Transition to Kindergarten: An Information Guide for Parents of Children with Special Needs

Transition to Kindergarten:

An Information Guide for Parents of Children with Special Needs

The following groups generously contributed to the Transition to Kindergarten booklet: School District No. 37: Delta, Reach Child and Youth Development Society and Parents of children with special needs in Delta (Updated Jan 2015)

Adapted from the Transition to School: An Information Guide for Parents. Prepared by the Children and Youth With Special Needs Subcommittee, Make Children First, Prince George. Permission granted by the Prince George Child Development Centre. Grateful thanks for permission to adapt this document to meet Delta School District’s needs.

Transition Guide to Kindergarten: An Information Guide for

Parents of Children with Special Needs

Table of Contents

This is your workbook...... 3

Before you begin ...... 3

Transition Checklist ...... 4

Your Support Network...... 5

Delta School District Phone List ...... 6

The Transition Process ...... 7

Countdown to Kindergarten ...... 8

  • January ...... 8
  • February ...... 10
  • March ...... 10
  • April ...... 10
  • May/June ...... 11
  • June ...... 12
  • July ...... 13
  • August ...... 13
  • September ...... 13
  • October ...... 15

Getting involved in your school...... 16

Delta School District Special Programs ...... 17

  • 1. School Based Support ...... 17
  • 2. District Itinerant Services ...... 18
  • 3. School Based District Programs ...... 18

Appendices

1. Letter writing ...... 19

2. Asking relevant questions ...... 20

3. Individual Education Plans ...... 22

4. Resources ...... 24

Much of the supporting information within this Information Guide is available on the Delta School District and other websites (see Appendix 4). Should you require a copy of this information in printed form please contact the Special Programs Coordinator, tel: 604 952-5358, e-mail:

Transition Guide to Kindergarten: An Information Guide for Parents of Children with Special Needs

This is your workbook.

This is your workbook to assist you in making the transition to kindergarten for your child.

“You are the parent, you know your child best.”

Please use this document as a guide for your child’s entry into kindergarten. The transition checklist works both as an overview of this process and your record of your contacts with school personnel. This workbook may be the first step of your advocacy for your child’s school years. Its pattern will become very familiar.

Your child’s transition into the school system will follow a definite timeline. There is a checklist page to help guide you as to what should be happening month by month, followed by a more detailed description of each month’s activities. This timeline is meant only as a guide and can be adjusted to fit your particular circumstances.

As you are going through this transition process remember you are a member of a larger team that may include School District Staff, a Delta Association for Child Development consultant, therapists, childcare providers or other professionals. Use these other team members as a resource at any stage along the way.

Before you begin

Have you reflected your hopes and dreams for your child?

Throughout this transition into the school system, you will be asked to tell the story of your child many, many times. Hopefully, you will be asked to describe the goals that you want for your child. The people involved with your child will want to know these goals to begin to work with your child in the next few months.

You are the parent, and being a parent means that you already imagine your child’s future years beyond these transition meetings and kindergarten. More than day-to-day goals, your hopes and dreams are the heart of your advocacy. Don’t lose sight of them!

Take a few moments and reflect. As with many families, it’s your hopes and dreams that will help keep you going through this and many other transitions to come.

TRANSITION CHECKLIST: Countdown to Kindergarten …
JANUARY

□Check out the schools in your neighborhood

□Sign a Release of Information Form to share records with the school district

□Get ready to register your child at school

□Gather information about your child

□Organize your child’s information

□Attend the Parent Information Evening

FEBRUARY

□Have you registered your child at school?

□Specialized Equipment

MARCH

□Compile information about your child

APRIL

□Information is prepared about your child

□Kindergarten Profile

MAY to JUNE

□Share information about your child

□Ways to share information about your child with the new team

□Write a ‘cheat sheet’

□Ask relevant questions

□Transportation

□Organization of school class lists

JUNE

□If necessary, arrange a visit with the Delta School District Coordinator to visit the kindergarten class with your child

□Confirmation of class placement

□Make a plan for starting school in September

JULY - HOLIDAY TIME: ENJOY!!!

AUGUST

□Kindergarten Profile is completed

□Confirm transport arrangements

□Orientation to your child’s school

□Equipment and modifications

□Support Team and documentation

SEPTEMBER

□Final checks

Your child starts school!

□Last minute questions

□Introduce your child

□‘Cheat sheet’ availability

OCTOBER

□Has your child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting been scheduled?

Your Support Network

Who will be there for and with you at a meeting?

One part of making the transition to school is saying good-bye to a team of professionals that has been a resource to you and your child. Another part is introducing your child to a new team that will focus on your child’s education. During these changes, you are the constant in every part of your child’s life. You are your child‘s constant advocate.

It is during this time of change that you might consider those people who are a constant in your life: your support network. There is probably someone you trust who could come along with you to a meeting; who is there for you and your child, not because it’s their job. They could help at the meeting, maybe by taking notes on your behalf so that you can get fully involved in the meeting. Your support network could include family, friends, childcare providers, a community advocate, and other parents from a support group, spiritual counselors, and former team members. You may not always need this support at every meeting, but it is good to know there are people you can rely on should you want to.

Who can help you?

Personal Support Network

Name: ______Phone:______

E-mail:______

Name: ______Phone:______

E-mail:______

Name: ______Phone:______

E-mail:______

Delta School District Phone List

SD #37, Delta Contact Name: ______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

Your child’s school-based support team:

School:______Principal:______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

Case Manager: ______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

ClassroomTeacher:______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

Education Assistant (EA): ______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

Other resource personnel:

Name: ______Role:______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

Name: ______Role:______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

Name: ______Role:______

Phone No.: ______E-mail:______

The Transition Process

When your child enters Kindergarten he or she is making a transition into school. For many children this is a long anticipated moment in their childhood. It is an exciting time, but it may also be confusing. In order to ensure it is a positive experience, Supported Child Development consultants, childcare staff, the Delta School District’s Special Programs Coordinator (who is will assist with the placement of students with special needs) and parents are often involved in the transition.

If your child is not receiving Supported Child Development (SCD) you should contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development to determine whether your child is eligible for this service and to discuss the development a transition plan.

If your child may need additional services and support in Kindergarten it is recommended that you request your child’s pediatrician to refer you to B.C. Children’s Hospital or Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children for an assessment. Start this process early as it may take several months before the actual assessment occurs.


Countdown to Kindergarten …

JANUARY

1. Check out the schools in your neighborhood

Prior to registering your child for Kindergarten, you may want to discuss with your child care provider whether your child could benefit from an ‘over-age preschool year’. Under certain circumstances there is the possibility of an extra year for your child at preschool. This would have to be approved by the School District.

2. Sign a Release of Information form to share records with the school district

In order for any professional to share information with the School District, parents sign a Release of Information Form. Besides giving your permission, this form outlines exactly what information, from verbal to written reports, is shared. A release form should be provided for any organization with staff on your child’s team.

These reports on your child provide the School District with documentation of your child’s needs. They will assist school personnel with meeting Ministry of Education requirements for developing education plans to meet your child’s needs.

All future reports/documents are kept in your child’s Permanent. You can have access to this file at your request (per Freedom of Information Act). Find out from the Special Programs Coordinator the procedure you will need to follow in order to do this.

3. Attend the Parent Information Evening

The Delta School District will organize a parent information evening to let you know about the Special Programs in Delta.

4.Get ready to register your child at school

  • An advertisement will appear in the local newspapers indicating the dates for Kindergarten registration in February. The dates are also available at the School District website (see Appendix 4). You will need to show your child’s birth certificate, CARE card and proof of Delta residency.

5.Gather information about your child

The Special Programs Coordinator will meet with your child’s Supported Child Development consultant or childcare provider to review information and documentation about the services your child has been receiving. An observation of your child in his/her child care setting may also take place.

The Special Programs Coordinator may then meet with you to discuss your child’s needs, the types of supports your child may receive and to clarify any questions you may have.

This exchange helps the School District prepare for your child’s needs. It is through this process that the School District determines what resources will be required for their district, individual schools, and ultimately, specific children.

6. Organize your child’s information

If you haven’t already done so, it is helpful to create a binder with designated sections, so that you can keep your child’s information in one place. Sections may include:

  • Assessments
  • Discharge summary reports (e.g. therapy, medical, specialist)
  • Report cards
  • Correspondence
  • Any other material you feel is relevant

It is important to make sure that you keep information about your child as he or she makes progress throughout his/her school years. Here are some tips:

  • Save documents.
  • Manage them and keep them in order in an appropriate place.
  • Keep notes of your advocacy efforts.
  • Maintain a paper trail. Write letters. Appendix 1 has some tips on effective letter writing, taken from

FEBRUARY

1. Have you registered your child at school?

If you are undecided as to where to send your child to school, it is still a good idea to register your child. Registering your child opens up the possibility of discussing and asking questions of the Principal. It also secures a place for your child at your neighborhood school in September in case circumstances change over the next several months.

Check the Delta District Website to find out which catchment area you live in: You are able to register your child in any of the schools in this area. If you wish to register your child in a school outside of your catchment area, you can still do so, but you will need to apply to the School Board for approval using a ‘Non-Catchment Application’ form. This is another reason why it is important to register early as the approval process may take some time.

2. Specialized Equipment

If specialized equipment is needed for your child to start Kindergarten successfully, you will need to discuss this with the Special Programs Coordinator.

MARCH

Compile information about your child

During this month the School District will be working on the process that started in February. Make sure that you if receive any reports on your child during this time a copy is sent to the Special Programs Coordinator.

APRIL

1. Information is prepared about your child

If you want your child in the same classroom with peers from your neighborhood or childcare setting, find out from their parents which class their child will be attending.

The Special Programs Coordinator will inform you of any special programs or schools for your child which are outside your catchment area. You will have the option to decide which school setting best suits the needs of your child in consultation with the Special Programs Coordinator.

Therapists and other specialists are preparing reports about your child’s current level of functioning with recommendations for school support. The reports will describe your child’s diagnosis, treatment and any current assessment results. These reports and recommendations should be shared with School District personnel for consideration in their planning for your child.

Prior to reports being released, the professionals involved with your child should review the contents of the reports with you. Often in these final reports, recommendations for school support will be outlined. Make sure you keep a copy for yourself in your child’s information binder.

2. Kindergarten Profile

During this time, the professionals currently involved with your child will be collating this information to prepare your child’s Kindergarten Profile which will be written in the summer for you to take to your child’s school.

For Ministry of Education funding allocation, the Special Programs Coordinator must receive all documentation by June 30th to determine the level of support your child will need.

MAY TO JUNE

Have you visited the schools, met the principal and the teachers? Have you observed the classroom?

When you meet the principal it is also important to:

Clearly state your child’s needs and what you feel your child may require for support in order to go to school. This is another opportunity to outline your child’s strengths and other positive attributes that you feel he/she will bring to the new school setting.

You can also ask the principal what support services are available at the school for your child, however he/she may not know the specific information pertaining to your child. The Special Programs Coordinator can answer most questions regarding support for your child. Schools offer different models of support services, including school based learning assistance and/or resource room options.

1. Share information about your child

School district staff and professionals are people too; let them get to know you.

Depending on your child’s needs and future placement the transition to Kindergarten may involve one of the following:

  1. School District staff may contact you;
  2. The School district Mainstream Support Teacher may contact you if your child is going to be in a typical classroom and to set up a Transition Meeting.
  3. If your child will be attending a Resource Room the Special Programs Coordinator will contact you to set up a Transition Meeting.
  4. Because you know your child best, a Transition Meeting may be organized so you can describe to school staff your child’s strengths and your education priorities.
  5. Current team members can then share with the receiving school’s team which strategies have helped your child to progress.
  6. Team members ask questions, voice concerns, and clarify what supports have been provided for your child. You can also give out your written description of your child to help set the tone of the meeting.

2. Ways to share information about your child with the new team:

  • Take all relevant reports to the School Office or to the Special Programs Coordinator.
  • Loan or provide copies professionally produced information about your child’s disability and share useful websites.

3. Write a ‘cheat sheet’

Prepare a short written report about your child to be kept with your child in the classroom. Include a description of your child: needs, likes, dislikes, specific strategies that work for your child. This is useful as a reminder to the teacher or EA as to who your child is.

4. Ask Relevant Questions

Be prepared to ask school staff how ready they are to receive your child (See Appendix 2).

5. Transportation

Contact the Special Programs Coordinator to find out whether your child is eligible for transportation to school.

6. Organization of school class lists

School principals may start organizing class lists, but will often wait until September to make final alterations to the lists.

JUNE

1. Visit the kindergarten class with your child

Most schools organize special days for parents and children to visit the kindergarten class. This is an opportunity for you and your child to meet the teacher, the children who will be in the class, and their parents. This is also a good opportunity to set up play dates with other children who may be in your child’s class.

Individual visits for your child can also be arranged with the school, if familiarity with this new setting needs to be more established. Although your child’s exact teacher will not be known until September, the Special Programs Coordinator can assist with setting up a time for you and your child to meet the teacher and observe the kindergarten classroom. A tour of the school can also be done at this time.