Kindergarten Round-Up

Last night, we went to the Primary School for "Meet the Teacher Night." The nice thing about our small school district is that they ask the parents beforehand to choose their top 3 choices for teachers and then ask parents why. Of course, being the total Type A personality that I am, I filled the entire sheet of paper!

I asked for a specific teacher, Mrs. U, based on the recommendation of the Parents As Teachers instructor that screened Cole for Kindergarten readiness. She wasn't supposed to help me out by telling me who the best teachers were. But, as she fell in love with Cole's charming personality (yes, he does show that side occasionally!) and was literally fascinated by his advanced vocabulary and logic skills, she pulled me aside and asked me which teacher I wanted for next year. I admitted that I didn't know ANY of the teachers and I would appreciate some recommendations. She pulled out a sheet of paper and, whispering that she could get in big trouble for doing so, she proceeded to write down the top 3 teachers. She specifically said we should request Mrs. U because she really pushes reading and verbal skills--areas where Cole already excels--and will challenge him. A bored Cole is not a good thing! And, she is not a young 'just-out-of-college' type teacher who may not have the experience or patience to deal with an ASD child. The principal listened and we were notified that Mrs. U would be Cole's teacher next year!

Prior to the meeting last night, I e-mailed Mrs. U and briefly explained Cole's diagnosis, his treatments, the GFCF diet, and expressed how excited he was to start Kindergarten. She responded with a very nice note saying she was excited to meet Cole as well, and that she would be very willing to work with us in any way to make this a great year for Cole!

We arrived at the Primary School, found Cole's classroom, and explored for a bit. Mrs. U introduced herself to us and already had a few suggestions on how to accomdate the GFCF snacks into the day. It was clear that she had been thinking about our situation and I was impressed! I gave her a notebook that I had put together containing information about Cole's diagnosis, areas in which he struggles, a brief synopsis of his treatments, a detailed section on the GFCF diet, and also a list of websites where she could get more information. And, I left the classroom with the impression that she would read this information and really try to work with us next year.

Thankfully Cole knew two kids in his class, so he didn't mind us leaving! The parents then gathered in the gym while the children stayed in their classrooms. We met the principal, the nurse, and the counselor (all of whom I'm sure we will be dealing with quite a bit next year!), toured the school, and learned about how the school week will look.

Then, we met the kids in the cafeteria to have dinner. The kids practiced going through the line, getting their milk/juice, getting their trays, and paying the cashier. I packed a GFCF lunch for Cole so once he got back to the table, we traded. I doubt Cole will ever buy his lunch at school, but he did at least learn how to use the cafeteria.

All in all, he had a fun night! He really liked his teacher, knew a few kids at school, and enjoyed eating in the cafeteria. He looked so grown up! How did this happen? Wasn't it just yesterday he was learning to walk?