Get your child with autism ready for an exceptional start to the new year! Download our FREE “About Me” student information form and use this guide as a new school year “checklist” with tips and ideas to set your child up for school success!
Review Your Child’s IEP
- Is the IEP still appropriate? Does it need to be updated?
- Check your IEP date and mark it on your calendar.
- Schedule any meetings needed in the first month of school.
Contact Your Child’s Teacher(s)
- Update the teacher with any new information from the summer.
- Confirm that ALL of your child’s teachers know your child has an IEP and how to follow it.
- Set up a time to visit the school before the first day back.
- Ask the teacher(s) to send you pictures of themselves and their classroom(s).
- Create a “back to school” book or other visual support for your child.
- Save the teacher’s contact information in your phone and/or email.
- If your child is on the GFCF diet, don’t forget to email or print a copy of The GFCF Diet at School: Information for Awesome Teachers to all teachers, aides, and therapists who will be working with your child.
Tell Teachers and Staff About Your Child
- Create a student profile handout for teachers, therapists, and other school staff.
- Use TACA’s “All About Me” template!
Get Your Child Ready
- Transition bedtime and morning wake-up times to align with your school schedule.
- Introduce school lunch items back into your meal rotation.
- Use visual supports like a countdown calendar or “back to school” book to prepare your child for transitioning back to school.
- Practice wearing non-preferred clothing items needed for school.
- Shoes
- Backpack
- Jacket
Stay Positive!
As a parent, your child is always looking to you for guidance and direction about many things, including their feelings. For this reason, it’s important to keep a positive attitude about the new school year. Your outlook will influence how your child feels and may even help them regulate any anxiety they may be experiencing.
