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Home> Advocacy > Use the Back to School Checklist to Get Off to a Good Start |
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Your Back to School Checklist to Get Off to a Good Start! 1. As your child's advocate, obtain your supplies (i.e., three-ring notebook, highlighters, stickly notes, etc.) before school starts. Store your advocacy supplies in one place.
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2. Make an information folder about your child for the teacher. Include a photo, a list of five important things about your child, and a list of strategies that have worked well. |
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| 3. Meet and Greet. In a normal school year, schedule a meeting with your child's teacher. Describe your child's unique needs. Provide your contact information (i.e., email, text, landline #, good times to call). |
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| 4. Take your child to visit the new school or classroom before the first day of school. | |||
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| 5. If appropriate, plan with the teacher, a day to introduce your child to the class. | |||
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| 6. Offer your help to the teacher. Provide your email / contact info for questions. Volunteer in the classroom or provide classroom support. | |||
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7. Read or re-read your child's IEP. Is your child's IEP SMART?
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SMART IEPs: Chapter 12 Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy |
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| 8. Provide a copy of your child's IEP to each of his teachers. | |||
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9. Solve any overt problems immediately using effective parent-teacher communication. |
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| 10. Resolve previous IEP issues before your child begins to have problems this year. If you have concerns or issues that were not resolved during the last IEP meeting, request another IEP meeting immediately. | |||
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| 11. Get a new assessment if necessary. Consider getting your child's skills tested very early in the school year. | |||
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Your Child's Evaluations: Chapter 8 Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition |
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| 12. Ask for a brief follow-up meeting with the teacher 4 or 5 weeks into the year to go over progress. | |||
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| 13. Attend your school's Open House. | |||
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| 14. Write thank you notes after meetings. | |||
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Sample thank you letters: Chapter 23 & 24 Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition |
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| 15. Record every conversation, meeting, contact with the school / teacher in your contact log. | |||
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Sample Contact Log and Problem Report: Chapter 22 Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition |
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Back-to-School Resource and Special Education Survival Guide
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Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy, 2nd Edition
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Download the checklist in pdf format. (In Spanish)
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