Jessica Walsh, M.Ed

Super grateful to have the opportunity to support students on their journey to gain independence and confidence in the world of employment and everyday living. 🩵

Experiences like planning a walk around Tempe Town Lake with their peers, or exposing them to all the potential career opportunities in the field of construction at AZ Construction Career Days, are memories that I hope they take with them long after their leave our program ⛵️🚜

This , I’m extra thankful for a job that brings me immense joy, working with a team that brings me nonstop smiles, and students that remind me daily that life is a beautiful journey that is meant to be embraced to the fullest each day.

Happy Thanksgiving, IG fam! 🧡

Here in Arizona, we are officially one month into the new school year! There have been some really amazing moments, a lot of gratitude with it feeling like a “regular” start to the school year, but also some hiccups and things to work out.

All normal feelings! That being said, this has been a great practice for the young adults in our transition program to REFLECT on how things have been going for them, ADVOCATE for the changes that they need, and look FORWARD to all the powerful tools and strategies that will learn throughout the year ♥️

I’m curious- how has the start of the school year been for you/your family/your students?

Would you add anything to the above list?

🎯 Remember: the expectation is that ALL individuals, including those with the most significant disabilities, are capable of competitive employment! 💥❤️

There are SO many ways that you can facilitate independence with your young adult over the summer…

📍 Help them learn to use the calendar feature on their phone to schedule important appointments, events, fun activities, etc. Time management is a critical skill required for any job as well as living an organized life.

📍 Take your young adult with you to the grocery store- an amazing opportunity to support them in learning about meal planning, shopping, money skills, etc. Have them use your debit card to checkout at the register!

📍 Continue with daily tasks and responsibilities around the house, such as dishes and laundry- if they earn an allowance, this is an awesome opportunity to work on budgeting and money skills.

📍 Check out your community’s adapted recreation department for age appropriate social and leisure activities. Help them learn how to sign up for social events and plan transportation accordingly (such as an Uber ride or public transportation)

Learning and working towards independence doesn’t have to end just because the school year is over! Keep plugging away and watch your child’s confidence level soar!

Shoot me a DM for more summer ideas!💡

Its SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE (SOP) time! 🎉

What is an SOP?

A Summary of Performance is a written summary of a young adult’s performance that is intended to assist them in meeting their post-secondary goals. It must be completed before the student exits high school. It condenses a lot of the information contained in the IEP document into a concise report of a student’s strengths, challenges, academic achievement, functional performance, AND…… student input.

YES- student input. One of the most overlooked aspects to Special Education documents. What accommodations does the STUDENT themselves feel were beneficial? What learning supports did they find helpful?

A well-written Summary of Performance is essential in assisting parents, adult agency representatives, therapists, etc., in working with the young adult to pursue their post-secondary goals.

What is your experience with Summaries of Performance? Ever seen one before? Let me know below! ⬇️

I get asked this question a lot by both parents and potential employers. My response is to first, focus on the strengths of the young adult. If they are super friendly and outgoing, job tasks involving customer service might be a good fit. If they thrive on routine and predictability, job responsibilities that can be checked off on a checklist would be great. Using timers and alarms are helpful for someone who struggles with time management.

It’s all about aligning the strengths to the tasks, and being creative and patient in developing necessary supports and accommodations.

JAN (Job Accommodation Network), is a fabulous resource that allows you to search accommodation ideas by disability, limitation, work-related function, topic, etc. Seriously, one of the best resources out there for both employers and job seekers.

I have a passion project involving Employment Supports that I cannot wait to share with you all, soon!! 🤫😎

In the meantime- let’s chat if there’s something I can help you or your young adult with 🫶🏼

I get asked this question A LOT by parents. And the correct answer is no! The meeting notice does not have to list specific names of those who will attend.

According to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the local education agency only has to list the positions of the individuals who will attend.

While a school *may* list specific names, they are not required to by law.

Now ya know! 🤯👍🏻

… that since they are not educators, they don’t have anything to offer at the IEP table.

… that they don’t have any input or perspective over their child’s IEP document.

… that whatever the “professionals say or decide” must be agreed with.

I’m here to tell you today that you, as a parent of a child with a disability, DO have amazing things to offer to the IEP team. Amazing, insightful, purposeful ideas that need to be shared with your child’s IEP team members! You do not have to blindly follow along with whatever is presented or discussed at the IEP table.

Just like we teach our students and children, you have a voice, and important ideas, that should be shared and respected by the other team members!

I have to explain this one a lot when talking with those people who are unfamiliar with special education and IEPs.

Special Education is NOT a place. Just because a child receives SPED services does not mean they “all go to a special school” or that they are “all in that special class”. I literally cringe when I hear “oh yeah, the special ed building is that one over there”. 😩

👎🏼🚫⛔️🙅🏻‍♀️❌

Special Education refers to a specific service(s) that a child with a disability receives to meet their unique learning needs. It is not the classroom, or the program, but the actual SERVICE that the child is receiving.

Helpful? Confused? Have a story to share that can help us all to learn and do better? Share below! ⬇️👇🏼

Clearly knowing your end goals or desires outcomes is KEY in being able to articulate your viewpoints during an IEP meeting.

Maybe that means you practice what you’re going to say in front of the mirror or a friend, so you can project confidence when you speak.

Maybe that means you write up your OWN Parent Agenda to send to the team ahead of time so you have a clearly defined list of what you need a team discussion on.

Maybe that means you consult with an IEP Coach who can help you get clarity on your child’s educational rights and to ensure data is supporting every IEP decision that is made?

It doesn’t matter how you get to this point- the important part is that you walk into your IEP meetings feeling confident, sound in your decision making, and proud that you are taking the necessary steps to advocate for your child 💙

Let me know in the comments below how you best prepare for your IEP meetings?

It’s true. Parents don’t. Teachers don’t. Speech Therapists don’t. Administrators don’t. Parents don’t (repeated on purpose 🤨)

Open, upfront communication is KEY to building successful and effective IEP teams. Have the conversations prior to the meeting, share important information with each other, ask questions to avoid confusion.

I promise you- when IEP teams work collaboratively, magic happens 🪄✨ and don’t we all love a little magic? 😉

Is the information contained in the Present Levels accurate? Are all areas of your child’s needs covered? Are the IEP goals measurable? Is there detailed information regarding services, including what type of specially designed instruction, frequency, location/duration?

ALWAYS CHECK THAT THE IEP DOCUMENT IS 💥TRULY💥INDIVIDUALIZED!!





Did my all caps convey the importance of this?! 🤣