"Happy Mouth School"

Due to those insurance issues we had covering speech therapy back in the winter, I took it upon myself to have Mikey screened by the public school.  The public school offers special education services to children starting at three years old, should they qualify.  We live in a top rated school system so I figured it wouldn't hurt.

Mikey went for the initial screening which resulted in further testing based on concerns that were noted.  Our school system evaluates children differently than other school systems do.  Instead of it being a one time evaluation with each discipline, Wellesley puts together a small group of children (all being evaluated) and has them come to school over a course of six times so the team of clinicians gets to know the child really well (and avoids excuses like "he didn't sleep well last night", etc).  Mikey went on Friday mornings from 10-11:30 with four other children his age.  It was a drop off type thing so unfortunately I wasn't able to observe ANYTHING and no feedback was given upon pick-up.  We started back in March and didn't complete the evaluation process until May 10 since they had off for Good Friday and spring break.

May 24 was our IEP meeting.  We received the written reports two days ahead of time and everything made total sense.  They really got to know Mikey by working with him directly as well as through conversations/documentation from Eva and myself.  By the end of the meeting it was determined that Mikey is eligible to receive special education services in the Wellesley Public School system based on delays in every area of development.  They are looking at him as having a developmental delay.  No other diagnosis is needed nor anticipated at this time.  Mikey will be attending the five week summer program starting July 8 four days per week for 2.5 hours.  In the fall he will be attending school four days per week (Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fri) from 9-2:30.  He will be receiving physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and will be a student in an inclusive classroom (with other children receiving services as well as "typically" developing children from the community).

Upon leaving the meeting one of my reactions was "OMG.  He is getting so many services!".  Here I am an occupational therapist that works with kids Mikey's age and younger and I was not anticipating he was going to get as much as he did.  It is a well known fact that Wellesley gives A LOT of services up front so that they can say by elementary school they don't have many children on IEPs.  This was partially reassuring but at the same time I am also blown away with how much help he needs.  All of my objectivity of being a clinician (obviously) went right out the window when looking at my own child.

Michael and I are happy that Mikey will be getting the help that he needs so that he can thrive in all areas of life.  Mikey works so hard every day to do things that many other kids his age can do naturally without hesitation.  I am looking forward to working with the school system and watching Mikey learn and grow this coming year.

The preschool is in its own free standing building around the corner from our house.  It has a big smiley face on the roof at the entrance to the school.  In working with other families that have sent their kids there, many children refer to the school as the "smiley face school".  Mikey calls it the "happy mouth school".  And he is thrilled that he gets to go back.  He is VERY disappointed that he will not be going there on the school bus, however.  It is very hard to explain to him that yes, he is going to school but no, the school bus doesn't go to THAT school!  (The official name of the school is Preschool At Wellesley Schools--PAWS for short.  This is how you will hear me refer to it from now on:  PAWS or Happy Mouth School!)