The Latest IEP Addendum
I realize I haven’t shared with you how the latest IEP meeting went. In a word: AWESOME! See, here’s how it goes for me. For about a week before the meeting, I am a stress all. It’s not a pretty picture, and it’s not good for me and my family. This time was no different, and perhaps a bit worse. With the last IEP meeting I was caught off-guard. I didn’t know she wasn’t progressing. I honestly didn’t. Which is kind of weird because I’m usually in tune with how things are going. So I was frustrated that I was caught off guard. Emma’s school situation consumed my thoughts from that meeting on September 23rd until this last one on October 15th. I was racking my brain to figure out how to fix it and make her situation better. I wanted her to thrive and I didn’t know if she could get the environment she needed. After mulling this over (mmm…mulled cider, anyone?), I came to a conclusion in my head. I wanted her to stay put. She knew everyone around her and she worked well with them (I even snuck around and checked up on some of them). She knew the school really well. And I wanted to disrupt her schedule as little as possible. So I was going to ask for more of a “self-contained” environment. Technically they don’t have one at this school, which is a shame. But that’s another story. But I wanted to see if we could create one for her by keeping her in the resource room (with the special ed teacher) for the morning, and part of the afternoon. She’d get pulled for her therapies from that room, and she’d always know where she should be and where she’d be going. To make a long story short, they AGREED! This was going to be Emma’s new setting!
Here’s how it works. Basically, she’s in resource all morning and gets pulled for therapies from there. She heads to lunch and specials with her class. Then she returns to resource for a bit. She’ll spend the last part of the day in the classroom with her classmates and learn science, social studies, and also will go to library.
This past week was the first week we had the new schedule. Well, it was filled with rain and half-days, so we couldn’t really conclude anything. The next few weeks will be telling. I have a good feeling about this new schedule though. Oh, and we see the psychiatrist in a few weeks to talk about her medication…if it’s the right one, etc.
The feeling I had following that meeting was great. I felt like a HUGE weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I just pray, now, that Emma is able to start making some progress in school. However, in this household we celebrate all progress, small and large!
