August 19, 2015 by Jolene

Welcome to Early Childhood

In a season of firsts, we can add another: We attended our first IEP meeting for Lina today.

IEP stands for Individualized Education Program and is the required legal document that has to be in place in order for a student to receive special eduction services through the public school system.

This is our first IEP meeting, because Lina is turning three in less than a month. On that day, her therapies and other services will transition from Tennessee Early Intervention (a division of the department of education for qualifying babies and toddlers) to the local school system.

We met with Lina’s IEP team, which consisted of:

the assistant principal, who oversees the early childhood program for our designated school,
two early childhood teachers (one representing special ed, the other representing regular ed),
physical, occupational and speech therapists,
the school psychologist
and one additional new teacher there to observe.

It was a full room.

The meeting was long and detailed, but it was fantastic. We were so impressed with the warmth and professionalism of every person there. I had typed up a document listing Lina’s areas of strength and goals we wanted to work on, and it was remarkable how in line that was with the assessments and goals the IEP team had prepared. We came away with a signed IEP we are very happy with, listing specific goals and services.

So now we know:

As soon as Lina turns three, she will begin the Early Childhood preschool.
She will attend 8:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
A speech therapist will be in the classroom all day two days/week and an occupational therapist will be there the other two days.
In addition, Lina will be pulled out for 30 mins. twice/week for individual or small group speech therapy and the same for occupational therapy.
She will also receive 20 mins. each week of individual or small group physical therapy.
Her class will be around 12 kids (between 10-14); six of those kids are typically developing, and the others will have a range of special needs.
There will be four adults in the classroom all day: one teacher, two assistants and a speech or occupational therapist.
Lina’s teacher is wonderful and has a master’s degree in early childhood special education. She also has worked with the KidTalk research program at Vanderbilt (which Lina has been participating in this summer).
The Early Childhood program for our area is at an elementary school about 20 minutes away. The building is six years old, open, brightly-lit and very clean.

I am so grateful. I get a little teary thinking about the difference this program will make for Lina. I think often of kids with challenges like hers who live in places without access to these kinds of resources, and it about breaks my heart. I know how lucky we are.

And then, there’s this: in less than a month, I won’t be driving Lina all over creation for therapy appointments!

August 17, 2015 by Jolene

Here comes the school bus, beep, beep, beep.

August 14, 2015 by Jolene

Day two

A successful day two drop-off is in the books. He wore his class shirt, brought an apple for the teacher and didn’t even look back to say good-bye. Next week begins the honest-to-goodness, real deal, riding the bus and staying all day. I say bring it – we’re ready!

August 12, 2015 by Jolene

And he’s off…

Today was the day. Corin got up to his alarm and followed his schedule, just like we’ve been practicing, only this time, it was for real.

Monday, he went in for his kindergarten evaluation, and last night at 5:30, he got a recorded call from Miss Davis, letting us know she would be his new teacher.

He listened to the message about 10 times and has radiated excitement ever since. For those of you who know what this summer has been like around here, you’ll know this was good news. Corin has been very apprehensive about the approaching school year. I was pretty sure he’d be fine once school actually started, but his anxiety had me a little worried about how he would navigate the change.

It’s so like him that the summer was high drama, but the actual start of kindergarten was smooth as butter. He dressed himself and ate a little less breakfast than usual while repeating, “I’m ready to go to school. I can’t wait!” He let me take pictures without protest. When we arrived at his classroom, he walked in with almost no hesitation, struck up a conversation with his new teacher (whom he had apparently already chatted up during evaluation), went with her to find his seat, and settled right down to the first project of the day: drawing a picture of himself on his first day of kindergarten. I got a couple of big good-bye hugs, and then he went right back to his work.

What were you worried about, mom? Easy-peasy. I was so proud and relieved, I didn’t shed a single tear. (I might have shed a few as I made his lunch last night, but that’s between me and the peanut butter and banana sandwich.)

He came home from his half-day looking a little tired but reporting a good day. He’s home tomorrow, another half day on Friday, and then Monday begins the full schedule – and his first time riding the bus.

And so my firstborn begins his honest-to-goodness school career. So far, so good.

August 5, 2015 by Jolene

Kids on the move!: 2 and Under at GiGi’s Playhouse

Next week will bring the inevitable “I just sent my firstborn off to kindergarten” post, but today, we’re going with another dose of the cuteness that happens every first and third Wednesday at GiGi’s Playhouse. These kids are growing! Little ones who used to lay quietly on the mat are off at high speed, exploring the far corners of the room. We cheer them on and chat about the next milestones. Siblings play dress-up and tend the toy cash register.

It’s a pretty great way to spend a morning.