Ashley 6 years old, a public speaker and self advocate!

The Quest 2011

It was such a privilege this week for Ashley and I to share her road to inclusion story,  at an international conference for educators called "The Quest" hosted by York Region Public School Board.

I was emotional delivering this speech as this was truly a tribute to Ashley's entire team of teachers, aids, and therapists and only with them working together and believing  in my little girl is this such a success story.  There was a 1000+ educators in the room they gave us quite the audience. Public speaking was new to both Ashley and I but we were both very passionate about our message. 

Ashley's road to inclusion.  A road I hope many other kids will travel.

Myself and Ashley getting ready to speak!!  We were all so excited!

My words;
My daughter you're so amazing.
You were born into a storm. Coming into this world, so tiny, and yet instantly fighting for your life.

I hope this world can see how wonderful you are.

Your life started in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for months followed by daily therapy to learn to do what comes so easy to most, walking, communicating, eating and even holding a toy. 

Instead of playmates you had dedicated nurses and therapists.  Instead of walks in the park and rides in a stroller you went to therapy, doctor visits and experienced long hospital stays

Ashley speaks - 

 I just want to run and play. 

 I have something to say. 

Then I continue to share...

When Ashley entered Mrs. Gambino’s kindergarten class, she had her challenges but was welcomed by her teacher just the same as her classmates.

September Junior Kindergarten

Ashley’s speech therapist Mrs. Visconti brought her augmentative communication devices. She gave Ashley a voice for the first time!

And if that wasn't great enough that she now has a voice! 

Mrs. Visconti also worked with 

Ashley's teachers on appropriate IEP goals that were measurable and attainable.   She helped Ashley's teachers find the appropriate curriculum even beyond communication but for language and math. 

So Ashley has a fabulous IEP!   Ashley's teachers and Aids were excited with this guidance and modified teaching methods they followed thru and worked hard with Ashley each day. Ashley was able to make progress with all this support and has had her IEP expanded. This team work is the KEY to successful inclusion. 

Dream team meeting!!!

Her   classmates connected when Ashley was able to comment and ask them questions.

Ashley was embraced by neighbourhood friends and blossomed through the encouragement of her teachers and classmates. 

Seeing Ashley doing so well in kindergarten, her father and I decided NO special classes, NO limits, No labels!   She like her brothers has so much potential and the sky is the limit.

We feel it’s important that she learn how to interact with the real world and not be sheltered.   Most importantly we want her to believe in herself, and all of her abilities!

Ashley needs to be surrounded by able-bodied peers and this is hard to provide in a separated special education classroom. We feel she will do best if she exposed to typical classroom environment where her peers can be her friends and role models.

Ashley - At school they gave me a voice. My name 

is Ashley.  Will you be my friend?

 Inclusion in education for Ashley is the beginning of inclusion for the rest of her life. Just as we all want to belong, Ashley wants to belong and Ashley wants to be included. 

I don’t want the school to focus on guarding and protecting her. I want the school to focus on giving her lots of chances and choices.

They have assisted her to walk daily and in response, she led her entire class into kindergarten graduation with her walker.

She was given a simple step-by-step communication device and is now learning to use an iPad with even more options to communicate.

Ashley has been given the opportunity to stay for grade one, and we are so appreciative of the incredible support she has received in Ms. Bloom’s class.

We hope to see Ashley’s at this year’s primary skate days and were excited when Janice Lee the school’s physiotherapist suggested of course Ashley could skate with a sledge.

Who would have thought when Ashley was born that she would be up here giving a speech to all of you.  Ashley loves music and I’m sure would be thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in primary choir. I don’t see anything as impossible for my little girl as long teachers and support staff, are open minded and welcoming Ashley can do anything!

I’m confident Ashley will be successful at her home school for all of her elementary years.

I look forward to seeing how OUR family, OUR resource teams and OUR school will continue to collaborate.

With careful planning and resource management Ashley will benefit with greater access to the full curriculum throughout elementary school and even high school.

How will YOU help me to make this happen?

Ashley's closing words; 

I love being in Ms. Bloom’s class.

I love books. I really want to learn to read. 

I enjoy going to birthday parties and playing with my friends in the yard at recess.    I just want to be a kid.

And will you be my friend?   Please

We received a standing ovation from all the educators in the room. !!!

My public speaker  just 6 years and advocating for herself and others in her position look what she can do!

I'm so thankful for this opportunity.  I hope we inspired at least one parent or teacher in the room to see a child with a number of needs as an active learner and raise their expectations for all children to the sky!  

Special thank you to Erin S. one of Ashley's friends and a neighbour who recorded Ashley's thoughts for this presentation on Ashley's step by step.  It was very sweetly done.    By the way Ashley's story was just one of 5 stories shared in this dramatic presentation.  I will do my best to find out when this will air on ROGERS TV channel 63 if anyone is interested in watching this. 

Our Graduate - Amazing video!!

What  a special day this was.  Our girl WALKED in and led her entire class up to the front to graduate from senior kindergarten.  She just learned to walk with the walker this past January.  Her teachers and peers always knew how to support, encourage  and allow her to shine.  This day was no exception.

I will be forever grateful to Mrs G. Ms F and Mrs L for how very far she has come over these past two years.  She's  grown in leaps and bounds and has made gains in all areas.  I couldn't have pictured her walking up just this past december with out someone holding on to her.   I'm truly sad to see kindergarten end but I know she has so much to look forward to in grade one.  Inclusion at it's very best!

Birthday Party Video!

This weekend was pretty special Ashley had a big gymnastics party at Gymalaya. I'm pretty sure all her friends had a great time.  Ashley was giggling she loved gymnastics as much as dancing. She even enjoyed the pizza, cake and thought the cheesies were just for her and dug right into those too.  It was so special to have all her friends celebrating with her.  Big thank you to my Mom, Dad and Sarah for coming to celebrate and help with the party.   Ian and I couldn't have done it without you.

 Extra special thank you to all of Ashley friends too!

 Here's a video of all the fun we had.

Ashley's 6th birthday from Sherry C on Vimeo.
Gymalaya! Ashley is 6 and loving life!!! Thanks to all her friends for making this day so great!

Whirlwind of a week

I have been so busy lately this may be a long post.  With the four kids activities have been non stop.   I'm surprised I haven't missed anything yet or double booked myself.

Last Thursday James participated in local track meet he ran in the 100 meter dash.  I loved track meets when I was his age, my mom and I were excited to go cheer him on.

See  how confident James was before the race pictured with me above  it was great.  He is in the far left lane and placed 2nd in his heat. There was 8 heats of grade 4 boys so only the child that came 1st proceeded to the final.  He was disappointed but a great sport about it.  He enjoyed the whole experience including the escape from the classroom for  a day and cheering on his peers.

Friday -  a trip to CARD for an assessment for hippotherapy

Ashley loved the horses such a great program not far from here, Ashley passed the assessment of course now I have to find time to register her this week before registration closes and wait for september. 

Ashley liked this horse he is very gentle we were told.

Saturday - A Party!

Happy Birthday 5th Naomi!  Ashley and I had lots of fun at this party. Ashley even broke the pinata with just a little help from Sarah.  Sarah is Ashley's fabulous nurse she has been providing respite for Ashley for over  two years now.   Sarah and Ashley have a special bond we are lucky to have her care.  We were pleased to see Sarah all dressed up too! Sarah posted some cute photos of Ashley at the party on her blog. Check them out here.

Ashley really enjoyed the pinata and was giggling. 

Sunday was kids triathlon day!  Now that was amazing  I have to do a whole separate post on that. 

Coming right up another video montage. 

Monday -  Lucky Lucky me - my Sony Cybershot TX7 arrived and I love it! Very sleek and takes fabulous pictures much thanks to Kimberly at www.thegotomom.com  for choosing my video as the winner.  To top that off I was also one of the lucky winner's of Ellen's summer worth of willy wonka candy giveaway from Ellen at lovethatmax.  I received both the camera and the chocolate Monday afternoon.  

I've been sharing chocolate bars with my kids teachers and  neighbours.   I'm already down to one chocolate bar left which is going to one very special therpaist.  It's been very nice to be handing out chocolate to so many people that care for my kids.   The boys did eat a few too don't worry they wanted to eat them all but I thought that's not a good idea.  

Have a look at these faces when they came home to this, created with my new  Sony TX7 too. 

Tuesday - Ashley, Taylor and I headed down to Sickkids for Endocrine clinic they are following Ashley to monitor her thyroid and growth. She is doing great she grew 4cm in just 11 months (normal range is 4 to 6 cm) and is now 11kg tiny for 5 years but she has gain some more weight and we are pleased.  That was all good news they did some blood work and as long as it comes back normal Ashley will be discharged from yet another Clinic my girl is getting healthy. See I saved the best news for last.   

What a great week I'll stop bragging now I promise.  Well at least until the next post. 

 Mom thanks for coming down to help with all of this I couldn't have made it to everything without your help last week. We miss you already.  Now I'm hoping for a quiet week or at least a day is that too much ask. I want to play with my new camera. 

A few things worth bragging about..

This week James's class participated in  track and field events all week. James did really well he placed 1st in the 100m dash, 3rd in the Long Jump and 6th in 200m dash.  He is very excited to be going on to a meet with other schools in the board June 10th.  I can't wait to watch him run.  I used to do sprints, long jump and high jump years ago  I started when I was his age and competed until I finished university.  I'm so thrilled to see him enjoying this to.

My girl Ashley also had a fantastic day at school on friday. Last week she was a little off and didn't want to participate.    I'm sure she has some sort of virus but it is gone now and she is back to her old self even after getting her 5 year booster shot at the doctors yesterday she had a stellar day at school. She walked into the gym for a morning assembly and stood for the entire show with just a little balance help.  Her Teacher and EA were so impressed.

Here's a picture of her and Taylor happy to be home for lunch break and a quick nap.

Talking about good news check out  this boy Tristan.  He is one of Ashley's buddies. Tristan has   CP and it effects all four of his limbs but he has a warrior mommy and the best physiotherapists in the world  too Jo-anne and Bernie - that's right we share them.  I snapped this photo of him standing it is truly amazing what can be accomplished with CME physiotherapy.  He does this therapy 4 times a week and is working  extremely hard for these results.  Look at him proving the  doctors  wrong isn't that great!  

Way to go Tristan!

 

More time in Ottawa

Ashley and I drove back to Ottawa on Saturday to see the boys and enjoy the weekend with family. We had fun at the Museum of Civilization they had a great Children's section and the best part was the IMAX theater most of us watched the movie on Sea Monsters. It was about ...oh I'd say 2 minutes into the film when the swimming dinosaurs were eating sharks you really feel like they are coming at you when James just about lost it and jumped over a zillion people to get out of there while screaming. I had to chase after him and calm him down. This is the boy that absolutely loves the movie JAWS. My six year old enjoyed every last minute of it he stayed until the end with his cousins.


Here's some pictures i took the last few days my niece, nephews and second cousins.

This weekend was also fun i had a reunion with an old friend Elissa she is so sweet and our boys are the same age. They really enjoyed swimming together in my parents pool.

Having this much fun lately doesn't leave for much therapy time for Ashley. Which makes me feel a little guilty but she did get some swimming in and lots of attention from grammy and grampy instead. Tomorrow we are catching up for having a number of days off with 2 appointments for Ashley.