to be, but the ultimate decisions will, of course, be yours.

What won’t we do?

We won’t be there to intimidate or threaten. We’re all part of a team – a team whose sole purpose is to provide your child with the best possible education in the best possible environment. Our largest concern is choice, as stated in our vision statement, and we want to make sure you’re aware of all the choices available to you. By working together with the school, we’re often able to come up with solutions that haven’t previously been considered.

What do we need from you?

In a word, information. The more we have, the better prepared we’ll be at the table. In fact, we want you to ask for information you may not have even been aware was out there. The first step in doing this is to generate a letter requesting this information from your school. By clicking the link labeled First Letter at the bottom of this page, you will be asked for some information about your child and his or her school. After you have provided this information, a letter will be generated for you to print and HAND DELIVER to your school’s principal. You need to also print a copy for your records, on which you should note the time, the date, and to whom you delivered the letter.

The school will send you the information we need concerning your child’s situation and the date of his or her IEP. We’ll contact you shortly to confirm and talk further about what to expect thereafter.

What does it cost?

We provide this service free of charge to any child in need of it, regardless of whether you are a Henderson Haven client or not. It’s just that important to us. However, if you are pleased with our help and would like to make a donation to help keep this service available to others, you may do so by clicking the CHARITY link on the left-hand side of the page. Thank you in advance for your support.

We also need you to keep in mind that, while we will make every effort to attend your child’s IEP, there are times when conflicting schedules prevent it. In these cases, we will use the information you provided to arm you with the facts you’ll need to make a case for the changes you want.

Please complete the form below to request our assistance or, if you have questions or issues specific to our advocacy program, send us an email.