Question:

Hi, Priscilla,

I recently held an IEP meeting for a student who will be going to high school next year. The parents had a lot of questions regarding preparing their child for this huge change starting NOW. The student struggles with changes and often becomes extremely anxious, and this often leads to highly unsafe behaviors (leaving campus, making verbal threats, drawing/writing threats toward staff & peers). Can you please give some steps/ideas/strategies to share with the parents and their child to help them make this transition smoother. The parents request that ALL teachers who will be involved in educating their child next year be present at the transition meeting at the end of the year.

Answer:

I agree that the transition to high school can be challenging and riddled with anxiety, especially for student with special needs. High schools are typically impersonal, larger, more academically challenging, and possibly lacking in social support. However, the transition from your student’s current school to high school can be smoother and seamless is you consider the following suggestions.

• Make several pre-visits to the high school prior to the student’s enrollment.

• One visit should be to meet the student’s new teacher (case manager) or if student’s IEP meeting is in the spring, invite the new teacher (case manager) from the high school to attend.

• Prepare the student for the first day so that he/she knows where to go and who to see. This preparation should be more extensive than the usual preparation that is done for incoming freshman.

• Have the student shadow a current ninth grader at the high school. This will require the cooperation and approval of the high school student to be the student’s mentor for part of or the entire school day.

• Another option is to have the student connect with a classmate from his/her middle school so that the two of them can experience the newness of the high school together.

• Most important, involve the student in the planning for transition to high school. Have him/her tell you what he/she needs and encourage him/her to participate in the selection of his/her classes.

• Set up ahead of time those individuals who will be the student’s social supports: i.e. principal; school counselor; teacher (case manager), etc. With permission, the student may be able to take pictures with each of these individuals.

• Involve the student in future meetings that pertain to his/her schooling. Have him/her take more responsibility in his/her school goals and expectations.

• Set a meeting, either prior to or immediately after the student’s transition to high school, where all (or as many of his/her teachers as possible) are provided a mini inservice. Communicate who the student is, e.g., his/disability, strengths, challenges, accommodations, and interests. This way, any miscommunications between the student, teachers, and those who provide direct/indirect services will be minimal. For individuals who cannot attend this meeting, develop a one page fast facts sheet similar to the example below:

I have included some resources for the family because your student cannot make this transition without the family actively participating in the process. The school should not be left alone to provide this major change.

Good luck!

Parent Resources

http://www.psparents.net/High%20School.htm
Ten Tips to help prepare Students for High School
From the Public School Parent’s Network maintained and published by parents to serve as an information and resource guide.

http://www.spokaneparentcoalition.org/Transition.htm
Transition from School to Adult Life
For parents to learn about the next major transition in their and their child’s life after high school. Knowing this information may circumvent some of the anxieties that exist with the student’s current transition/change issues.