[bdavis337]

Starting preschool, sn preschool or just school for the first time? Here's our thread.

Mark starts next Tuesday morning.

 

[KatWrangler]

Gabrielle will start next year when she is 3. However, my oldest will start pre-k Sept 4th. Sniff Sniff

 

[RoadWorkAhead]

DS started today at a non-SNs preschool that was supposed to just do spcoial emotional work and help them as a "First experience in school" - It was an unmitigated disaster and I'm awaiting a call from the director. I am not sure that he will be returning past Thursday and I am very disappointed in how they treated DS. He's not overty non-NT but he's definitely not truly NT either. A little boy walked up to me and basically told me that Ds had not been a good boy today. I was so beyond hurt and upset at his word choice, particularly in front of DS. I really needed this break right now with DH working out of town, but its seeming more stressful than relaxing at current.

 

[jewelsJZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kierdan'sMom DS started today at a non-SNs preschool that was supposed to just do spcoial emotional work and help them as a "First experience in school" - It was an unmitigated disaster and I'm awaiting a call from the director. I am not sure that he will be returning past Thursday and I am very disappointed in how they treated DS. He's not overty non-NT but he's definitely not truly NT either. A little boy walked up to me and basically told me that Ds had not been a good boy today. I was so beyond hurt and upset at his word choice, particularly in front of DS. I really needed this break right now with DH working out of town, but its seeming more stressful than relaxing at current.

I'm so sorry you had this experience. Hope you get some answers from the director.
My ds's first preschool experience was similar. It was hard, I know. So hugs to you.

 

[JessSC]

Jayce will start next tuesday, at the SN 3K program our district is providing. He'll get OT and ST there, too. I am looking forward to it and hoping its not a disaster!

 

[Kitsune6]

I just want to be a voice for hope. Last year my PDD-NOS/SPD seeker was in school 9:25-2:25 Monday thru Thursday and he BLOOMED.

:

I was really worried about him, he was 3yo when he started but it was amazing for him. It was harder on me since I obviously had different expectations.

He turns 5 in October and he is going to ride the bus this year! (In the mornings only) I'm frightened but I know in my heart he will love it beyond measure.

 

[MyTwoAs]

Another voice of hope here. My daughter, who will be 5 in November, is starting her third year of preschool this year. She has actually made enough progress that she tested out of her language-based IEP.

She was 2 years and 10 months when she started and it was so hard but she loves her teachers and the classroom aides and was very happy to see them again this year. Next year when she goes to Kindergarten I know it will be rough on her.

Hoping that everyone's kiddos have a good first day back and for those that are having problems, I hope that a good solution presents itself.

 

[StephandOwen]

Owen starts preschool today! In just 3 hours I'll be dropping my baby off at the big school

He goes from 11:35-2:35 every day. Though I may end up sitting in the parking lot today and tomorrow (friday they don't have school). I'm still working with the school on ensuring his safety. He's a runner, big time. Just last week he got out of his daycare. He got past the teacher AND me (I was standing in the hall, but my back was turned). If it hadn't been for another girl in his room telling me he was outside I wouldn't have known. I had a 2 hour long meeting with the school yesterday to discuss this. Since he doesnt have an IEP yet (our ARC meeting is next Friday) there's nothing in there to help us. The principal is allowing me to put an alarm on the back classroom door (that leads right outside but they never use unless it's an emergency). But I can't put one on the front door because it'll be opened a lot during the day and she doesn't want the other kids melting down (and if the teacher is hearing the alarm multiple times a day she's going to get desensitized to it and won't pay attention to it when it does go off). His classroom is the first door in the school so it will be really easy for him to get out. The school is on the corner of 2 major roads. See where my worry comes from?? The principal is trying to get a one-on-one aide approved for the short term. We are hoping it's approved and an aide is available by the time he starts today. If not, I'll be bringing some of my work with me and camping out in the front parking lot (the parking lot between the school and the road).

Fortunately I've not had any trouble working with this school yet. They have been willing to consider everything, and have even come up with ideas that I thought were "too much" and they wouldn't have ever considered! I am really hoping for a posititive experience, and it seems like it will be. Of course, we're just starting to get things going so.... who knows. He'll be in a room with 14 other kids (for now, they can have up to 18 kids). One other kid has autism, a couple are other SN, and some are NT. It'll be the kids, his teacher (who has many years experience with this and seems absolutely wonderful), a teachers assistant (whom I haven't met yet), and (hopefully) his one-on-one aide.

Owen is so thrilled! He couldn't be more excited. I think he'll do great (as long as he stays in the building

).

 

[AllyRae]

Brandon starts school next Wednesday (but his teacher is actually coming to our house today--they go to every kid's house before school starts). He's going to a mainstream Montessori school, where he is the only autistic child (and the only child on an IEP). I am extremely nervous about it....he's not a kid who would usually thrive in a mainstream environment, but it's the only school in the county that would give him a shot (he can't go to the public schools because he's on a voucher program). So, we're hoping for good things.... He's excited because the school has a pet rabbit.

:

He goes from 8:30 AM until 3:15 PM every day. Except Fridays we have to leave every day at noon because he has a full therapy schedule that day. Hopefully he does well!

 

[bdavis337]

Waiting to hear an update from Steph - wasn't today the first day?

Mark is sooo excited, he's wearing his backpack around the house all the time, talking about the yellow bus, all that. His older brother has already started, so he's eager and anxious. I don't think he *really* gets the whole thing, but he's talking about it a lot and even playing with his school bus a little bit, so I'm hoping he'll be ready enough to not flip out when I don't get on the bus with him.

 

[Sierra]

ds doesn't start school for another three weeks-- September 10th. He's only going to go one day per week, and we'll start four-day homeschool the following week, but I am still feeling nervous *and* excited.

ds went to preschool for a short time when he was younger, but my dw was a teacher at the school, and also, this is his first IEP-based preschool experience. We chose a non-IEP school (a private Montessori center), but the initiation of this was routed partly in the IEP.

 

[busymomof4]

I don't have an exact start date yet but my dd4 will be starting a sn school in Sept. I am so nervous I am nauseus. She has SPD avoider and AS and she will need to be transported probably in a van with other kids by a driver employed by the school. She will go mon - fri for the morning. The nice thing is she will recieve all her therapy there and then have the rest of the day to melt down at home.

 

[StephandOwen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdavis337 Waiting to hear an update from Steph - wasn't today the first day?

Yes, today was the first day and he did GREAT! He walked in like a big boy and put his stuff in his cubby. He even wore his nametag (sticker) all day with no fuss! He didn't want to say goodbye to me.... but that was because he was too busy

At the end of the day his teachers said he did wonderful. He had 2 almost meltdowns (in 3 hours). One was avoided by the teacher changing his shorts (if his clothes get even a drop of water on them they need to be changed to avoid a meltdown). The other was avoided by the teacher pointing him to the body sox that she put in his cubby. He went in it for about 5 minutes then came out, put it back in his cubby and was ready to rejoin the class.

One of our big concerns is his feeding issues. It's so bad he won't even eat around other people, even if it's food he brings from home. So I was really concerned about that. I was overjoyed to hear that he ate almost his entire lunch that I packed! He had no problems with it at all!!!! HUGE SUCCESS!

I did put one alarm on the back classroom door so if he escapes they'll hear. They put a table in front of the other door to keep him in today but I was in the office talking to the principal multiple times today to get this straightened out. I finally got a call from her on my way home from work tonight. She finally got it approved for him to have an aide in the classroom for tomorrow and next week (they don't have school friday). Next Friday is his ARC meeting so we'll decide then what the permanent solution will be (or at least the next short term solution). But short term is an aide to make sure he doesn't run out.

All in all... I'm very happy with this teacher, his class and the school in general. We'll see what happens at the ARC meeting

 

[MyTwoAs]

Yay Steph, it sounds like he had a great first day! I have to comment on the food thing - eating at school has been a big boon to my ultra-picky son. Something about seeing all the other kids eat has helped him to eat more (quantity) as well as more (variety).

Good luck with the meeting next week.

 

[Strong Mama]

MInes been in preschool for 2 weeks now. He finally stopped screaming and crying every morning on Tuesday, so we have been two full days of him not crying about school and actually he loves it. He goes full time, mon-fri in public preschool 8am-2 30pm. I take him and pick him up though. I was very concerned about him not eating his packed lunch too(food issues around others)but he is eating it, so thats good. I am so relieved the crying is over though, it was tough.

 

[themamamama]

My baby just started preschool too, a couple weeks ago, in the SN classroom at the public elementary school. For now, I am going with him as his aide. I think he is ready for me not to be there, but there are not enough support staff in the classroom right now. He's a runner too, and their outside play time is right next to a hall that leads into the parking lot. He also needs help with sitting through circle time, and with transitions. I am working on getting him a one-on-one aide, but it takes paperwork, many days of observation, and another IEP meeting. I hope it goes through soon, I start a new full-time job at the beginning of September, so I won't be able to go with him after that.

But, he's doing well, he likes it much better than I thought he would!

 

[StephandOwen]

Pictures! Yippee!

ETA- for some reason they aren't working there.... click my name in my siggy to see them in my blog!

 

[RoadWorkAhead]

Just an update:

Much better day today

He actually was happier to be there than some of his peers, and he barely melted down when we got there (no real tears at all!). They said he's not answering direct questions, but we know that. He's very echolalic and is working on his scripting, but he's not ready for direct questions mainly. He also used black paint

for his person which was apparently concerning....But not when his daddy's fave color is black and his daddy wears it daily! All in all it was much better!!

 

[Sierra]

Kerri, is the school affiliated with the Waldorf philosophies? That black paint thing is one of the Waldorf things.

 

[bdavis337]

Mark's first day today!

He had a good time, wanted to go back immediately and the bus driver said he didn't try to take his seatbelt off at all. He even came home wearing the same clothes he left in, which means he used the potty there.