IEP Meeting Update

We had Honeybunches end of year IEP progress meeting.  It went pretty well.  Here are the updates:

In Attendence:

• Current SPED teacher Mrs Understanding, Next year's SPED teacher (Mr M who I have to find a good nickname for because the aide in that class is also a Mr M), School Psych, School Counselor, PT, Principal and SPED Director.   (OT and Speech could not make it, but I signed a form saying I excused them since they gave the SPED Director a report which he shared.)

School Counselor:

• Said he's doing very well. 
• She talked with Honeybunches yesterday about the meeting.  She explained Honeybunches' options of placements next year to him.  He was totally against going to the 5-6th grade school.  He told her "No not going" to that school.  
• They talked about him possibly going to Mr M's class, which he liked that idea. 
• They have been working on calming techniques. 
• The counselor would love for him to increase peer interaction and increase the friendship piece of their goals.  
• He is very reward driven. 
• He has been very respectful and funny.  They laugh a lot together. 

PT:

• The long range goal she would like to work on would be getting back with peers in their sessions.  Lately he always wants to work alone with her. 
• He's made small but steady gains. 
• He is very enjoyable. 
• She is pleased with his progress.

OT:

• The SPED Director reported how OT said he's meeting all his goals so next year she is considering moving towards a consult instead of direct services. 

Mrs Understanding:

• He has been having good peer relations in class.  He interacts with peers appropriately.  He is making slow and steady gains academically.  Reading comprehension is something they are working hard with, that he needs to continue working on.  
• Math is his weakness.  They are working on arrays and multiplication.  He wants to memorize the multiplication facts.  He has trouble with multistep problems.  They overwhelm him.  She believes he struggles in Math because of his short term memory weakness.  
• Language is coming along good.  He's been working with his para on the Ipad.  He can type 20 wpm either on the Ipad or on the computer.  

Psych:

• Since the med change back to Abilify he's been "Happy and his demeanor has changed".  
• He is very reward driven
• Because of behavioral needs, she believes that Mr M's class would be the best place for him since he needs assistant staying on task and complying with classroom rules. 
• She mentioned how having a 1:1 aide might be hindering his progress.  
• Said she did not think that his current 1:1 aide was working out because Honeybunches has her figured out.  I said "I strongly agree".

Group Discussions/Agreements:

• Placement to be in Mr M's class for at least next year. 
• Try without 1:1 aide (Class for next year at most will have 8 children with SPED teacher and 2 class aides, but right now there are only 2 children placed there to begin in August so to begin he'd still be getting 1:1 attention). They believe being without an aide would be a step towards him becoming more independent.
• We're going to try him on the regular bus without an aide.  They had suggested the SPED Van, but I think he'd be more successful on the regular bus with a familiar driver (She's driven this route since Monica was in 2nd grade so for about 10 years so chances are she'll still be driving the route in the Fall).  The team agreed to try the regular bus with an assigned seat.  
• The SPED Director is getting Honeybunches his own IPad (Along with survivor case  and applications) to use for Summer tutoring and for transition to new class to be programmed with applications specifically for him.  His current SPED teacher will program it before this school year ends.
• He will get Summer tutoring with his current SPED teacher and the aide of Mr M's classroom (Who is the other Mr M that I need to rename for online purposes to decrease confusion lol).  They are going to split the tutoring, which will be offered 2 hours per day, 4 days a week for 4 weeks in July.  Most likely, there will be no Summer Enrichment Program this year due to budget cuts.  
• Mr M's Classroom uses a level system, which I was given a copy of. The teacher said he'll get me copies of the incentives in a few weeks, because his home printer is broken.  He believes it will work well for Honeybunches because each level has a good number of incentive choices. With Honeybunches things work for a while, then his interest changes.  They chart it every 15 minutes.  Children get checks for speaking appropriately, cooperating with adults, staying on task and respecting materials.  Then they add goals to the bottom of the sheet that they are working on.  Children in the class have things to do such as pledge, greeting and jobs. Here is the chart:
  
  
• We will meet the 2nd week in September for his annual review with the current SPED Director before the new one takes his position.  (He is retiring the 3rd week in September.)
• IEP Ammendment to delete 1:1 aide in services; Stipulate "Will reinstate 1:1 aide for specific subject, or school time activity or bus if necessary".  Also adding in "Will change bus to van w/o specific 1:1 monitor if bus without monitor does not work". 

I have mixed feelings about a few things decided at the meeting.  The first thing that concerns me is not having a 1:1 aide.  I guess just because it's a change.  He's had one since beginning Kindergarten.  Mr M seems against having 1:1 aides in his classroom. There was a lot of talk about this being a step towards him becoming more independent.  They all said the way that program is set up, it is not necessary because any behavioral supports are there.  I was hoping to go back to work in the Fall, but now again those plans will be put on hold for at least the first few months of the school year so I can see how he does. I questioned about recess and other unstructured times.  Mr. M explained that the 2 class aides keep the children in his class in a group.  Although they aren't really confined they stay together with those aides keeping a close eye on the children.  They stay as a group for lunch.  I also questioned how it would work if Honeybunches wants to eat lunch in the classroom, since the current SPED teacher made it clear that he gets too overstimulated in the cafeteria.  Mr M said that one of the class aides could go to the class with him and the other could go outside. My 2nd concern is not having an aide on the bus. He has not had any behaviors on the bus.  The issue has been getting him on it.  Their response was "When that's happened we hold him back to prevent any behavior incidences then you guys have been awesome with coming to pick him up".  Ideally we would not have to pick him up, but I guess we'll see how things go next year.  He might be better with just having the male teacher and male classroom aide.  Overall, the meeting went pretty well.