Helping Parents Prepare their Child for School

All parents want their children to do well in school. In order to help you and your child with special needs be as successful as you can be, here is a list of tips that we hope will make the transition into a new school year a little easier for you and your child.

• Organize all that paperwork

In the world of special education, there are lots of meetings, paperwork, and documentation to keep track of. Try to keep a family calendar of school events, special education meetings, conferences, etc. Setting up a binder or folder to keep your child's special education documentation, meeting notices and EPs (Education Plan) in sequential order can also help you stay organized.

• Relieve back-to-school jitters

Just talking about the upcoming year and changes can help reduce some of that back-to-school anxiety! Talk to your child about exciting new classes, activities, and events that they can participate in during the new school year. If attending a new school, try to schedule a visit before the first day. Prepare a Social Story so that they know what to expect when school begins.

• Keep everyone informed

It's important that you and the school communicate early and often! If there is anything (concerns, changes, questions) that you feel is important to share with the staff working with your child before school starts, or during the year, don't hesitate to contact them! The more proactive and honest you are, the better the school staff will be able to meet your child's needs.

• Establish before and after school routines

Discuss and plan the changes in your child's daily routine that will happen once school starts. You can even begin practicing your new schedule, focusing on morning and evening routines, and begin implementing them well in advance of the first day of school.

• Attend school events

Take advantage of Open House and parent teacher conferences to help you and your child get a feel for the school and meet the teachers, other staff, students, and families. Share the positives about working with your child, and let the teacher know about changes and events that should be considered for children in special education.

Taken from http://www.ldonline.org/article/38406/