Plan for a smooth transition. This means preparing ahead of time. The principal should be your first contact and he or she needs to be aware and informed about your child's special needs. Usually the principal will arrange an opportunity for you to discuss ways that the staff at the school or board level may help your child's special needs. Here are a few items for you to think about:
- What are your child's strengths?
- What are some of your child's favorite things to do?
- How does your child communicate?
- What are the different strategies that work at home for your child where routines and rules are concerned?
- Does your child take medications and are there any symptoms that the staff should be aware of?
- How well does your child socialize with others?
You should also bring any documentation that may provide information about your child to the staff that will be supporting your child. If the staff suggests a transition meeting you will want to come prepared. This is a meeting where you can talk about and agree upon some general overall goals for your child and the types of follow up that can occur at home. All additional supports should be identified at this meeting. Be sure to take notes at this meeting identifying who said what and exactly what was agreed upon.
Referrals for specialized services may be agreed upon and you will be required to sign consent forms. After the meeting, you will want to request a follow up meeting where the Individual Education plan will be discussed, agreed upon and signed.
Most importantly, be sure to prepare your child for entry to school. Practice going to school routines ahead of time. Talk about what it's going to be like at school, be very positive. You may want to consider using a journal, agenda or daily log book as a mechanism for better communication.
