Preparing for Kindergarten...

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Adena will turn 5 in March and her ARD (In Texas)/IEP Meeting is scheduled for

March. She is very smart.. she knows her ABC's by sight and also knows phonics

although is not consistent. she knows 1-10 consistently. She speaks using 2-5

word sentences although is difficult to understand but I can understand most of

what she says. she will answer some questions but still repeats a lot of what

you say. she is very smart and she knows it but often plays dumb, especially to

her therapists and pretends she can't do things she can do. She also like to

run off. I talked to her teachers before christmas and they do not think she is

ready for kindergarten mainly because of the running off and not being

consistent at following directions and activities. They know her well and she

does not fool them with her pretending she can't do things. She is in a PPCD

classroom which in texas is a preschool class for children with disabilities. i

specifically chose this program in a rural school because it is a full day

program rather than 3 hours offered in our school district and it is more

inclusive. Although it is for children with disabilities, there are some

typically developing kids in her class. The local school district only places

kids with severe language delays or disabilities that meet their gudielines then

kicks them out when they are 'age-appropriate' or " meet their IEP goals'. If

Adena stays in the transfer district, they will send her to a self-contained

classroom at another rural school. if we go with our local district, they place

all kids with ds in a self-contained classroom. I could send her to another

rural school that may place her in a regular classroom but it will be 30 minutes

out instead of 20 minutes and I don't know for sure if they will take her. the

other surrounding communities also send to the same self-contained classroom.

my husband wants to keep her in the PPCD class for another year. i don't think

she is mature enough for kindergarten and she is still not potty -trained. She

has the smarts and the knowledge. her ppcd teachers are very good to teach her

new skills and not only keep working on the same old thing. I just wanted ideas

from people who have walked down the road. i felt very confident sending her to

preschool because i had done my research and felt comfortable with the fit. but

Adena was the last child they have accepted as a transfer student and are not

accepting any more. i am afraid if we rock the boat, they just won't accept her

as a transfer student and we may go from the frying pan into the fire.

ironically, the special education director got state recognition for doing such

a great job in our local school district. I just feel very lost and looking for

ideas.. my husband wants to fly by the seat of our pants and i want to be

prepared..

Thanks,

Karyn

Mom to Adena, 4, DS and , 14 months and just as stubborn about not

walking as her sister was but will say a 4-word sentence!!