Introducing Roberta's Corner!
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Welcome to the first issue of my new newsletter for parents of children with disabilities.
My name is Roberta Costion, I am a wife, a
mother and the newest addition to Don Johnston. I'm writing to you
because I feel I can help you as a parent ensure your child gets
access to the supports he/she needs to succeed in school. You see,
my son Jack, has Down syndrome. Even though Jack is in a district
that has a solid special education and assistive technology
program, I feel like I have to constantly advocate for him. I can't
tell you how many times I have left an IEP meeting feeling like
Momzilla. Still, in my quiet moments I sometimes think, am I doing
enough?
As
parents, we all want to help our children succeed in every way
possible. And as we are well aware, each child learns
differently—that means each child with Down syndrome, each
child with autism, each child with a physical or learning
disability. Here's the thing—I have high hopes for Jack. I
believe that all children can attain some level of literacy
success.
That's what brings me to Don Johnston—we have a common mission. And as a matter of fact, I first learned of Don Johnston
products through Jack's school. Jack used Simon S.I.O., one of the
Don Johnston phonics programs, to learn his alphabet and early word
patterns—at five years old! Jack is now seven and doing
well.
Over the next few months, I'd like to share with
you some of the barriers and issues I've encountered along the way
(and any new ones that might arise!) We'll discuss laws, school
initiatives, and literacy products that can help your children with
their reading and writing. I'll also touch on community and
advocacy programs that can help you have impact. Hopefully, I can
be a resource to you and provide you with some insights based on
what has worked for me and what hasn't.
Oftentimes I longed to
feel as though someone was in my corner, and sometimes there was
someone. My personal experiences, and the resources at my
fingertips here at Don Johnston, equip me to be in someone else's
corner—your corner! I hope you'll join me.
Sincerely,
Roberta
