Friday, November 20, 2009

Evangeline's IEP

Yesterday we had Evie's IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting at our neighborhood school. The purpose for the meeting was to determine eligibility for services for Evie in school and to decide what classroom would best meet her needs.

We've had Evangeline home for three and a half months and now she is three and we are talking preschool. Sergei and I were joined by Evie's occupational Therapist and her Early Intervention Coordinator. The school team was essentially the same group we met with a year and a half ago for Polly's IEP.

I brought cookies and a sheet of strengths and goals for Evie. It was easier the second time around to sit through a two hour meeting discussing seemingly every detail of my child's development. I realize that these meetings need to take place for services to be put in place and at the end of the day Evie is still the same little kid we love regardless of how she scores.

The consensus was that Evie will benefit from an instructional classroom setting, and she qualifies for OT, PT and ST.

Last week I had a chance to visit the instructional classroom at Polly's school. It's right next door to Polly's blended pre-K. Right now the class consists of eight students, one special ed teacher and two aids, I think. I liked the class and I liked the teacher even more. She has a wide smile and a calming demeanor.

It makes me feel better to think of her in that classroom with peers her size (the kids in Polly's class are huge!) and with her sister right next door.

We'll see what happens. All along I've been game to go through this process and see where we end up. Then the plan is to try it out and see how it works for our family.

I'll let you know how it goes.