Starting a new school year often produces a range of emotions in me. On one hand, there’s the excitement of a new beginning; Sebastian will have new teachers, new learning experiences, and the opportunity to make new friends. On the other hand, there’s the anxiety that accompanies such a major change.
Sebastian’s school district hosts a special event each year called Sneak-a-Peek. It’s a chance for the students and their parents to tour the school and visit their new classrooms. I love it because it helps alleviate some of Sebastian’s anxieties related to the start of school. He gets to see what his new teacher looks like and interact with her in a less formal setting. He was also excited to meet his learning-support teacher and see her classroom.
Walking around the school — seeing old and new classmates and staff members — is exactly what he needed to get excited about going back to school. He feels more comfortable and less stressed knowing where his classroom is and what his teacher is like. The first thing he said to me when we got in the car to drive home was that his teacher is “nice.” She definitely made a good impression on him.
Sebastian has a new special-education case manager this year, so it was important for me to reach out to her before Sneak-a-Peek. This early communication ensures that the necessary accommodations are in place from Day One.
I also made sure to schedule an IEP meeting after the first month of school. Sebastian has a small army of professionals on his IEP team: a regular education teacher, special education teacher, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist, board certified behavior analyst, and director of elementary special education. A meeting will allow everyone to gather together to review how well the current strategies are working and provide an opportunity to make any changes. I’m trying to be proactive to get us all on the same page to ensure that Sebastian’s IEP remains aligned with his evolving needs. The goal is to support his social, emotional, academic, and personal growth throughout the year.
In Sebastian’s eyes, he had a successful first week of school. He woke up happy each morning, ready to start his day. Each afternoon, he got off the bus with a smile. As far as the details of his school days, I’m not too sure. Trying to get Sebastian to share about his day is difficult. He’ll often say, “I don’t know” or “I can’t remember.” When I press him for more information, he gets easily frustrated and walks away. I, therefore, rely on the school to communicate how he’s doing.
What I do know is that, on the second day of school, he had a small incident with another student at the end of the day when they were walking to their buses. The boy accidentally bumped into Sebastian, and Sebastian reacted by elbowing him. Of course, he never mentioned anything to me when he got home — it was his teacher who emailed me. I’m hopeful that the situation can be chalked up to the transition to a new year and is nothing to be alarmed by. But I was certainly anxious the rest of the week and fearful that other problems would arise.
Whereas most parents are excited for their children to start a new school year, I’m the opposite. I’m filled with nervous energy as Sebastian adjusts to all the newness. This year was no different.
I’m a parent, no doubt, who never stops worrying about her child.