School Home Visit

We just got home from dropping Justin off at work.  He stayed home this morning because we had our in home visit to meet Jack's teachers for the new school year.  He has the same teacher as last year Mr. Tyler and the two assistant teachers will be Ms. Lynn, who was also there last year, and Ms. Stacey who the new addition.  Jack was very excited to see both Tyler and Lynn this morning and gave them a big smile, but still continued to run around and play outside while we talked.  We discussed what Jack had been up to this summer and some of the new things that have been happening.  I know that Jack will enjoy getting back into his school routine, but that the first few weeks will be an adjustment.  He will have a much bigger work load placed on him this year.  He will have school 5 days a week from 7:45-2:00, Mon. and Wed. he will have one-on-one in home ABA therapy from 3:00-5:00, Thurs. he will attend an ABA social group also from 3:00-5:00, and on Tues. see his OT therapist after school for a 30 minute session.  Fridays will be his one free day without any additional outside therapy :-) 

Since summer has started to come to an end and we have gotten back to a more normal routine after all the summer school and traveling, we have started to see a decline in some of the aggressive behavior he was starting to have back at the end of the school year and the beginning of summer.  He has been doing really well working with Jessi and we have started to hear more spontaneous language from him.  It has been mostly in the form of labeling, but more language is always good.  We are still waiting for that break though moment when he realises if I ask for something I will get it, but change doesn't happen over night.  I look forward to seeing what gains Jack has this school year.  This will be Jack's last year at Lawson and next year will be his big transition to Kindergarten.  I am of course already worried about that transition but I know it is an entire year away so for now I will do my best to keep those feeling in check.

I hope that everyone else who is starting or will be starting school soon, have a great year!  I wish all my fellow teachers back at Gordon Bush Elementary in East St. Louis a great school year and want to let them know I thinking about you.  I will be sure and post again and let you know how Jack's first day goes and hopefully have some cute new pictures to share.

Have a great week!