This year Chloe was promoted to middle school. Well the one in my town looks pretty bleak. The wife had been a aid there last year and said it is really just maintenance keeping the kids from burning the place down or eating the pencils. And believe it or not. The private schools really dont have the resources for special needs.
We stumbled into a school one town over, in the same county. The school itself does not have a good reputation. But they had started an autism specific program two years back. We were hearing a lot of good things about the program and were even advised (on the dl) to check it out by some of the local school people.
We did and we liked. The teacher is a dynamic little subcompact model high energy and excited about her job. Even the principal had an amazing amount of working knowledge about Autism. So we press forward and do the thing needed to get the transfer complete.
She started yesterday. The driver who transports is an older guy and a local good dude. His family name is one that I was already familiar with. The aid they chose to ride back and forth is the same aid Chloe has had for the last couple of years. Her and Chloe are buds so things keep getting better with this deal. Door to door service.
We have always had special meeting with the P.E. instructors because even though she wont like the gym or crowds. We feel it is especially important for her to burn some energy. And even more important in the winter months when we have less options. Well her new P.E. instructor is a lady who has had much experience as a special need teacher and therapist.
In the special need world a lot of attention is paid to getting the kids in a mainline classroom for a percentage of the day. In the past that has really been the kids sitting in there own little group within the class to fulfill the requirement. In fact of the IEP, Parent teacher meetings we have had I don't believe we have ever had any significant amount of input from the regular classroom teacher.
This year has the potential to be different. Her new "regular" teacher has just moved to this school district after her old one closed. Her old one was a entire school for Autistic kids
.
Both Her current Music and Speech therapist also serve the new school so no new faces there.
Looks like the only person who will not have a background either with Chloe or Autism will be the lunch lady. And I just haven't investigated her yet.
I tell you <I>I am happy as a pig in crap</I>. You cant put a price on the peice of mind knowing you kids, especially ones who cant fend for themselves. Are in a safe secure nurturing place when you are not with them. I talk with the teacher every day Via email. So I will never be "out of the loop" with what is happening.
Ps the school is a brand spanking new building by itself on the edge of the city limits. Also cool.
PS, ps. the difficult talk about predators is not nearly as concerning when you are talking with people who know what we know about special needs. We still had the talk. But it was obvious we all were on the same page.
We stumbled into a school one town over, in the same county. The school itself does not have a good reputation. But they had started an autism specific program two years back. We were hearing a lot of good things about the program and were even advised (on the dl) to check it out by some of the local school people.
We did and we liked. The teacher is a dynamic little subcompact model high energy and excited about her job. Even the principal had an amazing amount of working knowledge about Autism. So we press forward and do the thing needed to get the transfer complete.
She started yesterday. The driver who transports is an older guy and a local good dude. His family name is one that I was already familiar with. The aid they chose to ride back and forth is the same aid Chloe has had for the last couple of years. Her and Chloe are buds so things keep getting better with this deal. Door to door service.
We have always had special meeting with the P.E. instructors because even though she wont like the gym or crowds. We feel it is especially important for her to burn some energy. And even more important in the winter months when we have less options. Well her new P.E. instructor is a lady who has had much experience as a special need teacher and therapist.
In the special need world a lot of attention is paid to getting the kids in a mainline classroom for a percentage of the day. In the past that has really been the kids sitting in there own little group within the class to fulfill the requirement. In fact of the IEP, Parent teacher meetings we have had I don't believe we have ever had any significant amount of input from the regular classroom teacher.
This year has the potential to be different. Her new "regular" teacher has just moved to this school district after her old one closed. Her old one was a entire school for Autistic kids
.Both Her current Music and Speech therapist also serve the new school so no new faces there.
Looks like the only person who will not have a background either with Chloe or Autism will be the lunch lady. And I just haven't investigated her yet.
I tell you <I>I am happy as a pig in crap</I>. You cant put a price on the peice of mind knowing you kids, especially ones who cant fend for themselves. Are in a safe secure nurturing place when you are not with them. I talk with the teacher every day Via email. So I will never be "out of the loop" with what is happening.
Ps the school is a brand spanking new building by itself on the edge of the city limits. Also cool.
PS, ps. the difficult talk about predators is not nearly as concerning when you are talking with people who know what we know about special needs. We still had the talk. But it was obvious we all were on the same page.
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