School

   In my first post I talked about how we moved when Kyle was younger so that he could go to school in a district that was more equipped for his needs. He was integrated into a normal class room setting when he was younger, but would have an aid with him at all times and would spend some of the day in a different classroom for kids with special needs.

   As he got older he would spend more time learning skills he can use in the future, like how to make different foods and how to use the microwave and such. His gym, music, and art classes are integrated though.

   Everything goes based off of Kyle's IEP though, which is an individualized education program. This sets reasonable learning goals for Kyle, and it states the services that must be provided by the school district for him. Kyle's goals are more towards getting him to be more communicative, whether it's with words or actions, and, as I said above, to teach him more skills that will help him in the future. These skills could help him get a job somewhere or just help him to be more independent.

   Kyle loves going to school, and when he was younger he used to wait in the living room for the bus and then skip to it every morning. He loved the bus, and there were some days he wouldn't want to get off it. The kids in his classes were great, and they really supported him in the classroom and whenever they saw him in the community.

   Towards the end of eighth grade, Kyle went through this phase where he would act up at school just so they could send him home. He would refuse to do work and act out towards his aids, and since I was home from college at the time, I would be the one to pick him up. There was a straight week where I had to pick him up from school, and each time he would get a stern talking to from my mom or dad, and eventually they threatened to not let him go to my dad's softball games any more if he was going to be bad at school. And that solved the problem for the most part.

Kyle dressed and ready to go for softball

   During Kyle's freshman year, my sister was a senior, so they could call her down to his classroom if he was refusing to do his work, which happened every once in a while. There was one day when she walked down the hallway and he was laying in the middle of it with his arms behind his head, refusing to get up for his aid. As soon as he saw her though he got up and ran back into his classroom.

   Now Kyle doesn't seem to have as many issues in the classroom, but we think that's because he's adjusted into high school. He still likes going to school, but the early high school wake up call is a little rough sometimes!

Kyle getting an award at school for his grades