Special Words for Special Needs ~ What We Need to Keep
1:53 AM, Jun. 5, 2009
Welcome my friends! It's the end of the year and this week on the Company Porch we are talking about what to keep. As I look around my shelves, filing cabinet, the boxes shoved under my bed, and the strange boxes with homeschooling written on them in the garage, I think I need help! So I have been systematically going through a shelf a day thinking about what needs to stay and what has no use in our homeschooling. Many of the remaining items can find happy homes in other homeschooling families. So first comes the rules...
1. Keep all official correspondence with the education department or any legal entity regarding homeschooling. In short I keep it all right down to the first letter of intent.
2. Keep all I.E.P's (Individual Education Plan) or H.I.E.P.s (Home Individual Education Plan) The I.E.P. is going to be a formal meeting between you and representatives of the local school system designed to try to meet the needs of your special child. The H.I.E.P. is an informal plan you make that does the same thing it is just for you as a educational game plan.
3. Keep all doctor reports, therapist progress reports, nurse's notes and billing for those services. This is objective evidence that you are getting the proper therapy and medical treatment for your child. You may think this over the top but if there is ever a need such as a spurious Child Welfare report these items will be highly helpful.
This paperwork should be kept in your private records. Be extremely cautious who you share this with. The big question should always be why do you need this information. If the person requesting is vague or says it's the law (and you are unfamiliar with that law) stop and request a copy of the law.
When filling out forms such as HIPA (Health Information Privacy Act) that allows a third party to see your child's medical information write clearly what is to be released and write ONLY or give a very specific date. You may also cancel these releases at anytime with no excuse needed.
Like last week, now that the heavy stuff is out of the way, here is my borrowed idea for this week. At the last MOPS of the year the children did a great craft. They made a time capsule out of a plastic coffee container. You cut a piece of contact paper to cover the flat surface where the logo was. Then you can decorate it as you wish. My children chose to use foam stickers and glued on sequins.
When we got home my daughter walked around the house gathering several items to put into her container. Then she would sit and tell anybody who would listen about the how she got them. I realized that with this tactile reminder she could easily recall the most special events for her this past year. From now on I plan on the children having their own time capsule for the year. How special that will be when they are older and we can open the First grade capsule and recall what we did through their eyes!
Heather lives in West Virginia. She and her husband have been homeschooling their 5 children for 7 years. Due to a genetic disorder their children have multiple special needs. Living life to the fullest for the glory of God is their goal! Visit Heather's page at www.homeschoolblogger.com/gfcfmomofmany/
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You cut a piece of contact paper to cover the flat surface where the logo was. Then you can decorate it as you wish. My children chose to use foam stickers and glued on sequins. 
