Jack and Nate's School Progress- What Next Year Will Bring

It's been a crazy, but over all , a very successful year for the boys in school.  

We had an IEP meeting for Jack earlier this spring and I realized I never gave an update.  First of all, I did it advocate free!  Hooray for me!  John came too- it was his first official IEP meeting (although he has been to other types of meetings of course). I told them to take it easy on him, they seemed to listen, ha.

So the changes for Jack:

-As I mentioned before, Jack has been "dismissed" from his special needs reading group- he is up to first grade level which is awesome so he will no longer be pulled out of class for this

- He continues to require a full time aide in all academic settings

- BUT (and all the autism parents are applauding as they read this), he can now INDEPENDENTLY walk to and from the bus, AND participate in PE and of all things, music, without an aide.  Art, is another story hahaha.  It's progress people

- He continues to have sensory needs, and will actually have increased time with the OT (and I didn't even request it!)

- He will continue with speech for social interaction purposes

- The amount of special educator time in the classroom has increased, since the amount of time he is being pulled out of the classroom has decreased

- He is pulled out for 1/2 of math and is in the classroom with the aide for the other half

I am thrilled with his progress.  I am also thrilled with his IEP.  I never in a million years thought I would use "thrilled" and "IEP" in the same sentence, but there you have it.

The crowning jewel of the school year-

I applied to be a chaperone for the spring field trip.  I didn't have time to do this- at all, but last year my attendance was basically required to help with Jack.  I was rejected!  Rejected!!!! And when I emailed just to double check, they said they were sending his aide, so he should be fine.  Whoot!

Nate- We had a parent teacher conference last week as an end of year wrap up.

- He will continue twice a week services with Miss Gwen (she does one on one ABA-type work with him)

- He will move to the afternoon class, as he will be 5 in December (which means he will start attending Cisco Center in the mornings since mommy is still working full-time)

- His speech and OT continue at the same level

- He will continue to share a full time aide with another student

The important take away is that each and every staff member at the meeting has seen significant progress in Nate.  Good stuff.

That's about it- very proud of our boys.