Meet the Teacher...

We were fortunate enough this year to get to have our ARD before school started this year. (It is an IEP for all states minus TX - Individualized Education Plan for kids with special needs).

We were thankful for the opportunity to meet his 1st grade teacher, have his kinder teacher there and all other members of the committee that work with him, speech, OT, special Ed, etc. It was nice to brainstorm some ideas, get ideas about how things will be different or the same for him, let her have some insight into his needs and us to get some into her expectations. We had been told back in June that his teacher would be someone...so we spent all summer working on talking about her...then we get into the meeting and it is a different teacher...yikes!

Turned out that it was a good switch. It was the teacher he had wanted all along and as soon as I told him that there was a change he said, "Oh Yeah, I wanted her to me teacher!". So that worked out well. She seems to have a ton of experience in teaching...she has taught kids on the spectrum, gifted and talented and seems to have a great sense of where kids are academically and teaching to that level. Basically I like her. I think, I hope it will be a good fit. We got some good things we wanted, like a daily communication log...OT consult since he doesn't receive education based services in OT.

We all headed to meet the teacher last night. He has 3 friends from his class last year in his new class...yeah! He was very excited about that. Overall I think he will do well...1st grade looked fun and he is 2 doors down from his kindergarten teacher, so he will get to see and smile at her. He explored the room asked questions and seemed over the moon.

I wish I was as ready. I am so sad to see the summer end. To see him getting bigger and now heading into first grade...it seems like he was just going to preschool. I am thrilled he loves school so much and I hope this is a fantastic year. But...I would love to keep him home with me more and have shorter days...just more Zach time. He is a great child.

So fingers crossed that this will be a good year for him and this is a good fit. Most of all I hope that the smile he had last night lasts all year and he has many more good days than bad...his year is fun, happy and filled with new things. All the best for my wonderful boy.

Off to first grade Monday....