Lohud inquiries help boy stay in Ossining district

PUTNAM VALLEY – Michael Rivera had finally made a friend after his home school district, Putnam Valley, placed him in Ossining's Claremont Elementary School for his special-education program.

Fifth grade at Claremont had been his happiest academic year. For the first time in his life, Michael — who is 11 and nonverbal — had play dates.

"We actually cried. When you are parents of autistic children, you really don't have too many milestones," said Michael's father, Joe Rivera. "He was communicating with a child. They'd smile, hold hands. That was a big progress."

But on Tuesday, Rivera was informed by Ossining schools Superintendent Ray Sanchez that the district could not accommodate Michael at Anne M. Dorner Middle School for sixth grade. Specifically, he was told, Ossining couldn't meet Michael's medical needs.

Michael's parents had decided earlier to send him to Eastchester, twice as far away, for middle school, worried about how the boy would fare in Ossining.

But they'd changed their minds in June, he said, after touring Ossining's middle school special-education program. And, after all, Michael had his only friend there.

The hangup? An air conditioner.

Michael, who suffers heat-induced seizures, is required to be in an air-conditioned classroom. When he suffered a seizure in fourth grade, Ossining installed an air conditioning unit in his classroom. But the district told the Riveras it couldn't do that at Dorner.

"We were told that it was very old building and that it was not possible to install an AC unit, and Mr. Sanchez said he had to respect the opinion of the director of building facilities and the director of special education," said Rivera.

Rivera said Putnam Valley had offered to pay for Ossining's air conditioning unit back in June.

When The Journal News contacted Sanchez on Thursday, he said the student had already been placed at Eastchester.

But a round of discussions between the Ossining and Putnam Valley districts ensued and, on Friday morning, an outside spokeswoman for the Ossining district contacted the newspaper to say that Putnam Valley had agreed to pay for the air conditioning.

"As per Ray Sanchez, Ossining Superintendent, it was only agreed upon last night (July 31) that Putnam would pay for a roof unit costing about $10,000. Prior to last night, Putnam had agreed to pay for a window or standalone unit, which doesn't compare in cost whatsoever!" spokeswoman Dierdre Gilligan wrote via email.

Putnam Valley officials had a different take.

"We were never given that option — to install a roof unit," said Natalie Doherty, director of special education.

"Once Putnam Valley was given the most reasonable option to provide air conditioning as required to the classroom, we have been diligent in working with Ossining in order to come to an agreement with regard to the work that needs to be done," wrote Putnam Valley Superintendent Frances Wills,.

Rivera, a retired New York City police officer, says the episode illustrates the difficulties parents of students with special needs face every day.

"They turned my son away. I wish I had the means to bring legal action," he said. "The only reason they took action was because I brought this to light and they were afraid of bad publicity."

Twitter: @SwapnaVenugopal