Daughter's graduation and life after

[Guest guest]

Hi Listmates,

I just wanted to share a very special moment in our lives. My daughter,

Kaitlyn, now 21, just graduated from her program at the Tawanka Learning

Center last Wednesday. The staff put on a beautiful graduation ceremony for

and 3 of her classmates. There were many tears flowing during and

after the ceremony as has been there for 7 years. Today was her last

day there and needless to say it was very difficult writing that last letter

to her teacher in her communication book.

On Monday she starts a new chapter in her young adult life.working in a

sheltered workshop run by BARC. As she has a duel diagnosis of Autism and

MR, we were able to secure a MR Waiver for her through countless hard work,

phone calls and support of a great case manager from her MR base service

unit. We had applied and got the Autism Waiver, but since we received news

she had qualified for AW back in February of this year, we never heard from

them again.

Now I have to start all over getting to know the new staff. Luckily we had

it put into her IEP to go to BARC once a week under the supervision of her

teacher and 1 of her Teaching Assistants since January and really

seems to like it there so we don't anticipate too much of a transition

issue.

Thanks for letting me share our happy news!

My best,