As the new school year is under way and we begin working with the families we support, I am reminded of the underlying structure necessary for the children to be successful. For these children to have a somewhat equal playing field, it is essential to re-teach special needs parents every year. Basic routines that come naturally to many of us, such as ensuring a child gets a good night’s sleep along with a healthy breakfast need to be re-introduced at the beginning of each school year.
Some children rely on school breakfast programs. Our staff is working to make sure the paperwork is completed so that all of our children can begin their day without being hungry. Advocating for these families is an important part of our work. It begins with building trust between our staff and the parent. We assist children with their homework, support our parents by attending parent/teacher conferences with them and generally act as a liaison between the families and the school. Again this year, we look forward to purchasing at least one computer for a family as the school year progresses. When parents are open to receiving help, the children do better in school and are overall happier and more successful.
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