IEP Alert Level: Low

We had another IEP meeting last week.

What is it about these meetings that freak me out so much? 

Allow me to catch you up to speed on where we are in the whole world of IEP.  J-man is getting his speech and special-ed teacher time at his wonderful child care center, J&J.  His J&J teacher also works with him within the classroom and has been involved with implementing his IEP.  We go two days a week, and so far he is doing well.  Come summer, he will get three observational sessions with the District representative (a teacher?  a speech therapist?  who knows.... apparently they don't know either... *sigh*).  The purpose will be to check in on how he is doing and what recommendations those staff can make to deal with issues or concerns that may come up over the summer months.

And that was what the meeting was about:  Summer plans. 

The transition from our Birth to Three staff to our current staff has been a bit of a struggle...for both J-man and myself.  Of course, Kristin was outstanding.  But it is also that the new folks just don't know him... and me... very well.  And I worry that they look at him with a "glass is half empty" kind of look... read him in the worst possible way, the worst possible light.  I am not saying they do, just that I worry they do.  So the other purpose of this meeting was to do a little "now that you have worked with him a little, thoughts?" kind of meeting. 

So, we started out the meeting with one missing:  The Special Ed teacher.  Doesn't bode well, does it?  But we go on with our Speech therapist, the J&J staff, and us.  We went through the goals and where he current stands (informally).  It was good... our speech therapist had just had a really good session with the J-man (he has been slow to warm up with her) and was able to get some good information from our J&J teacher about other things she has been working on.  I think she was surprised at how much he is doing.... because he rarely does it for her.  I chalk that up to the time of day and her being new.... he just isn't a morning person, and doesn't give it up easy.  He makes you work for it....

It was also wonderful to hear what he is doing in the classroom, and how much his J&J teacher appears to love him.  She glowed when she related stories, and I never got the sense that she was overwhelmed or lost when it came to working with him. The J&J staff also related their summer plans... they are changing the configuration of their room to accommodate a lower teacher-student ratio.  J-man keeps his favorite teacher, but now it will be only 1 to 7 versus 1 to 10.  Color me THRILLED!!!

We discussed goals for summer, and then move to the fall.  And then she dropped the bomb...  she had placed J-man on the list for the school district preschool for the fall.  Even though she knew... and admitted she knew... that we planned to continue at J&J.  Lucky for her, Daddy had already left the room with J-man.... he might have come unglued.  She (hastily) made her case:  if he got into one of the classes with a specific teacher she knows and thinks very highly of, it would be wonderful and we should go for it.. she said "Kristin-like" wonderful.

So GEMM stayed in check and I listened. 

She said he didn't know what class he would get into, because that is based on busing....

"Hold up,' I said, "No Bus."

"Oh, well you could drive him, but he would probably love the bus." She stated.

"No bus. Period" I said.

Are they on crack???

So basically I am in a bit of a holding pattern.  We are thinking about it.

Now, before you start screaming at your screen "What about J&J?!?!?!".   We won't leave them....  this would be an add on.  He loves J&J and I love J&J and that is that. 

Good meeting.  Confusing meeting.  Not sure what to do next meeting. 

Lucky for me I have some time to decide.