Tuesday Tidbits

It was a busy weekend.  No Jakes, though.  We're on a break.  But we're talking via text messages.  That's all good for now. 

The school sent the final IEP, which basically said he doesn't need anything from them!  He is still diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum but he doesn't need anything special to allow him to learn.  He can learn in the same environment as all the other kids in the classroom.  I'm so proud of him!  He has learned SO much to be able to move away from the IEP. 

One of the teachers in the meeting stated that Jakes knows how to advocate for himself.  If there is something he needs, he is not afraid to ask for it.  I'd like to think I taught him that skill, with all the fighting for his services I've done over the years.

As usual, his father didn't bother to attend the meeting.  This was a BIG meeting and he should have been there.  But that's his father.  He'll never change.

Jakes report card reflects good grades as well.   All A's and C's.  And the C's are in subjects with lots of reading and writing, which is something he struggles with and knows it.  He does the best he can in those subjects and I am proud of him for his efforts.

I had a wonderful brunch date with ESM.  We went to a local place that was having a spring fling bazaar and buffet.  The food was good and the vendors they had there were lovely!  They had lovely stuff there.  I shared my Scentsy business card with lots of them, even though I wasn't there for Scentsy.

We have our first camping trip of the season planned for Mother's Day weekend.  We will be going back to the same camp ground as last year.  We are even in almost the same spot as last year.  I don't know if I like that or not.  I think I'd like to see a different part of the camp ground. There wasn't anything wrong with our site last time, it was nice and level and was close to the bathrooms.  Daddy and ESM will be meeting us there as well that weekend.

I have to get my drivers license renewed and can't decide if I want to get my hair cut first.  Then of course I have to remember to put on make-up.  I don't know, maybe this would be ok for a drivers license.  BUT I need to like it for four years.....  Tell me what you think......

That's all for now folks!  Have a great Tuesday!

Graduations

Jakes had a BIG week! 

He graduated from Special Education!

Yes, THIS giggle face!

This Giggle Face has worked so hard over the years to learn everything we have thrown at him, academically, emotionally, and socially.

Way to go, my Jakes!  I love you!

Tuesday Tid Bits

SO many little things going on.  Jakes B-day dinner was lovely, except that I embarassed him.  I don't know how, maybe just being Mom.  ha!  That's ok cause my dad embarrassed ME at the birthday dinner.

Jakes invited a GIRL to his birthday dinner!  She's cute and so nice!  They both deny being boyfriend and girlfriend and with them being 13, I imagine its more embarrassing to be boyfriend/girlfriend.  Such an awkward age!

January is a month with an "R" in it and you know what that means!  OYSTERS!  I love 'em fried but not raw.  On my way home from the IEP meeting, I got me some for dinner tomorrow!

AZ is packing up in Arizona and will be heading back this way by the end of February or early March.  YAY!  Much easier to be friends without a country in between!  Especially when the time difference is 3 hours part of the year and only 2 the other part.  Talk about confusing......

I've certainly been enjoying the lovely spring-like weather this winter.  I didn't even mind the little snow storm we had a couple weeks back.  I ended up with Jakes staying with me and sent him out to dig everyone out. Win-Win!

I got to see Jakes today at school.  I went there for a meeting with the child study team to establish his IEP. It took them this long to get their version in place because they had to do their own evaluations and such.  Because Jakes is now 13, they include him in the meetings for transitioning to high school and beyond.  Father of the Year didn't show up as usual.

I'm sure I have more tid bits to share but I'm going for a walk in the lovely weather this afternoon!

Results of The Meeting

I went to the first Child Study Team meeting at Jakes new school.  It went well, even though I was a little apprehensive for going to the first meeting with JF.  BUT he didn't SHOW!  Father of the Year Award for him!

After the introductions were made, we got down to business.  There were good things said about Jakes and some not so good things, of course. But overall, they are pleased with his behaviors, academically and socially.

I was able to share with them the school setting Jakes was coming from and how pleased I am that he transitioned so well into the bigger school. You could see the astonishment on their faces when I told them there were about 11 kids in the class, a teacher and a one on one aid for Jakes.  I know they were thinking how heavenly that would be!  lol

They are pleased with his work and his attitude (usually). He is still having some (the same) behavioral issues in the classroom but they are working with him. As they learn Jakes and what may set him off, they are able to head things off.

His Language Arts teacher shared that Jakes usually speaks in a monotone voice and doesn't have much expression either. When they were reading the Christmas Carol out loud in class, Jakes really got into the story and did different voices for the different parts that he was reading. Mrs LA said she was so pleased she wanted to jump up and down, clapping her hands. I of course, teared up hearing this too. WAY TO GO JAKES!

My concerns about the calculator were unfounded. The Math teacher said Jakes doesn't use (or need) his calculator even when they are allowed to in class! Again, WAY TO GO JAKES!

They are concerned about his writing. Not his ability, he can construct/deconstruct the sentences and stories as necessary. When he is asked to write about a topic he is very short and to the point. They are going to work on devising writing prompts for him that will help him to become more descriptive in his writing.

Apparently, he failed a math test not because of the calculations but because of having to show his work.  There were two parts to the test, one where they filled in the bubbles and the other where they had to figure everything and explain where the answer came from.  He passed the bubble-filling part, but did so poorly on the "essay" part, that he failed the assessment overall.  Boo.

His social skills teacher shared that overall Jakes is doing very well in her group.  While he is not always able to make adjustments in the group, he is able to articulate to her after the group other ways he could have handled the situations.  We are hoping that with reinforcement and practice, Jakes will eventually be able to apply those skills in the real world.  Its hard for a teenager to apply the skills, let alone a teen with Aspergers.  But there is hope!  He knows what to do, just has to stop and think about doing it.

We will meet in a month to see the progress and to discuss changing from the IEP to a 504 Plan. While I am scared to loose the IEP and the safety it provides us, I can look at going to a 504 as progress. A 504 plan can be an attestation to the fact that Jakes is improving and is becoming more independent.