Autism Disorders and Transition To and Through School: A Small Suggestion

Conor visiting and preparing for his transition from middle school to high school by 

visiting the grounds of the school and seeing the Leo Hayes High School building. 

I have commented on transition planning in the school system before and I don't know if what we did with our severely autistic, profoundly developmentally delayed son can be done under the new Department of Education and Early Childhood Development   policies   or the collective agreement negotiated by Finance Minister Higgs with CUPE Local 2745, the union representing aides.  The essence of what we did though was to show Conor what his next year would look like in advance of the changes.  When we were transitioning Conor to high school we took him for visits to Leo Hayes High School while he was still in middle school.  The aide who worked with him at middle school went with Conor for these meetings where he met his aides who would start with him at LHHS and faded out during some of the visits.  On weekends we simply took him to the school grounds to get used to seeing the school he would be at the next year.   We had done the same thing when Conor transitioned from Nashwaaksis Memorial (grade) School to Nashwaaksis Middle School.   

For some students with autism visits to their next school may, as it did with Conor, help reduce their anxiety about the transition.  

Conor Prepares for High School

Transition, Planning, Implementation.

Transitions are very difficult for many with autism.  Conor,  who has Autistic Disorder and intellectual disabilities, is now in his last year of middle school and will be moving next year from Nashwaaksis Middle School to Leo Hayes High School.  The planning for that transition began in the new year when we met with a planning  team from the middle school, high school and School District 18.  A good solid  transition plan was worked out and ... equally importantly ... implementation is proceeding as planned.

 

The essence of the transition planning is to famliiarize Conor with the new school itself and the people who will be working with him in small bites while he is still attending his regular middle school. The teacher assistants who will be involved with Conor next year have visited him and begun working with him part days at his current school.  He knows their names, he knows them. They are now part of Conor's picture. Conor has also spent part days at the high school he will be attending next year becoming familiar with the setting in which he will be educated next year. 

Yesterday was  a very good day for Conor.  He spent a full day at Leo Hayes High School working with the teacher assistants in the actual location in which he will be educated next year. Conor's excellent current teacher assistant Brad, who has been involved with Conor for most of his three years at middle school attended with Conor but removed himself from the scene, faded out of the picture, at various times during the day.  Conor did very well and  is scheduled to attend at Leo Hayes High School again this Wednesday for another full day. Hopefully it will go well as it did yesterday.

We had worried about Conor's transition from grade school to middle school but Conor loved it.  In the picture above he is shown posing with his perfect attendance certificate he received after completing his first year at Middle School.   When we moved to our current home 4 years ago we prepared Conor by driving by and pointing out our "new house" to him.  A friend, who is also an educator and Autism Clinical Supervisor, who has previously worked with Conor,  prepared some story boards with pictures of the "new house" on it and the transition was a huge success. So we know Conor  can handle transitions when properly planned for and implemented.

Conor's transition to high school has already begun and, while taking it one day at a time, we are very optimistic that it will work out well for Conor. When  he starts high school next year it will be in a place, and with people, that are already part of Conor's picture.

Autism Transitions - Conor Loved His First Year of Middle School

Transitions can be difficult for children with autism. We were anxious at the start but we were prepared with a good plan and good help from everyone at the school and district. Very special thanks to Teacher Assistant Brad Daniels who was outstanding.

Conor himself though was most responsible for his great year. Above is Conor with his Perfect Attendance certificate for which he also received the trophy above, right. Conor received ABA instruction, including Discrete Trial Training, as well as activity and time in general areas like the gym, pool, kitchen and library.

For those who think that ABA is somehow "oppressive" and "robs an autistic child of his personality" Conor's perfect attendance, and the enthusiasm he showed each day being the first in our household, every single day without fail, to head for the family car to get to school, say otherwise.

autism

Conor Eager to Get to Middle School

We were anxious about how Conor would handle the transition to middle school this year. We put a plan in place and carried it out with the help of the school team. But Conor is the main player on the team and he has done very well. These pictures taken yesterday show Conor ready to go to school, heading out the door 20 minutes early. He wants to get to middle school!











C'mon Dad get away from the computer.
























Dad put the coffee down, let's go.




















Dad, you are so old and slow!












Ah! Finally, it's about time!

Conor's First Days At Middle School, So Far So Good

So far so good. Conor is fortunate to have some well trained people involved with his education this year. The aides split their time with him but most of his day is spent with 2 aides with experience and training from the UNB-CEL Autism Intervention Training program and a resource teacher equally well qualified.

The Nashwaaksis Middle School is very well organized which is in itself a good thing. There have been some hitches. Conor's work area has a noisy overhead light and that is being looked into. The changes in his daily schedule have caused him to be a bit agitated at night but, autism or not, many children (and their parents), require a period of adjustment the first week back at school. And he is still staying up a bit too late for school schedule. But overall things are working out well. Even as I am typing this comment Conor has come over to take another look at the inset image of Nashwaaksis Middle School - and smile.

So far, so good.

Autism Transitions - Middle School

Transitions are often difficult for children with autism, particularly those at the lower functioning end of the autism spectrum, for whom it is more difficult to explain major changes in their lives. When we moved from our old house to our current home in December 2005 we prepared Conor with a storybook with pictures of "old house" and "new house" and we took him for drives over to the new house to see it several times before making the move. It went well.

Tuesday will be Conor's first day at Nashwaaksis Middle School after 6 years, K-5, at Nashwaaksis Memorial School. All summer we worked with Conor trying to get him ready for the transition to Middle School. Fortunately, the Middle School also hosts two community events the Fredericton Indoor Pool which has been like a second home for Conor who loves to swim and a public library which Conor has visited often with his therapists. We visited Middle School with Conor and toured the school earlier in the summer and did so again this week. We were able to introduce him to his Methods and Resource teacher and show him the area where he will be spending most of his time.

Conor is fortunate to have two Teacher Assistants who will work with him for on shifts for most of the school day who have received training at the UNB-CEL Autism Intervention Training Program. One of them is a TA who worked with him his last year of grade school which should help ease the transition. The Resource Teacher working with Conor this year has also received AIT training and has substantial autism intervention experience. Nothing is guaranteed, particularly with such a big transition, but there is much reason to be hopeful - and thankful - as Conor starts his transition to Middle School.

NATTAP (Autism Networking) Conference September 26-28 2007 Columbus

The Network of Autism Training and Technical Assistance Programs (NATTAP) and the Autism Society of America present...

First Annual International NATTAP Conference

Hosted by the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence
September 26-28, 2007
Columbus Convention Center - Columbus, OH USA

This forum will provide opportunities for professionals and parents to address international, national, state, regional, and local issues concerning current models of systems, training and technical assistance, data-based decision making, and systems-wide capacity building, with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for school-age children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Empirically-validated interventions will be reviewed. PBIS models across the nation will also be highlighted.Professionals from across disciplines; state special education directors and autism specialists; influential, prominent leaders including legislators; and leaders from across the world will join us as we create a conference atmosphere that encourages networking and an exchange of ideas that will launch a new foundation for programs and services for children with ASD.Conference features include:Review of the prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorders and implications for each state

Presentation of empirically validated programs and initiatives to build capacity and increase learner outcomes

Overview of national trends and services in the field of autism

Facilitated roundtable discussions across topics

Networking opportunities across states, disciplines, and professional levels

Distribution of Technical Assistance guide

Review of National Teacher Competencies in ASD

Content areas will include:

Positive Behavior Intervention Systems Models

A Review of Systems: National, Statewide and Regional

Comprehensive Programming Instructional Techniques and Strategies

Assessment and Identification

Overview of Research in ASD

Building Communities of Practice

Credentials, Standards and Related Issues

Family systems and needs

Early Intervention Models

Transition to Adulthood

Use of Technology and Assistive Technology

Higher Education

For more information, please visit: www.ocali.org/nattap2007

Or email: Dr. Brenda Smith Myles (Conference Chair) or Jill Hudson (Conference Coordinator) at nattap@ocali.org