Dominic
has been having Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings yearly, since
he entered the public school system at age three. Back at the end of October, my husband and I attended the first IEP
meeting at his new middle school. When it came time for Dominic’s teacher, Miss
Elena, to speak, I knew I wanted to ask her when the new peer-to-peer program was
due to start. For children with Autism
(like Dominic), knowing the appropriate social communicative skills to use with
their peers is challenging and difficult. As Miss Elena started to fill us in
on how he was progressing, the hubby and I were pleased to find out that he
seemed to be adapting well to his new school. Before I could ask the question
about the peer-to-peer program, Miss Elena started telling us that about a week
or so before Dominic’s IEP meeting, she had put a sign up sheet out by the main
office in the morning with space for 20-25 students to sign their names. When she
went around lunchtime to see if anyone had signed up, the sheet was gone. My
heart sank. The first thing that popped into my head was that someone had
ripped the sheet off the wall and threw it in the trash. Well, the sheet was
gone because 125 students wanted to
sign up to participate!! I am rarely speechless, but at that moment, you
literally could have knocked me over with a feather. The first informational
meeting was held with 30 of the 125 students recently that will participate in
the peer-to-peer program, aptly titled, “Friends
First.” Miss Elena remarked to me,
that one of the first questions the students asked after her presentation was,
“how soon can we start?” I was speechless, again, which considering my big yap is rare! My heart is full of such
gratitude to those 125 children!! I wish I could write a thank you note to each
and every one of them (and their parents). In about seven to
eight years, those children will be adults. What an incredible insight they
will have into the special needs “world” don’t you think???
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Sometimes kids will really surprise us. This was a good surprise, and the special needs kids as well as their new friends will all benefit. What a marvelous school Dominic is lucky to have. Love, Auntie
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