Back to School Time for Parents of Children with Special Needs
It's that time of year again; back to school! Have you seen the television commercial with the father skipping through the aisles of a store, kicking his heels while buying school supplies for his two frowning children? The song that plays in the background is, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." While some parents might feel the first day of school is the most wonderful time of the year, I don't. I think many parents of children with special needs feel the same way I do; anxious, scared, worried, and hopeful. Anxious that things might not go as well, scared that he'll be unhappy, and worried that people that work with him don't know him like I do. But hopeful that the new school year will be a wonderful experience and that my son will meet his annual goals and objectives that were outlined in his latest IEP. That's what I'll be discussing in this article; ways to make it work this year.
Sometime before school starts take a close look at your child's IEP and make sure the goals are realistic. Don't set your child up to fail with unrealistic goals. Make sure there are benchmarks (short term goals) for each annual goal and that there is a statement in the IEP explaining how you, the parents, will be informed of your child's progress. Remember, you must receive written statements of your child's progress as often as parents of non-disabled children in your district. For example, if a non-disabled child receives 4 report cards a year in your district, your child should have 4 written statements of his/her progress.
If your child did not receive extended school year services during the summer, document any regression and once he/she starts school in September, how long it takes to recoup lost skills. Let your case manager know, in writing, that you plan to discuss ESY at your annual review. It is stated in the New Jersey Administrative Code of Special Education that ESY services are to be addressed for every classified child at each annual review. Don't wait until May or June to talk about this with your Child Study Team members!
Become involved in your child's everyday classroom activities, be a familiar face to your child's teachers, therapists, and peers. Go on class trips, volunteer to teach a lesson on something you know that may be of interest to the class. My husband did a lesson on the stock market last year. He taught the students how to set up a portfolio, and buy and sell stocks with a computer program the company he works for makes available to teachers. Not only will your child's self-esteem get a boost, the classroom teacher will appreciate your interest in sharing your knowledge and time with the class. I sat in on a PIT session the other day and saw my son use a piece of equipment that his therapist had written to me about but I was not familiar with. He was happy to see me, the PIT was pleased to show me how he used the equipment, and I came away understanding something new and how it could benefit my son. Constant communication is imperative among all team members and more importantly, if you don't understand something, ASK! The last suggestion I'd like to share with you is the importance of staying on top of your child's progress. Ask questions immediately if you feel your child's IEP isn't being implemented properly. Don't wait until November or December to bring up something that you felt was wrong in September. The first 2-3 weeks everyone is adjusting and making schedules. So do allow that time for things to settle in. After that, question your team with a phone call followed up by a letter. My motto is, "If it's not in writing, it never happened."
Finally, remember to thank your child's teachers, therapists, assistants, bus drivers, and other team members. A word of thanks and encouragement, or a thank you note can go a long way. Good luck to all of us on the upcoming school year!