Sevick School

"For the Special Education Department: I had left a good review on here and had thought my child was safe and in a good environment. TLDR: Lack of training, illegal restraining, inappropriate aggression towards students, and lies! The fact that we had the wool pulled over our eyes about how much therapy our child should have been getting makes me angry enough. They did the absolute minimal for her conditions and a case manager at SD Regional Center just started telling us how wrong it is that they did not provide at least twice as much. We fought for more several times a year and they politely turned us down every time saying things about funding and that we need to look elsewhere. One day I was watching my child walk to class and saw a man I never saw before say hello and call my child's name. They knew each other (My child wouldn't be comfortable around a someone new). I described him to the teacher and we were told it's the "massage therapist".....We weren't told about this nor given any chance to give consent for this stranger to be literally giving full body massages to our child. I was shocked. But that was one of the least shocking things looking back and putting pieces together. I witnessed abuse of a child when I was ALLOWED to be at the classroom, I just didn't know what to say or do I was so shocked. All I could think was teachers whip kids in other states so maybe here they are allowed to angrily grab a student's face here. The teacher did seem to be embarrassed. I wish I had spoke up when the same teacher grabbed my child's face aggressively to get the child to look at the teacher's direction. I felt like I didn't know what it took and it's a hard job etc. Maybe she didn't grab as hard as it looked. I WAS worried about my child but he hadn't YET come home with frequent bruising or anything of the like. He started to come home with red marks and bruises and open wounds that the teacher couldn't specify how they came to be "Oh you know kids- it happened on the playground" etc. An aide slipped and admitted they used the therapy chairs (to help the physically disabled sit right), to restrain children who weren't "behaving". They slipped that our child "rarely" needs that. But had never told us that he was restrained as we had specifically told them he was not to be! I doubt a letter from me would have helped, I feel they just would have kept it a secret. They constantly let one kid go wild throwing things at parents, students, and even biting our child. I don't know if they restrained him, never saw it. If they feel it's necessary in dangerous situations(only time it's supposed to be done) then why were they so cautious about doing it in front of the parents that were there??? My child was sent home with other children's work at least 6 times in one year, the teacher consistently had my child MISSPELL their own name also had them do a "what's my age" activity with the wrong age. The teachers were always honest at least when I excitedly asked if my child actually took part in the work and they would mostly say no. That my child did maybe 1/6 of the work on average then they would just give up!!!! Please don't be afraid to advocate for your child, if something feels wrong speak up. I thought I was well-informed enough and anything else was just me being silly/over-protective (as the educational staff kept drilling in my head). about how to help but I was not. I was informed by these same people that were taking advantage of us and probably laughing about how gullible we were and making their jobs easier by letting them neglect to do their jobs properly!!!! I feel guilty I let my child stay there this long but I'm glad I'm finally changing that!"

"I know a class mate that went there I been there I am in special education I still remember"

"My daughter is going here(hopefully), they are very sweet and attentive. The staff is super friendly, and deal very well with special needs children, and siblings of special needs children."