I can't even think of a title to put here adequate enough to express my joy.
So today was Evan's final IEP (Individual Education Program) meeting for the term. This is when we set up all his goals and accommodations for next school term. I got FOUR surprises in this meeting!
1. A couple of months ago, Evan's English class had to go outside to do a descriptive writing assignment. They had to write a paragraph describing what they saw. Evan had told me what he'd written his about and I had told him I was sure he'd done a great job on it. He's a fantastic writer. (Hmm, wonder who he got that from? ;) ) At the meeting, they had a copy of this term's final issue of the school newspaper, in which Evan's descriptive paragraph was published! :D He'd written about his view of the school's baseball field and a house and treeline behind it. Yay, Evan!
2. We had been told at the beginning of the school term that, since Evan would have to have a special education program, he would not be eligible for the Honors diploma track. That was fine with us. We were more concerned with his Asperger's and all that entailed. We already knew he was brilliant. We didn't need a special diploma to tell us that. Well, I was informed at the meeting that he can still take Honors classes & have that on his transcript, even if he can't get the Honors diploma! So he'll be taking Honors English next year! (Or, rather, Language Arts, as they call it.) He'll also be taking Chemistry, instead of Physical Science. :D Also, the University of Alabama has a special assistance program and scholarship program JUST for Asperger's students. Evan had been leaning toward taking classes at the trade school, like collision bodywork for vehicles. His teachers were able to talk him out of that, which I know Aubra & Matt will be glad about.
And it keeps getting better...
3. Recently, one of Evan's special education ladies, whose name I can, for some reason, never remember, was at a conference or meeting of some kind. She's not one of his teachers. She's the Special Ed coordinator for the school. Anyway, she's at this thing, which I believe was specifically about autism and autism-related disorders, and she tells her colleagues about Evan, gives them some of his background, tells them about his diagnosis, all about what his teachers are doing, etc., etc. The "higher ups" at this meeting thing were so impressed and excited that Evan and his team (and me!) have been invited to **THREE** CONFERENCES!!! My son, speaking at state education/autism conferences!!!
And last, but most definitely not least...
4. Mrs. Sullivan, Evan's social worker/counselor, would like us - Evan, me, & his team (of which she's a part) - to write a paper. A paper. A PAPER! She would like each of his resource & spec. ed. teachers to write a part. She'll write a part. And Evan will write a part from his point of view, what it's been like growing up with his issues, how being diagnosed with Asperger's has changed his outlook, what aspects of his IEP have helped the most with his particular issues, etc. She wants me to write about Evan's life, from birth to present, describing his birth, infancy, developmental progress from beginning to now, and tell the story of his journey from a parent's point of view. I'm flabbergasted. A PAPER.
We have always known that God had a special purpose for Evan. There was just no way this boy would have been blessed with such a brilliant mind, with such writing & language skills, for nothing. One day a couple of years ago, when he was having a particularly difficult time, Evan asked me, "WHY did God let me be born with all these problems?? He's GOD! He could've let my brain be normal." This was prior to his Asperger's diagnosis. I told him, "I don't know why. It's just genetics. But God doesn't put more on us than we can bear and we can bear a whole lot, especially with His help. He must know that you can handle this. He's provided you with such a wonderful intellect and with all the tools to succeed. You may grow up to help other kids like you. Just do your best. That's all you can do."
Just over a year ago, Evan was having manic episodes, meltdowns, and was threatening to throw himself off the deck and holding a butcher knife to his abdomen because of misdiagnoses and unnecessary medication. Now he'll be talking to the people who run this state's education programs about what he's been through, how he's progressed, and what he hopes to accomplish in the future, and taking part in writing a paper that will be read by education and medical professionals all over the state and possibly the country. God has a plan? Oh yes, He sure does.
1. A couple of months ago, Evan's English class had to go outside to do a descriptive writing assignment. They had to write a paragraph describing what they saw. Evan had told me what he'd written his about and I had told him I was sure he'd done a great job on it. He's a fantastic writer. (Hmm, wonder who he got that from? ;) ) At the meeting, they had a copy of this term's final issue of the school newspaper, in which Evan's descriptive paragraph was published! :D He'd written about his view of the school's baseball field and a house and treeline behind it. Yay, Evan!
2. We had been told at the beginning of the school term that, since Evan would have to have a special education program, he would not be eligible for the Honors diploma track. That was fine with us. We were more concerned with his Asperger's and all that entailed. We already knew he was brilliant. We didn't need a special diploma to tell us that. Well, I was informed at the meeting that he can still take Honors classes & have that on his transcript, even if he can't get the Honors diploma! So he'll be taking Honors English next year! (Or, rather, Language Arts, as they call it.) He'll also be taking Chemistry, instead of Physical Science. :D Also, the University of Alabama has a special assistance program and scholarship program JUST for Asperger's students. Evan had been leaning toward taking classes at the trade school, like collision bodywork for vehicles. His teachers were able to talk him out of that, which I know Aubra & Matt will be glad about.
And it keeps getting better...
3. Recently, one of Evan's special education ladies, whose name I can, for some reason, never remember, was at a conference or meeting of some kind. She's not one of his teachers. She's the Special Ed coordinator for the school. Anyway, she's at this thing, which I believe was specifically about autism and autism-related disorders, and she tells her colleagues about Evan, gives them some of his background, tells them about his diagnosis, all about what his teachers are doing, etc., etc. The "higher ups" at this meeting thing were so impressed and excited that Evan and his team (and me!) have been invited to **THREE** CONFERENCES!!! My son, speaking at state education/autism conferences!!!
And last, but most definitely not least...
4. Mrs. Sullivan, Evan's social worker/counselor, would like us - Evan, me, & his team (of which she's a part) - to write a paper. A paper. A PAPER! She would like each of his resource & spec. ed. teachers to write a part. She'll write a part. And Evan will write a part from his point of view, what it's been like growing up with his issues, how being diagnosed with Asperger's has changed his outlook, what aspects of his IEP have helped the most with his particular issues, etc. She wants me to write about Evan's life, from birth to present, describing his birth, infancy, developmental progress from beginning to now, and tell the story of his journey from a parent's point of view. I'm flabbergasted. A PAPER.
We have always known that God had a special purpose for Evan. There was just no way this boy would have been blessed with such a brilliant mind, with such writing & language skills, for nothing. One day a couple of years ago, when he was having a particularly difficult time, Evan asked me, "WHY did God let me be born with all these problems?? He's GOD! He could've let my brain be normal." This was prior to his Asperger's diagnosis. I told him, "I don't know why. It's just genetics. But God doesn't put more on us than we can bear and we can bear a whole lot, especially with His help. He must know that you can handle this. He's provided you with such a wonderful intellect and with all the tools to succeed. You may grow up to help other kids like you. Just do your best. That's all you can do."
Just over a year ago, Evan was having manic episodes, meltdowns, and was threatening to throw himself off the deck and holding a butcher knife to his abdomen because of misdiagnoses and unnecessary medication. Now he'll be talking to the people who run this state's education programs about what he's been through, how he's progressed, and what he hopes to accomplish in the future, and taking part in writing a paper that will be read by education and medical professionals all over the state and possibly the country. God has a plan? Oh yes, He sure does.