About Advocates
Advocates Are Partners
Are you overwhelmed trying to navigate a complex educational process alone?
Do you feel alone at special education meetings?
Do you wish meetings were more productive?
Have you run up against obstacles while trying to work with the school?
Do you find yourself in an unusual situation?
Ever wish there was someone you could call, who you could trust to bring competent guidance?
YOU NEED AN ADVOCATE. DON’T GO ALONE!
What an Advocate Can Do
Have you gone to an IEP meeting and only discussed what programs the school wants to put your student in, but never actually thoroughly discussed your child’s needs?
Did you feel the school listened to you?
An Advocate Can
- Equip you to make informed decisions
- Help you access the services your child needs
- Help develop an educational plan
- Build productive working relationships that benefit you and your child
- Bridge the understanding of your child’s needs among adults in your child’s life
- Lessen the sense of isolation that can come with parenting a student with a learning difference or other disability
- Provide guidance regarding: referral process, eligibility, evaluations, identification, plan development, discipline, progress, extended school year, programming, implementation, and placement
Let me help!
We can work together to build a cooperative, collaborative team to develop an appropriate education plan to meet your child’s needs.
Do you find yourself turning to tears or anger at an IEP meeting?
My name is Tom Mendenhall...
I know that too many meetings end poorly as parents lose effectiveness when they become emotional or angry. They simply throw up their hands in frustration lacking awareness of their special rights as parents. My role as your Advocate is to lend objectivity and a more calm informed voice to the process. Managing any process in Special Education, especially an IEP process, is much more akin to playing chess than checkers. You are in it for the long haul and your choices and actions need to be strategic. I can help you choose the right strategies to improve your chances of success.