New Year - New Goals

Happy New Year!

I truly hope 2025 is a good year for everyone and Advocacy Partners is here to help make the 2025 year a good year.

With the new calendar year also comes the knowledge that a return to school is just around the corner.

Here are some tips or ideas to help you reach your goals for your student(s).

1. Start talking about returning to school now. Ask questions such as it is "12:00" what would you be doing at school now? Or if your student is starting to think about their own future start asking what went well 1st semester and what goal(s) they have for themselves 2nd semester.

2. Begin your daily routine again. While the 7am-3pm time frame is still likely going to be unstructured (this is when school occurs) start getting back into your after school routine. This also includes your bedtime routine!

3. Set "school" goals for yourself. What do you want to discuss with the school or district? What is something that you feel is not going well for you or your student?

4. If you have already had your students Annual Review remember you as the the parent have the right to call an IEP meeting anytime. If the meeting for your students yearly meeting was held in September and you are wondering how much of what the team is telling you is actually true - call a meeting! If your Annual Review is upcoming start thinking of what questions or concerns do you have.

   YOUR VOICE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT AT AN IEP MEETING!

5. Know your rights! You as the parent and the student who receives services have rights. Your IEP team will often refer to this as "Procedural Safeguards." It is a 20 (or 22) page document - read it - ask questions to someone you trust that knows about special education.

A podcast I listen to is talking about vision boards for the 2025 year. I am, personally, not someone who sees a vision for my future, I often just let it happen. But maybe right now with the start of a new year you need to think about your vision for your student. As a parent with a child with special education services my vision and my reality are different. If you or if your partner are still struggling with the knowledge of your student not having the vision your dreamed of then write out the vision but also write out a reality.

It is okay to have dreams for your student, but it is also necessary to know reality. And I will tell you first hand students often will meet your somewhere in the middle of the vision and the reality.

Finally, set goals for yourself. Now I am not talking about a goal of "I will lose weight," or "I will not go to Target 6 times a week." I am talking about a goal for you as the parent/guardian that will help you be a better parent/guardian. For me that is getting out once (or twice) a week and playing Bingo. My goal in 2024 was to find more "me" time ... I slowly and sporadically worked on this goal, but have now found more of a rhythm of the day(s) I have me time. For friends of mine the goal was taking a bubble bath once a week and locking the bathroom door when they did. Maybe for you this is what you need or maybe you need help navigating how to get the support for your student. It is okay to make your goal partnering with Advocacy Partners and sharing the goal, that is what I (we) are here for ... helping you and achieving goals!