Yesterday we had Dallin's annual IEP meeting to discuss his special educational needs with the school district. Once again there were about 10 people there on the team, which is never ceases to amaze me. This was the first time that everyone was on the same page about what those needs are. He is doing amazingly well in Kindergarten and will continue on to first grade! His resource lady said that he has more than made up for the regression in the first 2 months of school in the autism class. Moving to regular ed. was perfect for him, not easy, but it gave him so much room to grow. His ability to progress blows everyone away. He has a wonderful teacher and a great in class aid that have really been the key to his success there.
So they have hand picked who his teacher will be next year so that is very comforting. Also his aid may get to stay with him, unless she moves out of state which is a possibility. If that happens he will be assigned someone else. That is a little scary because you never know what you are going to get.
My biggest concern at the meeting was his 10 week summer break and regression. The school district offered to give him an additional 3 hours of in home ABA 4 days a week to work on academics for all 10 weeks! Holy cow, that was more than I had hoped for. I was blown away. The idea is that it is the same amount of time he has school now so he will be able to keep the same schedule that he has. I plan to send a letter to the other parents in his class and invite them to bring their kids over any time so that Dallin can have some peers around during the summer. Right now he has his best friend from church over for program once a week and it has been amazing for him. I am hoping to have a couple more kids once a week as well to join him.
He will also still have his afternoon ABA therapy where they continue to work on his life skills. That may begin to fade from 3 hours to 2 hours a day soon.
I am just so happy with how things turned out. I know the district has been making major cut backs so I was prepared for the worst. Until now, I have always hated these meetings and practically hyperventilate each time as I prepare to go in for a fight. I didn't even have to say very much this time. What a relief and a blessing! Just another confirmation that moving here was the right thing for us. My faith is constantly stengthened by these experiences. On a side note, it looks like the buyer for the house we are in is an invester, so we are thinking we won't have to move! Not for sure on that though.
After the meeting I went to visit Dallin with his class. The kids were lined up outside the class ready to go in and the teacher asked them if they had a nice Easter. Dallin said he did. Then he said "It means Jesus came alive again". Then he said to the kid next to him "Jesus is VERY special". Wow, I wasn't too sure that my kids got much past all the candy and egg hunts. That warms my heart.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
IEP and Good in the Same Sentence
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3 awesome comments:
Cilla, that is all so incredible. Dallin and each of your kids are so lucky to have you and Peter! Dallin's future life has been re-written because of your and Peter's efforts and Heavenly Father's blessings.
congrats cilla! i have loved keeping up with dallin's progress and seeing how far he has come in such a short time. what a blessing to for him to come into your home at the time that he did!
Wow, that's great. I know how concerned you were about summer. And reg ed. that's amazing. He's doing so great because of you.
As for moving. I hope you get to stay. My neighbors the Glausers are moving to Southern CA and they are currently renting a house. If you can't stay in your house maybe you can move into the house they are renting. As for size I have no idea if it's the same or bigger or smaller then your current house. They are in the same ward, as for school district I don't know. They are at 4714 Cleary Circle.
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