My son will be starting kindergarten this fall. He will be attending school at Old Town Elementary. Any advice, from someone who has already been through this process, would be appreciated.

We had our first IEP meeting with CDS and MSAD6 (a York County District). Thought it went well. We were given opportunities to advocate for our son and the district was responsive. A couple of things brought up that may be helpful. One is have your child visit the playground/school over the summer so it isn't quite as much of a new place. Also we asked about having our son come in for an hour or so and see how the class went before he starts kindergarten. They were agreeable to iit. May be something to bring up with your school.

My son Nicolas was due to start public school last fall. I thought i had done my homework and felt prepared for his first IEP. Boy was i wrong. The school district we live in pretty much had determined where he would go and what services he would need BEFORE we even started the IEP meeting and had a chance to speak on his behalf, as well as anyone else speaking on his behalf from the Private School he had been attending (he was placed there by the CDS services) We have spend the past year advocating his needs for him to receive an appropriate public education. They are pretty set on what they say is an autism program in the school they want to place him in. We have spent alot of time and money using a lawyer and legal advocate, to ensure that they have the proper training and staff , as well as scientifically proven method of teaching. We actually have another IEP tomorrow. I have no idea what the outcome will be. He remains under "stayput" at the special school until we can agree on an appropriate IEP etc. Make sure you ask alot of questions, and if they do not seem to be listening, you have the right to just stop the meeting and request them to reschedule another. I did not know that originally. We have not signed any IEP yet, so they cannot impliment his schooling without it.
If this meeting is a flop, we will end up filing for Due Process.
It's been alot of time and effort, but we believe it has to be done now, before he enters the school system. We are not willing to let him enter, and have them figure him out thru trial and error, likely to cause alot of regression in his skills, as well as alot of emotional stress to him.

My son Jared is in K. I think what would of helped him more if they would of done his screening earlier and had something to go by on what he needed for services before starting school. We had to go through the school meetings then the testings before sticking Jared in Spec.Ed and Speech,OT. He had to sit in a class with 18 kids that didnt have his problems so he'd come home and have meltdowns everyday. He's doing so much better now with all of school.Still alot more work to go but he's come along ways.