As the school year begins, it is important to “introduce” your child to his new teachers and other adults that your child encounters at school. Creating a Positive Student Profile (http://www.cpacinc.org/pdfs/Positive_Student_Profile.pdf) will help you communicate your child’s strengths, interests, successes, as well as the challenges.
Autism is a spectrum disorder. As we like to say, “When you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” It is important to communicate your child’s individual strengths and needs. Please do not assume that the IEP will communicate this for you, or that everyone at school has read your child’s IEP.
Who should you tell? Be sure that you talk with teachers and teaching assistants. If your child uses school transportation, it may be wise to speak with the bus driver. If your child has difficulty in the cafeteria, then you may want to meet with the cafeteria employees. If you have a School Resource Officer or Law Enforcement Officer at your school, you may want to explain how autism affects your child and the methods that you use to de-escalate situations.
Help your child’s teachers understand and get to know your child. Send a Positive Student Profile today, and make an appointment to talk with key people at school.
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