Is your student approaching a year of transition and will move from an elementary school to a middle school or from middle school to high school? These transitional years can create an immense amount of fear and unknowns for both parents and the student. There are steps you can take to ensure your student has a smooth transition to a new learning environment.
Steps you can take:
- Reach out to the special education case manager and ask for a transition meeting to include the staff from the new building. This can be held at the end of the school year.
- During the transition meeting, ask about school events such as welcome night, boot camps, and other events that the school holds to create a smooth transition.
- Ask for an individualized tour of the new building.
- Visit the new building multiple times and walk your student’s schedule each time. If your student is self-contained in one classroom, ask to visit the classroom multiple times.
- Ask for a book of staff photos that includes staff names, roles, and how they will work with your student. Read the book throughout the summer to your student so he/she becomes familiar with the staff members.
- Read social stories about change with your student
Each of these steps will help ensure a smooth transition for your student. More on this topic can be found on www.askresource.org.