We are really lucky to be living in an area where the school system is so great. We would not be able to put together such a program for Ella otherwise even if price were no object.
The level of attention, dedication and seriousness never ceases to impress me.
Today we had Ella’s annual assessment/progress report/planning ahead. It is when the so called IPE for next year is put together determining what services Ella will get next year.
This year had an added importance since we also discussed whether to have Ella spend an additional year in first grade. We’ve been having discussions with the school, reading up on this and trying to think if this is the best option for Ella. The bottom line is that we think it is. With the progress she has been making with her communications as well as with her academics we think she will benefit greatly from having access to the mainstream first grade again, this time taking more advantage of it as she is able to connect better to what is happening in the classroom. And build a better base for her reading and writing that are so important.
We shall see.
It was an emotional meeting with (I felt) the staff backing this decision and optimistic about what Ella will be able to achieve.