Yona's getting ready for Grade 1

She starts Sep 1st. A few days before the kids go in one morning for a couple of hours to meet the teachers. I spoke to the principle yesterday and she will organize for our DS inclusion organization to come in and give some lectures to the grade 1 and 2 teachers about DS and inclusion. There is another child with DS starting grade 2 in the same school. Yona's aide from last year is continuing 4 days a week and I have now found someone for the other 2 days who I think is very good with a lot of experience. I am just negotiating her salary with her. In theory the Education dept will pay for most of the hours for the aide but we don't find out how many till the end of July. We will have to pay the difference plus they only pay minimum wage and it's impossible to find someone to work for that money, so we supplement their income privately.
Yona will be in the regular classroom with an aide full time. The DS inclusion center will meet with the teacher and the aide to set up her program for the year and we will have regular meetings throughout the year. The principle of the school is new - her second year - and she is very enthusiatic and open to learning etc. So I'm feeling pretty good about it. Each year the grade 6 kids adopt a grade 1 kid to help out at playtime etc. I have a friend with triplets in Grade 6 who know Yona and said they would like to do it for her.
So I'm feeling pretty good about the whole setup. I think the hardest side will be the social aspect and getting kids to invite Yona for playdates. 2 years ago in kinder she had lots but this last year not as many. There will be a lot of new kids in school so a chance to branch out. I also know a lot of the parents from our synagogue but it's a big school with 3-4 classes for first grade and I don't yet know who she will be with.

Adina and Yona (7)