One Page School Introduction

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It’s hard to believe, but at least here in South Dakota, the beginning of the new school year is just around the corner. And with that, new teachers, classrooms, expectations, etc. As the parent of a student with cochlear implants or hearing aids, you want to be sure your school’s staff understands your child as well as they can.

One of the things I work on with clients in getting ready for school is putting together a binder of information and formulating a beginning of the year plan as far as meeting with the teacher, setting up a classroom presentation, etc.

Create a Binder *and* a One Page Introduction

The binder has a ton of information in it, including a copy of the student’s IEP, directions and technical information on their cochlear implants or hearing aids, contact information, strategies that work well for that student, etc.

This year, I’m excited to be adding this one-pager.

I created this one just for fun, kind of a mashup of what I really love (coffee, anyone?) and what a typical one-pager might look like for a student. It has sections for what works well and what doesn’t, some goals they’re working toward, a vision statement, and some interests and likes.

What I love about this document is how fun it is both visually and in content, and also how quick and easy to read it is. We all know school staff are busy, and if we make the info we give them easier, they’re much more likely to read and use it.

Who Is It For?

I can see this one-pager being a great tool for so many people in and around school:

  • Bus Driver
  • Substitute teachers (many teachers keep a folder for any subs that come in)
  • Specials teachers
  • Librarian
  • After or before school staff
  • Cafeteria staff
  • Front office staff
  • Classroom aides
  • School nurse

Whoo-Hoo Self-Advocacy Skills!

And, what better way to start to get your student involved in advocating for themselves? Even a preschool or kindergartner can help brainstorm what’s easy for them or hard at school, or what their favorite things are.

If you want to get your own one-pager, the original template and instructions are here. If you’d like some help getting going, please feel free to contact me. As part of my services I’m happy to consult with families to create and refine resources and plans that will work for your student.

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