IEP - Kindergarten

Yesterday, we had a meeting to finally make Gabby's IEP official. I'm so happy, it's a big relief. We started the process early in the school year, and I think since we started, like, first semester of kindergarten, we did pretty well. We all knew it would be nessicary, we just didn't know how soon the school would move on it. They hopped right on and started testing and it went really well. They moved her to a half day pre-k setting and a half day kindergarten setting, instead of full-day kindergarten, to keep her on the full day school setting but not in the kindergarten class getting behind and behind and behind, either. Her fine motor skills prevent her from really writing, because she has so many problems holding a pencil, so the pre-k setting, where it's more social learning, has suited her really well.

Basically, what we decided on yesterday, was to maintain the half day pre-k, half day kindergarten for the remainder of the school year. She will have PT and OT daily, and a para will be helping her with her written work while in the kindergarten class room. She will be repeating kindergarten next year, on a full-day basis, to catch anything that she missed and give her a chance to work further on the things that are holding her back. Also, because of her size (she's 5, but smaller than a lot of 3 year olds.) she will have adaptive PE classes so that they aren't asking her to do things that she just physically isn't capable of doing because of her size and her heart.

I am SO glad that they were able to move on the IEP program so quickly. I'd heard horror stories of kids that weren't given IEPs for YEARS and had gotten SO behind that catching up was incredibly difficult. I really feel like at this point, she didn't fall so far behind.

That is such GREAT news!!

And with her being born in August '07 and starting this year, next year being in Kindergarten again won't be that big of a deal, since she'll still be the same age as everyone in her class and not an entire year old than everyone (so as she gets older, it shouldn't bother her or anything)!

Right!? I'll be honest- I didn't WANT her to start kindergarten this year. Her birthday is August 21st....she BARELY made the cutoff to start. Had she waited til her due date, she wouldn't of started school this year at all. Because of her developmental issues, she acts young for her age....tack on being smaller than most 3 year olds, and it just seemed to me like a recipe for disaster. My birthday is August 26 and there were many times in school I had wished I hadn't started for another year, because even though I was 5 and all by the cut off...I was young for my class. And it sucks. So I really think doing kindergarten again next year....it's just an all around good thing for her.

Besides, maybe she'll grow a little bit lol. It sucked for me being tiny, and she's WAY tinier than I was. She'll about my size as an adult hopefully, but for now, she's like...holy smurf it's crazy to see her next to her classmates.

Quoting Elle With Three &1/2:" Right!? I'll be honest- I didn't WANT her to start kindergarten this year. Her birthday is August 21st....she ... [snip!] ... She'll about my size as an adult hopefully, but for now, she's like...holy smurf it's crazy to see her next to her classmates."

But at least starting her early got her on the right track and with her IEP finalized! I think over all it was a good choice to start her when you did and her repeating kindergarten will be great!!

Quoting aℓyssa™:" But at least starting her early got her on the right track and with her IEP finalized! I think over all it was a good choice to start her when you did and her repeating kindergarten will be great!! "

Yeah...kinda treating this like, kindof an advanced pre-k with the chance to start the IEP. The IEP will be in place immediately upon the beginning of next year....that, I think, will feel more like "real" kindergarten.

Quoting Elle With Three &1/2:" Yeah...kinda treating this like, kindof an advanced pre-k with the chance to start the IEP. The IEP ... [snip!] ... The IEP will be in place immediately upon the beginning of next year....that, I think, will feel more like "real" kindergarten."

Yes, exactly!

I'm so excited for all the progress she has made and continues to make.  

Quoting aℓyssa™:" Yes, exactly! I'm so excited for all the progress she has made and continues to make.   "

Me too :-D

Her cousin's teacher (they go to the same school) has a daughter in Gabby's kdg class. Asked her one time about what Gabby is like in class and she goes "Man, she's little, but she DOES STUFF!" (referring to Gabby not likeing people to do stuff for her). It made me giggle.

Quoting Elle With Three &1/2:" Me too :-D Her cousin's teacher (they go to the same school) has a daughter in Gabby's kdg class. ... [snip!] ... goes "Man, she's little, but she DOES STUFF!" (referring to Gabby not likeing people to do stuff for her). It made me giggle."

Ah!!  

Awesome news! So glad everything is going so well for Ms Gabby!

Quoting T&J+4:" Awesome news! So glad everything is going so well for Ms Gabby! "

Me too   Its SUCH a HUGE relief