special kids starting new schools this fall

[Linda on the move]

DD is starting a new school this fall. I really like the school and feel very hopeful that it will be wonderful, but it is still an unknown. I'm stressed and scared. There are so many "what if's."

School last year didn't go well.

Just wondered if any one is waiting for school to start and deeply wondering if they made the right choice and how things will go.

[laurata]

My son will be starting kindergarten this fall. I *think* I know what school he will be attending, and it is a different one than he attended developmental preschool last year. However, I have yet to hear from the school district.

[~cassie]

Ny 3 yr old is entering into the school system for the first time in a month. I wonder everyday if we made the right choice and it worries me, but we just have to wait and see how it goes.

[Heavenly]

My special kids are starting a new school this year. Both have major anxiety problems and bipolar. My littlest is just starting kindergarten and is not being treated with medication (still waiting for a doctor's diagnosis - we know the issues though) so it's a big worry. She was kicked out of day camp this summer due to her violence and rages. She has many anxieties including her newest one that's been going on for over a month which is that she is terrified of flushing toilets or toilets she doesn't know. I am very concerned as to how she will handle school. My son has separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder and is going into 4th grade. We are switching schools because the last school was too small and didn't have the right accomodations for him. The new school claims they'll do better but I am concerned. He doesn't do well with school. We are also getting him tested for learning disabilities because he has major issues in the area of writing. He needs a lot of accomodations to stay with the regular school day so we are hoping this switch will bring good things for him. His anxiety is hard because he is terrified of a new school and not being with his sister (the old school had split grades and they are only a grade apart so they were together). There is a lot of worrying going on (on their parts and mine!) in our house right now. But I remain hopeful.

[Linda on the move]

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I really think this school will be great for DD, but......

In addition to autism, sensory issues, fine motor issues, etc., she has a social anxiety disorder. Getting her in the door the first few days may end up being a huge deal. Hopefully, the school will be a great fit for her and she'll get past this very quickly, but I dread it. I truly dread it.

Her first two days are only 2 hours long, so hopefully that will help.

[Heavenly]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I really think this school will be great for DD, but......

In addition to autism, sensory issues, fine motor issues, etc., she has a social anxiety disorder. Getting her in the door the first few days may end up being a huge deal. Hopefully, the school will be a great fit for her and she'll get past this very quickly, but I dread it. I truly dread it.

Her first two days are only 2 hours long, so hopefully that will help.

My son has this issue too and the school has agreed to let him come in a week early to see his classroom, meet with his teacher and his special ed teacher, pick out a desk and put his school supplies in it. I think this will really help him a lot, maybe your school would be open to something similar.

[BookGoddess]

Well we started school over a week ago. It's the school DD attended during the summer so she was already used to the place. However, I was a bit sleepless the night before school because it's a different teacher although the teacher I really liked from last year is still going to be there off and on. The transition went fine. DD is so much better than I am about new school situations. It's one of her strengths. So far she doesn't seem to get fazed by new teachers and new classmates. Turn off her favorite DVD before she's done now that's a different story.

[Linda on the move]

Originally Posted by Heavenly

My son has this issue too and the school has agreed to let him come in a week early to see his classroom, meet with his teacher and his special ed teacher,

We are going to go in early. We are going to *help* get the school ready. DD does better when she has something to do rather than a chance to talk.

Originally Posted by BookGoddess

Turn off her favorite DVD before she's done now that's a different story.

It's so funny how they are all different. School is huge deal for DD, the staff knows this and has kids like her before. There is a plan in place incase she freaks out, she already safe places to go in case she feels like she can't cope, etc.

[SoCaliMommy]

not a new school, but she got a IEP at the end of the school year last year and in my opinion made no progress in the 3 months she had it. She is entering 2nd grade
The school's evaluation was that she has ADHD Innatentive Type, Significant Speech & Language Delay, Auditory Processing Deficit, issues with phsyco motor speed.

We are going for a dr's evaluation, we go to that on Sept 20th but shcool starts on Sept 9th.

I am dreading the start of school, her end of the year report card was all 1's aka below grade level standard for the whole year and the IEP report that was stapled to it just had boxs checked off as making progress in the spot for the goal they expected her to be at by june 2010. but didn't at all go into detail in how she was making progress.