Throughout Conor’s school years, his behavior frequently interfered with his ability to successfully participate in class and caused much frustration – and sometimes pain – for his teachers, instructional assistants, school administrators and of course his parents.
Amellaly (Ally) Martinez knows firsthand the value of connecting with other parents whose children have similar diagnoses. Her two youngest sons received autism diagnoses and she suspects autism in her older son. Ally said she felt lost and alone.
I hope you are all enjoying the cooler temperatures that September and October bring to Arizona across the state. And …
Parents might think their children won’t be disciplined, suspended or expelled if they receive services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 plan, but they can. While students with IEPs or 504 plans can receive discipline for violating school policies, additional protection is available to these students.
For families of young children with disabilities, the transition into school for the first time can be wrought with stress and emotion. Our main article in this issue of Connecting discusses the nuts and bolts of the transition to preschool process.
“Like many parents, Teresa Banas felt nervous when it was time to send her children to preschool. Her son didn’t speak as much as his twin sister, and she was concerned about developmental delays.
As Cristina Renteria prepared to send her son Atlas to developmental preschool, she ran into difficulties regarding his medical complexities.
“Working for Raising Special Kids is a dream come true,” Brandi said. “It’s wonderful to work for an employer who understands families’ needs.”
“I needed the support of a bigger community to get my son through this next milestone. Everyone at Raising Special Kids was so accommodating and knowledgeable and put my fears to rest.”
Paulina first became involved with Raising Special Kids about 14 years ago when her twins were born. Her son Luis was born with spina bifida, and she needed support from other parents who had similar experiences.