Great Day, Today (re: placement) | Autism PDD

I spoke to Bug's teacher today about his placement for the fall.

He is currently in an all IEP setting (all 9 kids in his class have IEPs - for various reasons - they are not all on the spectrum). 

My MIL brought up concerns when she visited last week about him not being on the Spectrum (groan) and needing to be mainstreamed in the fall.

Bug is 4.5, so he has one more year before Kindergarten.  My hope and dream and goal was/is for Bug to be mainstreamed for Kindy - but I don't just want him there - I want him to be successful there (don't we always want more?  ).

Well, today, his teacher confirmed what my DH and I have been noticing in the last few weeks - Bug has made Tremendous progress!  He is socializing so well!  Everywhere we go, he seeks out other kids to play - and stays engaged with them.  At the pool and at the park he has been doing this.  Mostly, he plays chase - but he is initiating the contact!    You can imagine how his warms my heart!

His teacher feels keeping him in the same school setting for one more year would be very beneficial - and I completely agree.  I don't want to ship him off to a mainstream preschool setting with 18 kids - and have him fail or have a setback (not enough time to fix that before Kindy!).  There are times during the school year that we can evaluate if we feel he needs a different placement (like conferences in November).

So, the question weighing heavily on my mind, of course, was Kindergarten.  His current teacher feels that he absolutely will be fully mainstreamed for Kindergarten!  Woo Hoo!  I'm so, so, so happy about this.   I do think Bug is on the spectrum, but he is very mild - and I think he is going to be okay! 

I don't know if he will need supports in Kindergarten - but I'm thrilled that his teacher felt there was no question that he was capable of being mainstreamed!

This special ed preschool has been a miracle for Bug.  I'm taking flowers and a gift certificate for his teacher on Thursday (last day of ESY).


That is great!!! 

The girls are only a little bit older, but they're going into kindy this fall, though I have big apprehensions about that.  I wish they could have one more year of preschool - I think if they did, they'd definitely be ready.  As of right now - not so sure That is great news. I would go visit a mainstream kindergarten to see what
goes on there in the fall, revist middle of the year and then the end. There
are many demands which are placed upon Kindergartners. You need to make
sure that your son will be ready for them. If your preschool makes similar
demands and has that structure, you are in like flint.
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