Visual Transition Meeting

Hi love,

I’m not sure if you and your family have experienced transition planning yet with your child’s school, I’d like to share my family’s experience with this.

Transition planning begins in high school with the school. And for the family, it begins from the time they were born. Essentially what transition is, is the transition from school into adulthood and how the school and family partner to get the student ready to be an adult.

When I started learning about this concept, it was beautiful and such a relief. In that, I knew my daughter would need a little bit more assistance in being her best, successful, independent adult self! And I thank God that the school is there to help! Of course, my husband and I are the primary people to help teach her to be an adult, and family and friends, it is also sweet to know the school is helping as well.

So, at the end of this month, is her ARD meeting and I’ve been preparing for weeks for this (and have been sharing about this on my Instagram stories @minervalynnadame) and I pray and know it will all go well.

Before that though, a group of her teachers and administrators and the Princess of the meeting (named by her transition teacher- love her by the way) got together for an informal visual transition planning meeting.

The title page of Athena's meeting presentation (I provided her transition teacher with this collage and she made everything so special!)

In normal times what that would look like, well what was shared with me, was that it would be a four-hour in-person meeting with the student, family, teachers, administrators, and anyone else on the student’s team who can help. And they would all meet to brainstorm the student’s big goals and vision for their transition into adulthood (cue the tears because they’re coming). Coming up with possible goals and aspirations for the student in the four main areas: employment and training, education, living, leisure, and recreational.

Well with the current state of things, this meeting was conducted online via zoom. And pretty much followed the in-person layout of the transition meeting, the only thing was it wasn’t four hours, closer to three. And some had to leave early and were caught up or given the information after the meeting.

Athena, her teachers, and I in her meeting. (names and pictures covered for privacy)

Okay so before this meeting, I was given a form to fill out and Athena, Jesse, and I filled it out. Mainly Athena because if anything I want her to be as independent as possible and live life on her terms and to her liking.

The questions that were asked were the following:

Education and vocational goals after graduation?

 Living goals after high school (i.e., with family, inclusive community, independent)?

 Hobbies and home activities in which student participates?

 Community and social activities in which student participates?

 Setting in which you have observed student.

Jobs or household chores that student completes independently? Be specific (i.e., pushes in chairs, makes her bed).

 Strengths in any/all settings (that you have observed)?

 Dislikes and/or annoyances in any/all settings (that you have observed)?

 Jobs, chores, and activities that require support in any/all settings (that you have observed)?

 Most effective types of support?

 Preferred topics of discussion?

 Preferred school courses, topics, and/or activities?

 Friendships:

 Anything more to add, consider or investigate?

So, my family filled this out and each professional who works with my daughter filled this out. There’s may have a little bit different to cater to the school setting but nonetheless, everyone knew what the areas of focus were and were given the space to share input.

With all the information shared among everyone prior to the visual transition meeting, the transition teacher gathered everyone’s responses and compiled them into a presentation. And highlighted Athena’s future and shared her main employment goals, her post-secondary education goals, recreational and leisure goals, independent living goals, and what she wants to be and do as an adult.

This information for my sweet girl gives everyone who works with and who raises, and mentors her know what the main goals are for her to transition into adulthood. (those tears y’all, as much as this makes my mommy heart excited and happy for my daughter to be an adult, it also is emotional as well)

It serves as a target and a focal point. It's something that I would have loved to do when she just started school. I just really love the idea of educators and families coming together to plan for the student’s future.

So you know during the meeting Athena opened the meeting and closed the meeting!  And she even chose songs during the breaks and it was really her and her transition teacher who were the facilitators of the meeting. And it was just a beautiful experience and bittersweet. I got choked up at times because it is just a representation of her and her potential and seeing her be a leader and a young adult was so beautiful!

Pictured shared from Instagram! 

Athena introduced everyone who was there and even at one point throughout the meeting just said, “I love you Mom!” and that was the sweetest thing ever.  It’s like she knew I needed to hear that from her, and it was simply perfect timing.

Towards the second half of the meeting, her transition teacher shared a link, a Google doc that had different areas of goals for Athena. In each section, time was given to jot down any ideas that they had for Athena to accomplish those goals and to be specific as possible. As well as write down resources needed to complete goals, a timeline of when that should be completed if it should be included in her IEP or not. This process happened about five times and it was an amazing experience and everyone there was able to share their ideas.  Ways we all can best support Athena and her goals.

 It’s been an eye-opener for sure!

And there was a part that said okay like who can help with this goal and then the person would either put school, family, or community and what resources from the community.  A lot of it was the school but the majority was family and it’s great to see areas that she can grow in and there's a lot of work for her and for my family to do to make sure that she is a successful independent woman.  

So that meeting went well, and you know it was such a beautiful experience and I was given a copy of everything that was shared. I loved how Athena was given the opportunity to be herself and to lead her own meeting. It was a blessing to witness, and I even heard back from two of the teachers after the meeting, they shared their accolades and compliments for Athena and expressed how well the meeting went. It just blesses my heart and Athena is very blessed to be attending a school where she is seen, heard, respected, treated well, and included. Her teachers care about her and they only want the best for her, and it brings so much comfort and reassurance to know that her school truly supports her and her future and it's a blessing and I thank God for them.

So friend I don't know if you've ever gone through this transition planning for your child but if you have any questions or anything please reach out. I am here and even if it's just to brainstorm and talk things out or ask questions, I’m here to help!

And I also want to let you know when dealing with things with your child whether it's with school, medical, therapeutic, anything, and if it's something new just to kind of lean into it and embrace it. Learn as you go and just trust that God has you and your family in His hands. Also, let's trust ourselves more especially when it's something new with our child, a new experience and even if we don't know much about it, we will soon. Just know that you are doing the absolute best for your child every single day. And that the good people in your child's life; family, friends, school, and community, trust that they have your child's best interest at heart.



So friend I say all of that to share my family’s personal experience with visual transition planning. And if you have any questions please reach out, I am here and I wish you all the best.  I hope you have an amazing rest of your week and I will talk to you soon.

With love,

 

Minerva