Working with schools, medical teams, and coaches can be very overwhelming when you are unsure of what is best for your child. Rarely do schools seem to understand the interplay of learning disabilities with a gifted child. Multiple positions on what works often confuse the situation and a variety of methods muddy the waters. An advocate helps you solidify your thoughts regarding your child’s needs in a variety of settings and then helps guide you through the maze of school administration, special education, mainstream classrooms and more. Advocacy with me can be a combination of mentoring and working with the schools or, on an offering of its own. No matter which you choose, it’s works best when I understand you and your child well. Some things I can support you with through advocacy are:

• Help you understand your rights as parents

• Assist you in communication with schools (writing letters and in-person meetings)

• Create a teamwork mentality with the schools

• Help discover best supports for individual children through 504 Plans and/or IEPs

• Ensure plan accommodations and goals are truly individualized

• Assure family concerns are understood by schools

• Utilize collaborative planning in order to help schools create appropriate behavior plans