JenOni

Raising Girls

My Goal to Schedule a Pre-IEP meeting for the New Middle School Year

IEP – Indiviualized Education Plan

When my daughter started second grade, she required an IEP for reading, writing, and math. An IEP is a formal outline of specific academic goals and steps to meet the goals. The IEP can also include emotional support goals. The IEP meeting felt overwhelming while learning the process and understanding all of the paperwork.

It took me four years to understand the process. After discussing the process with a teacher, I learned about my right to schedule a pre-IEP meeting. My daughter’s previous IEPs were instrumental in her reading and writing progress. Her current IEP includes math and emotional support goals.

PRE-IEP MEETING

The pre-IEP meeting included her case manager, school psychologist, and her guidance counselor. The items I wanted to cover included the following:

  • Is the current math a good fit?
  • Are resources available outside of the school year for additional academic success?
  • Is a full academic assessment available to determine if she requires additional accomodations for class tests?
  • Is academic sucess center schedule working?

The meeting was great because we were able to identify additional areas of improvement. My daughter’s math goals are on target for grade level progress, the extended school year for summer is available, a full academic evaluation was moved to 6th-grade year, and her academic success center days were increased on her roster.

Middle school is a major transition with more responsibility. I feel more confident my daughter is on track for academic success. As a parent/guardian, I would suggest staying connected to the process and asking for changes if necessary. The IEP includes rights as a parent/guardian and education resources to assist with academic progress.

Summer Camp Checklist for My Grader Schooler and How I Selected Camp

 

Summer Camp

The summer camp search feels like such a task each year.   Every year I have the task of finding a fun and interactive summer camp for my grade schooler.    Last summer it was a total miss.     Although the camp was close to my job, it was out of our neighborhood and my grade schooler felt out of place with not being in the same school with other kids.   The camp was also more affordable with a discount that included before and after care.   Now one of the cons of this camp was the amount of time spent outside even on the days with extreme heat and humidity.    The distance made it easy to pick her up on those days and return back to work.   Also, the kids were not on site at the Y except for the last 2 weeks of camp.

This year I did a bit of research on local camps and found one with good reviews.   The plus is she will be at camp with some kids from her school.   Now with that said the camp is more expensive and requires additional fees for before care and after care.    Although, school is finished summer camp adds another layer of stress for me.   One pet peeve I have with camps are incurring additional fees once camp starts.   This camp charges $3 per day for before care and $12 per day if you require extended care in the afternoon.   I am fortunate to have the flexibility to pick early and work from home in the evening.

Summer Camp Must Haves:

  1. Daily swimming
  2. Cost effective
  3. Outdoor activities
  4. Staff who is knowledgeable on asthma
  5. Arts & Crafts
  6. Close Proximity to home
  7. Extended care in the morning and afternoon

The attached are the must haves for summer

Summer camp checklist

 

Friendships with My Child and How Divorce Creates an Inevitable Bond

Divorce and My Child’s Friendships

Friendships become the glue that holds grade school together.  For my grade schooler, a new school year means reconnecting with old friends and starting new friendships.  She’s my social butterfly and is the first to spot a new student. This year she was happy to have something in common with a new classmate.   Both of them have divorced parents. I never realized divorce was a topic of discussion for kids.  I never realized how much the divorce statistic affects the kids involved.   While her new friend expressed her concern with having to split time between two parents, my daughter was excited to have the best of both worlds.   From my daughter’s perspective,  there is two of everything such as birthdays, Christmas, etc.  It’s hard for me to view divorce in this light.   My daughter also thought it would be a good idea for me to connect with her friend’s mother.

My 9yo arranged a future playdate.  I realize how important it is for my child to discuss this common thread with her peers.  It is bittersweet at times especially when she demands an explanation on things I cannot control or provide an answer.  There is so much emphasis on adults coping with divorce, but as a parent, I never thought it was discussed outside of our home.   Despite the circumstances, I’m glad my daughter has friends with whom she can share similar concerns and issues.  It’s not always a cakewalk but I will say connecting with those who are navigating the same journey is a great source of support.