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Author Archives: Cynthia J. Patton
It’s IEP Season, Part 7
For two months I waited for Ms Nav to schedule another IEP meeting. Despite numerous notes and emails, she never did. Finally in late April I put my foot down and insisted on a meeting. Ms Nav replied that Pleasanton … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Appropriate Goals, Autism, Goals, IEPs, Non-compliance, Placement, Special Education, Special Needs, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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A Poem for Summer Break
My daughter Katie has only one week of vacation before beginning summer school. We are taking advantage of this break by hanging out on the Sonoma Coast, in a community called The Sea Ranch. For several years, Katie resisted staying … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Autism, Change, Poetry, Sea Ranch, Sonoma Coast, Transitions, Unplanned Life, Vacation, Writing Life, You Used to Hate the Ocean
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Goodbye Grade School
Tomorrow is Katie’s last day of 5th grade. Technically it’s not because she has five weeks of summer school with the same teacher and the same classmates. But tomorrow is the last day of regular classes. The general ed fifth … Continue reading
It’s IEP Season, Part 6
For several days I pondered how I could observe in the un-offered classroom placement. I checked the district website and learned Mitchell was now a K-8 school. Back in 2009, Mitchell was still an elementary school. It’s where Katie had … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Appropriate Goals, Autism, Goals, IEPs, Non-compliance, Placement, Special Education, Special Needs, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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Third Draft of My Memoir is Done!!
It’s been a long, strange spring. First I developed a bizarre thumb infection that rendered my right hand virtually useless. I was forced to take more antibiotics than I care to think about and soaked my bloated digit six times … Continue reading
Posted in My Life, News
Tagged 50th Birthday, Creativity, Draft #3, Expectations, Memoir, Milestones, Poetry, Single Parent, Unplanned Life, Writing Life
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Another Story Selected for Performance By Petaluma Readers Theatre
Many of you will remember that the Petaluma Readers Theatre (PRT) performed my award-winning story, “Elliott Comes to Play” on stage back in the summer of 2012. As I told PRT after the performance, “seeing my story performed on stage … Continue reading
Posted in My Life, News, Other Writers, Publications
Tagged Adoption, Christine Falson-Daigle, Chuck Kensler, Craig Harris, Cynthia Patton, David Berner, Dear Ole Dad: A Tribute to Fatherhood, Divorce, Ed Rau, Eric Wallace, Family, Jean Wong, Jennifer March, John Noland, Jon Berger, Leslie Scratchard, Pat Tyler, Petaluma Readers Theatre, Sheila Bender, Single Parent, Susan Starbird, Terry Kolkey, The Clear Herat Stage, There's No Daddy Here, Tiny Lights, Unplanned Life, Writing Life
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It’s IEP Season, Part 5
When I was observing potential classroom placements in my home school district, both teachers mentioned a moderate special day class at another school. I had no idea where this class was or who taught it, but I wanted to know … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Appropriate Goals, Autism, Goals, IEPs, Non-compliance, Placement, Special Education, Special Needs, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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It’s IEP Season, Part 4
A week later, my friend Barb (Katie’s reading tutor) and I met Mary, the Program Specialist, in front of a middle school in our home district. I liked the feel of the place. This classroom had fewer students and the … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Appropriate Goals, Autism, Goals, IEPs, Non-compliance, Placement, Special Education, Special Needs, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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It’s IEP Season, Part 3
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I met Mary, the Program Specialist, outside the Pleasanton middle school. We signed in and headed to the classroom, making small talk as we wandered the unfamiliar corridors. Eventually we found the classroom … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Appropriate Goals, Autism, Boredom, Goals, IEPs, Non-compliance, Placement, Special Education, Special Needs, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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It’s IEP Season, Part 2
After our first IEP meeting in January 2015, Ms Nav never sent the consolidated goals. Two days before our next meeting, she sent an updated draft IEP but it only contained her proposed goals. When I questioned this, she said … Continue reading
Posted in Autism, My Life
Tagged Advocacy, Appropriate Goals, Autism, Goals, IEPs, Non-compliance, Placement, Special Education, Special Needs, Transitions, Unplanned Life
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