Samantha's just finished her preschool evaluations, and we have our eligibility meeting on Tuesday. I'm definitely nervous, since we really want her to get into the full program, and not just the option to haul ourselves to the school once a week so she can get PT, OT and ST, which we're perfectly happy getting at home through IE. She'll be pretty young going into the class in September, as she just turns 2 at the end of May. How have your young'uns fared in the full class when they've been at home their whole lives? Just the thought of her going on the school bus terrifies me, but I know she'll totally benefit from the structure of it all.

Thanks for listening! I'll update once we've had the meeting next week. I'll be holding my breath until then...

becca

www.thebatesmotel3.blogspot.com
www.flickr.com/photos/bateminx

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I didn't get a chance to welcome you on the main page, so Welcome!! I know you'll love it here.
As for preschool, Sarah didn't get evaulated until right before she turned 3. They wanted her to wait until the following September before going into the classroom, but she would have been almost 3 1/2 and I didn't want to want that long. She started about a month before she turned 3. She is in a 2 1/2 hour program, 5 days a week. It's a self-contained classroom, with all other special needs kids. She doesn't have a 1-on-1 aid, but there are enough para-pros & student teachers to go around so everyone has someone with them. They rotate para-pros, too, so everyone gets a chance to work with every child individually. It's nice, because this preschool is on a college campus, so they get a lot of students who are working towards some sort of therapy degree or a special education degree who come in & help out.
Sarah LOVES the bus, and loves school in general. She's Miss social butterfly. :D She didn't start taking the bus until this year. It scared me a bit, too, but the bus comes right up to our house; there are only 3 kids on the bus, and there's always at least 1 aid along with the bus driver. They each have their own special bus car seat with a 5 point harness.
She still gets PT, OT, & ST. My plan is to have her be in this classroom for another year and see how she's doing. We might keep her out of K until she's 6, but we'll see how she does. I don't want to assume she'll be ready & I don't want to assume she won't be when she's 5. If she does need another year, I'm thinking of putting her into a typical Kindergarden readiness preschool that the college offers.
I hope this helps a bit. Again, welcome! :P




Amanda
Wife to Jeff



Emma 12/10/99


Sarah 4/20/04


Katie 6/8/06



http://coolmommy99.blogspot.com
http://web.mac.com/wilso4jm

Hi, Amanda! Thanks for the welcome, and thanks for the information. I love to hear from parents whose children are in the preschool program. I think Samantha will be ready at 2, and that it'll be the best time for her, since I think she'll respond very well to the structure and the massive amounts of OT-type things she'll be doing. She visited the classroom last week for a little while, and made herself right at home! We're hoping acceptance into the full-day (5 hour) program. Just a few more days until the meeting!

Your girls are beautiful, by the way!

becca
www.thebatesmotel3.blogspot.com
www.flickr.com/photos/bateminx
[IMG][/IMG]

We stayed with EI until 3. Emma began attending in June last year. She went 2 days for 2 1/2 hours. Now she attends 3 days for 3 1/2 hours. I love it!! She has grown so much. She will do the same next year, then if she is ready she will go on to K. How did your meeting go?



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First of all, I had no idea so many people would be there! There were 10, including myself, my husband, and Samantha. They determined that it would be in Sammi's best interest to receive services through the school system, in particular, speech and OT. However, I didn't realize that they wouldn't be determining whether or not she'd be going to school for the full program, or just for speech and OT. That determination comes at the IEP meeting later this month. They do all know that we're really pushing for it, and said that it's pretty certain that that's what they'll decide on at her IEP meeting. I think she'll benefit so much socially and developmentally if she's in school every day for 5 hours. The teacher adores her, and she's very taken with him as well, so we're already off to a great start!





becca
www.thebatesmotel3.blogspot.com
www.flickr.com/photos/bateminx