Our New Picture Schedule...

 For several years we did a picture schedule with Honeybunches. When he began reading, we went by a written one instead. Then after a while when he was doing well we just ditched the schedule altogether. He always has thrived off structure, so to help the Summer go more smooth I decided to reimplement the picture schedule. He is a very visual child, so although he can read there is something about seeing how the day is going to go that helped him a lot in the past. To begin I wrote up things that we might do everyday beginning with his weekly appointments and everyday things like the morning and evening routine. Then I wrote up things we might do during different parts of the year thinking of everything possible. Once I had an inclusive list, I looked through pictures I had to see which ones I had of him doing things on the list. Then I copy and pasted those pictures next to the words for them. From there I went to the websites of his appointments to try to find pictures of his doctors or the buildings. Then I used Google to get the rest. I printed out everything and then cut them with craft scissors. I had this cork-board that was of no use in the kitchen. Well, intentionally it had a use for a while with being "Our weekly work and accomplishment" board, but it had the same stuff on it for many months. I figured it would get more use this way and works perfect for what I wanted to do. I like how he can take off the things after he does them if he chooses to do so. It's also very changeable for different days when we might have long appointments, etc. Here is his picture schedule in pictures... 

 

Honeybunches likes to put Xs on the lunch menu on days he wants home lunch and put squares around the days he does want.  It helps me to know in the mornings what to pack him. 

  And now for a game of "NAME THAT MED"....

 The feelings chart...

 And our dinner menu...

Emails from SPED Director and Superintendent

This morning I got two emails...
One from the Superintendent telling me that he is "Most hopeful that (Honeybunches)’ outcomes are as you would have them. I will be speaking with Dr. C (SPED Director), Ms. H (Principal), and Superintendent Elect T with regard to your message below. If I were you I would be equally as concerned. Most likely, Dr. C will be in touch with you about this." (Superintendent is retiring at the end of this year.)
The 2nd was from Dr. C. He said "I read your message and will forward it on to (School psych) and Ms H (Principal) at (School) so that we can get a safety plan written. Supervision in the ILC is and will be throughout the day.
I’ll be in touch.
Thanks for keeping me informed..."

So it's good they are working on things and that the Superintendent would be concerned too. If the Superintendent man was not leaving, I believe more would come of this situation because he doesn't seem to play around. IDK the new lady taking his place...

I wrote back to the SPED Director telling him about the Safety Plan that was written up yesterday, but asking for clarification of a couple things:

I asked "What can we do for the rest of this school year to ensure his safety?  The IEP states this plan is effective immediately.  Who is to ensure it is followed until his transition to the ILC in August?"  

I also asked him to look over the Safety Plan to see if he can see any changes that need to me made.  I also asked for clarification about what "Closely monitored" and how close "This implies to both visual and physical proximity to ensure his safety" is and what that means exactly to staff. 

I told both the principal and SPED Director that:
" It would make me feel more confident about his safety (And the rest of the other students) if recess staff/aides were trained that one of them should do a quick sweep of the playground (Especially the area of the swings, where from my understanding {Honeybunches} ended up being, around that side of the building) at the end of recess after the children enter the building to make sure all the children are inside.  If that's not already a policy, I think it would make a good one to ensure a situation like this does not happen again."

Honeybunches' Safety Plan + Aide Reprimanded

 

Today was Honeybunches' Field Day.  Right when I got to the school before I seen Honeybunches or he seen me the principal asked me if I had a minute. I said "Sure". We went into her office where the school psychologist (Who is also the school's IEP Chairperson), her and I talked for a few minutes. They apologized a few times for the incident where he was left outside alone at recess. The principal told me that the aide "Was spoken to". The school psych wrote up a revised Safety Plan (Adding in the last paragraph) while I was there watching Honeybunches' field day and wrote a clause in the IEP in reference to the Safety Plan. While I was there watching Honeybunches' field day, I seen the SPED Director car pull up. (Yeah, small town I know these things lol.) SPED Director man walked into the building with the principal lady. A while later Mrs. Understanding walked over, said something to the aide who walked away for a little while right before I had to leave. I am thinking that is when the SPED Director spoke with her. Just a couple minutes ago the SPED Director called me to let me know that he spoke with the aide today telling her "Something like this better never happen again". SPED Director also said him "And the superintendent wrote up a letter of reprimand for (The aide's) file regarding this incident". I am glad this incident was taken care of so quickly. They all admitted this incident was very wrong and never should have happened.

My Lost Boy

SCHOOL LOST MY BOY AT RECESS TODAY!!!! His home-school communication book says:
"He seemed out of sorts today. He did a lot of testing at recess. We had to look for him. He didn't follow Mrs. T (His 1:1 aide) in. When we found him he said he was chasing a butterfly."
On one hand I am thankful they let me know. On another hand I am thinking how can they just lose my boy, especially when he has a 1:1 aide. That makes me question if he'll be safe next year without one... but then again his current one is kind of like not having one from the way it seems.

I questioned Honeybunches at dinner about the situation.  He said he was looking at "Pretty moth wings" and didn't know the other children went inside. Yup, from the way it sounds they just left my boy outside... ALONE! 

I wrote this letter to the SPED Director and CC'd the teacher:
 
"I am not happy about an incident that happened at school today. ___'s communication book had a note about ___'s day which states:
"___ seemed out of sorts today. He did a lot of testing at recess. We had to look for him. He didn't follow Mrs. T in. When we found him he said he was chasing a butterfly." I am happy that they let me know about this incident. ___ said he was looking at "Pretty moth wings" and didn't know recess was over and the children went in. Sometimes he gets hyper-focused like that (Because of his Autism I believe). I have concerns about his safety at recess, especially with the swamp behind the school. This incident makes me question if him being without an aide (Especially at recess and other unstructured times) next Fall will be safe. I also wonder with a 1:1 aide how this happened. Why don't they check the playground after recess to make sure all the children are inside? Shouldn't Mrs. T___ know where he is? I see not following him around all the time and being right on him, but IMO she should have him in an eye's view. I am going to talk to Mrs. (Understanding) about this incident in the morning, but I thought you should be aware of it too since it might possibly change my agreement to getting rid of his aide. The only other possible way I'd be happy about the outcome is if we make up a safety plan for him regarding recess that states a teacher or aide is to know where he is and have him in their line of vision and double check the playground after recess or something like that in more technical terms. I either want something like that written in a Safety Plan and reference to it in his IEP or an aide for at least recess reinstated for the Fall."

So we'll see what he has to say about this incident... I never really liked his aide and now I have even more reason to be concerned about her level of professionalism! Anyways, tomorrow I go on a field trip to the zoo with him where I'll play his 1:1 aide.  I'll try to find time to talk to his teacher about this incident... I might go a bit early to try to catch up with the principal too.