IEP and College Bound?

It's never too late to begin to plan for the next step after high school.... Especially if your child has an IEP and is entering high school. 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates the (IEP) team consider post-school goals when the student is about to enter high school at about age 14. By age 16(or younger, if appropriate) a statement of transition services (eg for work, college, community, etc.) needed by the student must be included in the IEP. 

Transition plans are the  student's goals and vision for life as an adult, career interests, extracurricular and community activities, and the skills the student needs to progress toward his or her goals. Plans include preparation for proficiency tests and other assessments needed for postsecondary academic work (e.g., SATs), as well as the development of self-determination and self-advocacy skills.

Remember.... Once students with disabilities graduate from high school, they are no longer eligible for services provided by the school system and will not have an IEP in college.

Even for students who have struggled academically in high school, postsecondary education may very well be a possibility. Students who wonder whether college is a realistic option can explore summer pre-college courses for high school students who have completed their junior or senior year. Alternatively, students can take a college course the summer before they enroll to get to know the campus, learn how to use the library, and sharpen their study strategies and time management skills.

http://www.ldonline.org/article/11772/

Santa is coming....

Christmas shopping make you cringe? Sweat? Cry? 
Let us help you.

Want alone time?  Drop your kids off here!

Beginning Saturday Nov. 2, 2013, Learning Magic will offer Saturday hours.
9 AM - 1 PM for students to develop Study Skills, reading strategies, math basics, and more!

It's a win win situation. Safe, stimulating, and fun! Register now and plan to shop!!

508-821-7770.

Happiness for FREE!!

What's the secret to happiness? Money? Nope. Big house? Nope. Expensive car? Nope.

Easy and free happiness with these 10 steps.

1. Exercise. 7 minutes a day is enough!
2. Sleep more.
3. Move closer to home. (Mita Yeo, are you reading this?)
4. Spend time with family and friends. (One of 5 regrets of dying.)
5. Go outside -- even for 20 minutes!
6. Help others.
7. Practice smiling.
8. Plan a trip. Don't have to take it. It's just a nice break.
9. Meditate. Clears mind and  calms me down.
10. Practice gratitude. List three good things that happen to you every day. Share them.

Best news yet... As we get older, we get happier. We let go of disappointments and we are more selective how we spend our time and with whom we spend out time.

Time for me to go outside for a walk now. Want to join me?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/belle-beth-cooper/10-simple-things-to-be-happy_b_4241824.html

Clothes Calls

4 years old or 14 years old.... What to wear to school can be  an issue.  If it's not an issue, then let it go.

Part of growing up and right of passage is the freedom to dress oneself. Now with dropping temperatures, what to wear to school may stress you and your child out and its time to put your foot down.

 Ask these questions:
1. Is it a safety issue or health risk? No high heels and slippers in the snow and slush!
2. Are the clothes in violation of the school policy? No sweatpants or pajamas means no sweats or pj's.
3. Is it your issue (What will people think) or against family rules? Does the T shirt compromise your family values?
4. Are they too revealing or baggy?

Ask yourself why you are so bothered by this? Focus on the style and appeal of the clothes, not your child. Remember when your parents thought what you were wearing was a poor choice? You may have some prom or yearbook pictures to prove it!

8 Again!

Why do I always seen to run out of time? We have  a house, a dog, job, business, bills, adult kids, older parents... So do you... So how do we accomplish things and be more productive? Here are eight secrets. I have tried them all and agree with the Huffington article cited. I challenge you to select one at a time and practice it (see #7).

1. Beginning a task makes it easier to finish. I dreaded writing a letter of recommendation.  I put it off for 4 days and wrote down some ideas. The next day, I expanded on those ideas and finished it sooner. My brain did nag me.

2. No more multi-tasking. I can't give all my attention to you if I am speaking to you on  the phone, responding to emails, making copies, reading mail. Not one thing gets 100% of my attention. I cut conversations short if someone is typing while speaking with me.

3. Willpower depletes energy. I know there is one more piece of cake left and I tell myself I am not going to eat it. How many times have I done this? My mind strays back to that piece of cake...Now I just eat it and get back to work.

4. Facebook is not being productive. Enough said. Although I do get satisfaction from it!

5. Use energy sporadically. I take breaks between intense tasks.

6. Have a daily To Do list. I started making lists again. I   LOVE crossing out completed items, too!

7. Practice, practice, practice at meditating, Spanish, piano, running, tennis, whatever!

8. Sleep enough! And yes, 8 hours is enough! 1/3 of us do not get enough sleep!

Lorraine, my former mentor, often admonished me and say, "Plan one extra thing to do each day."  Dave, my husband says, "You get more done in one day than some people do all week." What's my secret? These 8 suggestions.
Read the entire article.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/30/facts-more-productive_n_4150440.html?utm_hp_ref=email_share