Brian’s IEP was moving along so nicely. We talked about ESY- not completely crazy about the amount of time our district is providing but it’s better than last year, next year’s teacher, and how well he’s doing. I saw his Kindergarten teacher hold back tears as she tried to convince me to let him do a third year in her classroom (oh I kind of want to but I know we need those extra years for life skills when he’s a teenager/young adult- I really just want her to move along with him each year!).
Everything seemed to be going fine as we talked about increasing direct instruction next year, communication boards, and adaptive PE.
Then as the meeting was drawn to a close the principal dismissed everyone except for myself and Brian’s case manager to tell us that Brian’s special education teacher would be leaving.
I’m angry about having it spilled upon me like that. I felt like the entire meeting I based around the fact that I’m completely confident with her skills and her relationship with Brian. Now I just increased his direct instruction time to be with a person that I don’t even know.
I know each new school year for a child with autism is a transition but my poor child has had it amplified every year.
When we had our spring IEP before he was slated to start Kindergarten we met a very nice special education teacher and he seemed so innovative with his ideas and I was very excited for Brian to start his public school education with him.
We were told near the end of the summer he moved to a principal position elsewhere and we then had to meet a new special education teacher…who was a joke and was “let go” after Brian’s first year. I’m not the only cynical parent that would attest to that statement- I know many who had to complain about her and her “expertise”.
Then we did summer school last year and were introduced to a wonderful woman who we were told was going to be Brian’s special education teacher. We were so excited he got to work one-on-one with her during the summer school session as he would be comfortable with her when fall came.
A few weeks before school started we were told she was moved to another special education slot in the district and we now had a new teacher.
Ms. M turned out to be the special education teacher. She came from a background with working at a residential home with children with autism. She was knowledgeable about Brian’s diet (her mother actually bakes and sells allergen-free goodies). We loved her. She was great with Brian and an integral part of Brian’s success this year.
So if you are counting that is four special education teachers we’ve been introduced to in the two years of public school that Brian has done.
I hope the next one can fill Ms. M’s shoes! And that s/he sticks around for a while!
