Monday was the first day the school office was open. The very first day the office is open I got a message from the principal. Already!?! She says she wanted to talk about a few things. She even left me her home phone number in case I missed her at school! I called her back in the afternoon but just had to leave messages both places. So Tuesday I finally got a hold of her. She was excited to tell me that she hired a new para for Max and that she has had lots of experience at working with kids that have Down syndrome (Ok, she says Downs- but that drives me crazy). That is exciting and I hope so much that she works out and Max and her "click" perfectly. She also wanted to try and get a better relationship with Max. The principal always says that Max doesn't listen to her and just tells her "NO!" Really? Max tells you no? No way! He says that to every single person he mets I think. So anyway, she wants Max to come to school for an hour on Friday to meet with her and hopefully the Para just so they can hang out together. Not sure what they are going to do but she is really trying hard. The other thing she wanted to tell me was the teacher he was assigned to will be gone the entire 1st semester (she was diagnosed with breast cancer) so she doesn't believe that would be a good thing for Max. SO now she will have to switch his teacher. She is going to talk to 2 other teachers and decide which one will be best for Max. However, they had assigned certain students in Max's class that he boned with in Kindergarten. So now she is going to see what she can do about that. I also know she wanted Max to meet up with the teacher a few times before school started just so they could start that bonding process. I agree with that, I think that will help for Max.
I am happy so far with our school district and our school. Last school year almost every person who interacted with Max (teachers, PE, music, etc...) attended a seminar held by our local Ds guild on how to better interact with people who have Down syndrome.
School starts Aug 14 and then Aug 15 is the 1st day for Kindergarten. Max will be in first grade and Sam in Kindergarten.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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5 comments:
WOW! I've never heard of a school district doing so much to help out. Our years in school where the pits, great teachers, just not so great the IEP. Hope Friday goes well!
I am so glad that you have an accepting principal and school district! I'm having enough trouble with Kayla in an Easter Seals program! Our IEP chair is wonderful, Kayla has an insane amount of services. But convincing that Kayla would do well in an integrated setting has been challenging.
I'm hoping to see how the local elementary does with integration. Our neighbor's child is going to be fully integrated with a 1:1 aide -- the first time EVER the school has integrated a child with Down syndrome. Based on her experience (this child is very "high functioning" hate that term) I'll decide whether it's "appropriate" to try to get her in there.
Sounds like you've got a great principal there! I hope Friday goes good and Max can get comfy with everyone and that this year is just awesome for him!
That is awesome!! She really sounds like she wants Max to have a rewarding experience!!! Hope everything goes well!!!
I've been really happy with the district also! It really sounds like the principal is going out of her way to help Max. That is so wonderful. I hope Peanut's principal will be as helpful. The school she has been at for pre-school has been wonderful, but it's not our home school.
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