IEP Parent Questionnaire

Monday 9/29/14

Hello Parents and Guardians:

I mentioned in my post last week that it would be helpful to have some ideas written down prior to coming to your child's IEP meeting.  Because, if you're anything like me, if you don't write something down before going to an important meeting or a doctor's appointment, you will forget to ask the important question!!!  Also, for our purposes, it is helpful if everyone has a "game plan" going into the meeting.  I just found a questionnaire on the web (I can't take any credit for creating it) that looks pretty good.  I will paste it below.  If you would like a hard copy prior to a meeting, please let me know.  Also, it may be a good tool to use as you start to think about the things you want to make sure are covered in our meeting.

Thanks for reading! I hope the week is off to a great start!
Patrick

Input for Annual IEP Meeting

The following questionnaire is being sent to you to ensure parental input in the development of the Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance in your child’s IEP.  Please complete and return prior to the upcoming annual IEP meeting scheduled for ________________.  

1.      What are your goals for your child in the next year?

2.      What do you see as your child’s strengths?

3.      What are your child’s greatest needs?

4.      How would you describe your child’s attitude toward school?

5.      How would you describe your child’s peer relationships?

6.      What are your future hopes and goals for your child?

7.      What are your concerns, if any, in the following areas?

a.      Academic (math, language arts, reading, science, oral communication…)

2. Other concerns (health considerations, communication, physical abilities, mobility…)

Friday, 9/26/14

Hello Parents and Guardians,

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful day.  I wanted to post a short re-cap of the week.  It has been an unusual week.  Today, I am at the high school filling in for some colleagues who attended the funeral services.  It has been nice to see some old friends and work with some former students, but the circumstances are, unfortunately, quite sad.  I was just outside with the rest of the school watching Pat Gill’s funeral procession go by.  I also attended the wake service last night.  The outpouring of support is truly amazing. It makes me proud to be part of this community.  

The week was also unusual because I was out Monday and Tuesday nursing an injured shoulder.  I took a spill on my bicycle this past Sunday taking a turn on wet pavement; next time I’ll go slower!  Nothing broken, just needed a few days to recover.  So, I’m hoping to get “back to normal” next week.  

I wanted to recommend a before school program that is available for both Ambrose and Lynch students.  The BOKS program is a once a week before school (8-8:30) PE-like program led by parent volunteers.  It begins next week and you are able to sign up on either school’s website.  There has been a great deal of research which shows that early morning physical activity is a great way to engage the brain for learning.  I know that I feel much more clear-headed when I am able to workout before school.  I think that most children would benefit greatly from this program.  Please consider it and check out the days and times available.  Let me know if you have further questions.  

Finally, I wanted to make a suggestion to each of you in regards to our individual meetings.  Prior to IEP meetings, it would be helpful if you could consider the following question, and possibly write down some notes so that we can make sure we cover all of your questions and concerns.  What concerns do you want to see addressed to enhance your child’s education? I know that you all will come to our meetings with questions and concerns, but I think it’s helpful to write them all down.  If you’re anything like me, if you don’t write it down, the chances of forgetting are great.  

Thanks for reading.  Have a wonderful weekend.

Patrick

Hello Parents and Guardians,

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful day.  I wanted to post a short re-cap of the week.  It has been an unusual week.  Today, I am at the high school filling in for some colleagues who attended the funeral services.  It has been nice to see some old friends and work with some former students, but the circumstances are, unfortunately, quite sad.  I was just outside with the rest of the school watching Pat Gill’s funeral procession go by.  I also attended the wake service last night.  The outpouring of support is truly amazing. It makes me proud to be part of this community.  

The week was also unusual because I was out Monday and Tuesday nursing an injured shoulder.  I took a spill on my bicycle this past Sunday taking a turn on wet pavement; next time I’ll go slower!  Nothing broken, just needed a few days to recover.  So, I’m hoping to get “back to normal” next week.  

I wanted to recommend a before school program that is available for both Ambrose and Lynch students.  The BOKS program is a once a week before school (8-8:30) PE-like program led by parent volunteers.  It begins next week and you are able to sign up on either school’s website.  There has been a great deal of research which shows that early morning physical activity is a great way to engage the brain for learning.  I know that I feel much more clear-headed when I am able to workout before school.  I think that most children would benefit greatly from this program.  Please consider it and check out the days and times available.  Let me know if you have further questions.  

Finally, I wanted to make a suggestion to each of you in regards to our individual meetings.  Prior to IEP meetings, it would be helpful if you could consider the following question, and possibly write down some notes so that we can make sure we cover all of your questions and concerns.  What concerns do you want to see addressed to enhance your child’s education? I know that you all will come to our meetings with questions and concerns, but I think it’s helpful to write them all down.  If you’re anything like me, if you don’t write it down, the chances of forgetting are great.  

Thanks for reading.  Have a wonderful weekend.

Patrick

http://www.specialeducationadvisor.com/teaching-self-calming-skills/

The above link is a blog post from a special educator in Florida.  It contains some useful tips on helping children develop calming techniques.  I feel that this is important for all children and especially those with learning difficulties as school (like work for us) can be a very stressful place at times.

September 23, 2014

Welcome! This is my first blog post on my very first blog. Very exciting stuff!!  My objective for this blog is for it to serve as a resource and an alternative means of communication for the parents, guardians and other caretakers of my students at Lynch and Ambrose.  I will post about important events going on at both schools and in the community as well as information that I feel could be important/helpful for your children/ my students.  I look forward to expanding my blogging skills with all of you good people as my audience.  Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns relating to your child specifically.  Also, please feel free to make general comments or ask general questions on this blog.  Finally, please do not hesitate to offer suggestions/ support to me as I try my hardest to make the blog a productive vehicle for communication.

I am fortunate to have many of the same students at each school on my caseload again this year.  This has made the "getting to know you" process much easier than last year.  I do have several new students, and they all seem to be adapting well to their new classroom teachers and to me as their learning center teacher.

My schedule is a bit unique in that I split my time 50/50 between two schools.  I am at Ambrose every morning (8:30-11:30) and Lynch every afternoon (12:15-3:15).  The in-between time is spent eating lunch, traveling to Lynch, and planning lessons.  If the need arises, I am available to meet before or after my school hours with some advance notice.  Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.

A bit of background information about me...This is my second year as a special educator at Lynch and Ambrose.  Before that I was a teacher's assistant in the special education department at Winchester High School for two years.  In February of 2011, I took my first job in Winchester serving as an all day kindergarten teaching assistant at Lynch.  This coincided with the beginning of my Master's program in special education at Cambridge College.  I finished my degree in May of 2013 and was hired as a teacher in July of 2013.  I honestly did not think that I would end up working with elementary students when I began my job search; the job just kind of "found me."  However, I must say that I could not imagine being happier in a job than I am currently.  Your children teach me new things everyday and I am blessed to be able to work with such energetic young people.

My wife and I have one child, Dylan, who is a fifth grader at Lynch.  This is his eighth (and final) year at Lynch.  He attended two years of pre-school prior to beginning kindergarten at Lynch.  I can't believe that he will me a middle schooler next year!!  As a parent, I could not be more satisfied with the education that Dylan has received thus for in the Winchester Public Schools.  I am a proud parent and well as a proud employee of such a wonderful school district.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the horrible news of last Saturday morning.  My heart aches for the Gill Family and for all of the children and adults affected by the tragic loss of Patrick Gill.  I had the opportunity to get to know Patrick as a student while I worked at WHS.  During my second year as a TA, I needed to fulfill some practicum hours for my degree and worked in his English class.  I taught a unit on The Cather in the Rye to Patrick and his 10th grade classmates.  My brief snapshot of Patrick proved to me that he was a great kid.  It is no surprise at all to be hearing all of the comments from those who knew him well.

Thank you for reading my first post.  I look forward to working with you and your children this year.
Best,
Patrick Flaherty
Special Educator
Ambrose & Lynch