I got a very nice, homey letter from Karla Bollesen, Director of Special Education services letting me know the district was going to end the IEP evaluation process as we decided to un-enroll the kids from the Rochester Public Schools - Independent School District #535,

Once again, it was the parents who initiated the stopping of the IEP process when Karl Bakken, #2 under Mrs. Bollesen asked very rudely if we wanted it killed.
I told him in a very deliberate and stern voice, "Shut it all down", as I didn't want any future involvement with the school district beyond the minimum required reporting requirements by state law for homeschoolers.  

Attitudes foremost remain the same, and that is well most likely, our kids will never return to this local school system.

Both me and my wife are tapping into technological resources and putting our kids in a educational environment, unlike common core, that isn't stressing out the teachers or the kids.
We are making learning fun, and they are loving it.

And with our severely disabled child, the local school district did choose to openly ignore the McKinney-Vento Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

An incident where Carl Black, a Supervisor for Transportation of Rochester Schools, above Mona, a tier 2 person  (Supervisor maybe?) at the school's transportation # refused to drop of my child at the Baldwin Building downtown as I had to be at the medical appointment for my daughter to re-establish care to get a medical summary we had agreed to provide for our daughter's IEP evaluation process.

(We have dealt with a Cindy who works at transportation, also a tier 2 supervisor, and have never had any problems with getting transportation or a re-direct as how the transportation element is supposed to be applied via the Vento Act. She is professional to a tee; the Mona person, not so much!)

I had to call the Superintendent's office at the Baldwin, extremely frustrated and shaking as Mr. Black had basically threatened to take my kid to our home address. Then after 5 minutes take him back to the Phoenix Academy, were there would be no one to supervise him, and he would be left there alone.

This puts his life and safety in danger automatically.

He then threatened me over the phone stating that we, the parents would have to find our own way out to the Phoenix Academy to pick him up, knowing we currently do not have a vehicle and both of us have a bad leg that is part of our disabled status.

Luckily, the secretary called me back even though I was threatened once again that they can't do this ever again.

I did appreciate the gesture, but under the Vento Act, they had to and just chose not to.

And in larger and smaller districts like the MSD of Lawrence and Minneapolis Public Schools, such requests were no big deal as these school districts understand these unique situation happen and in my honest opinion, the districts, in regards to disabled children, "have their shit together!" 

The two drivers that always pick up and drop off my son were silent as they dropped off Jamie.
They know what politics are going on behind the scene and most likely didn't want to be any part of what people were doing deliberately to cause extra stress and agitation.  They both looked down like they wanted to say sorry, but they couldn't, and I wouldn't risk their jobs anyways for the war those above them were waging against parents who care.

No consideration for the McKinney-Vento Act, no considerations for my disabled son's safety or the vocal agreement at his IEP evaluation agreement that sometimes the vans dropping him off would have to be re-directed due to other family members' medical issues and a tight window for meeting the other kids off their buses and the hotel shuttles, 9 am to 2:30 pm. 

That was the day of Thursday, November the 14th. I pulled the kids out of school on the 15th, the following Friday, the next day as I had had enough, and I was tired of the mind games and school leadership using my kids as a pawns against me and my wife.

I couldn't be 2 places at one time. I have to push my disabled wife that has a wheelchair and is forced to use it during cold weather thanks to an accident years ago were she missed a step in a darkened corridor and crushed her entire ankle.  Her leg is full of screws and pins, about 250K in surgeries, therapy, medical equipment and doctor visits.

I then had to be at this appointment re-establishing care for my daughter as we both go to our kids' appointments so nothing is left out, and so I got the medical summary for the IEP evaluation.

Did Mr. Black expect my 9 year old daughter to push my wife's wheelchair around hilly downtown Rochester by herself perhaps?  Can he give me a physics-based answer how one can be two places at one time?

This is the unfair harassment we dealt with constantly. 

They are so tight-assed and rigid about conformity that a simple request to re-direct a van, saving the school and transportation van company money couldn't happen, even though it was a shorter distance and school leadership said "re-directing a van should be no problem" at previous meetings.
 
Driving a pinch under a mile and a half 14-16 blocks versus 38 blocks, a little over 3 miles.

I appreciate the kind gesture, but unless I get something in writing that the harassment-based crap will stop, and people will start following the various laws and acts in place, it will be a cold day in Hell before we ever go back to that nightmare.

I cannot as a parent who loves my children and who cares about their well being, purposely out them in the care of someone who doesn't care about their safety as much as or more than me.

So in closing, thank you, Mrs. Bollesen for the very professional, yet once again, a letter that lacked facts, and I respectively decline your invitation to come back to the Rochester School Corporation.

Our kids love the engaging, encouraging, and loose learning environment that you cannot come even close to offering them.  "Common Core" and "No Child Left Behind" (All Children Left Behind) guarantees you'll never be able to, unfortunately.

Thanks, good day, and I have said all that is needed to be said on this subject...  
 

As I stated in my reply email below I screen capped, more mind games and stupidity run rampant are in play at my daughters old school Bamber Valley Elementary, part of:

Rochester Public Schools - Independent School District #535!.

I'm beyond happy and glad that we chose to take the homeschool route now. 

Either this is another mistake or a boneheaded, malicious, mind game designed by get at us.

We both are once again laughing, enjoying another glaring example of the horrible culture of ignorance at the leadership level and another communications break down... 

This was an another deliberate swipe and poorly attempted personal attack involving an over glorified librarian that isn't in the know regarding the situation that transpired Friday at the home base of the Rochester School Crime family leadership, the Edison Building.

A simple prior arrangement that that was in place was made with no problems.
They would find our daughters coat and bring any personal effects that was in my teen sons locker who went to Mayo to the Homeschooling head, we would at pick up, drop off any school materials we had still.

Open communication is a nightmare here and with the use of cell phones, I pads and email systems, the head here often has no clue what the as is doing.

Once again, who with a brain would want their kids in this district?


Update: My wife replied with a strong and terse worded email reply explaining this has been taken care of and like many things happening in the school district, is beyond her pay grade.

And in the email, it seems my wife was quoted retail cost of replacing the books.
Schools are not taxed entities and often receive volume and educator's discounts when buying materials as they purchase so much in bulk.

Ouch, that whole "Knowledge is Power" thing stings sometimes...

I look at Rochester Public Schools - Independent School District #535, Superintendent Michael Munoz's Twitter feed and it is laughably bad.

This is the Twitter feed of a strong, proven leader or a business professional?

It looks like some of the very bad feeds I have seen in searches ran by teens or people with no business or leadership backgrounds.

There is no discussions or tweets on core educational issues, nothing stressing or talking about problems, just pure public relations based garbage.

I mean, it almost seems like the guy is trying to be cool or relevant with kids in the district instead of showing that strong, leadership example and supposed skill set he was brought in to put on display.
I'm pretty sure he wasn't paid and vetted to be the best friend to students and teachers, but to lead them and right now, I just don't see it.

Someone, please get this guy either a Twitter or Social Networking Guide for Dummies and maybe lets see some of the promised leadership initiatives and great dynamic changes, your promised to bring about when you signed on.
The community is still waiting. 2 years have come and gone and nothing amazing has happened as of yet?

All I see from my vantage point is a lot of "smoke and mirrors" and no substance at this point.

And from my personal dealings with Michael Munoz through a illegal and criminal letter he and Brenda Lewis sent, violating two parent's civil rights, most specifically, the rights to free expression, he is that atypical angry Hispanic leader, that imposes his hardcore overzealous Catholic views and authoritarian, anal conformist views, that school figures are 100% right on anyone who speaks out against him or offers an opposing view point.

(Search this blog, complete downloadable scans from my Dropbox account are available!)

Trust me when I say, he is not a great communicator, is not well liked as this horrible p.r. piece would leave you to believe and is not the dynamic visionary leader this joke of a biographical description makes him out to be:
     

Mr. Michael Muñoz started his tenure as Superintendent of Rochester Public Schools on Friday, July 1, 2011. Mr. Muñoz comes to Rochester from Des Moines, Iowa, where he most recently was the Chief Academic Officer of Des Moines Public Schools, a diverse district of 32,000 students. Board members and supervisors describe Mr. Muñoz as having extensive knowledge of all academic programs and services, as an advocate to high achievement for all, as an excellent communicator, and as a visionary leader. He engages the community, is collaborative in his work, and is highly respected by his staff as a productive and positive leader.

Prior to his appointment as Chief Academic Officer, Mr. Muñoz served as regional executive director for the Northeast Region of Des Moines Public Schools. Mr. Muñoz's other work experiences include classroom teaching at both the middle school and high school levels, elementary and secondary school counselor, and principal at the elementary and middle school levels. In his time at Des Moines Public Schools, Muñoz has focused on increasing graduation rates, college enrollment, and the number of students on track to graduate college-ready. In his 32 years in education, Mr. Muñoz has been a strong supporter and facilitator of partnerships between schools, businesses, and the community.

Born and raised in Lexington, Nebraska, Mr. Muñoz earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education from the University of Nebraska, a master's degree in Developmental Counseling and administrative degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and a specialist degree from Iowa State University.

They actual engage in cover-ups, well choreographed attacks on anyone who questions a mistake and they use a culture of silencing, harassment, threats, police abuses/ brutality through a police liaison, illegal letters that ban federally protected rights and other malicious, Goon or Mob family like tactics.