Mylie has a new pre-school.
She actually started in March when she turned 3, had the summer off, and is back now at the Orfaela Children's Center at Cottage Hospital. It is a pre-school for hospital employees only except that they have an inclusion program and two of the spots are for the outside community.
We happened to get one of those spots.
The inclusion program simply means that the county of Santa Barbara provides the Special Education teachers for the 4 children with special needs at the school. The four children with special needs are included in the regular classroom, hence - Inclusion Program.
Every parent of a child with special needs feels different about the inclusion program. I have many friends that have chosen not to put their child in this type of program. Every parent will weigh the options and choose the best one for their child. I respect that immensely.
Tyler and I were not sure we wanted Mylie in an inclusion program. We visited a few sites and were not convinced until we found the Orfaela Center. It is marvelous! and I rarely use that word - marvelous - but to describe this school any other way wouldn't fit.
It is marvelous!
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| Mylie's classroom door. We walk in a say, "Hello Friends!" |
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| She practices the obstacle course with her friends |
The inclusion program provides the Special Education teachers that include Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, PE teacher, Special Ed teacher and Special Ed Instructional Assistants.
Mylie is in GREAT hands!
Mylie loves the sandbox and all the fun stuff that happens in there.
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| Mylie paints all the time. Between both kids I have way more art than I can handle. I keep it all! There is no way I'm throwing those masterpieces away! |
Snack time is a sweet time to share food with friends. They literally share food together as if they were at a dinner table. The teacher serves the kids and they can pour themselves or their friends water or milk.
The effort that the Special Ed teachers put into the children is... frankly... unbelievable. It amazes me that Mylie has her own All About Me book that the teachers read to the class. In the story about Mylie, her family, her likes and dislikes, all the things she can do... there is a part that explains to the children that she is not yet using her words. She uses her signs to communicate. Her teachers have compiled another book full of all Mylie's signs to reinforce the signs with her and her friends.
The result is that her friends are learning sign language
and have a wonderful understanding of who Mylie is.
There is nothing more precious than this in pre-school.
I could go on and on about all the wonderful things that the inclusion program is for Mylie. While she continues to get settled after three months away this summer, I can see that although all the new noises and people may seem overwhelming, I can tell she likes being there again.
She feels safe there.
She is happy.
and if Mylie is happy then I am a happy mama.
xoxoxo
