Have you considered for your neurodiverse child to attend extended school year (ESY)?
Extended School Year (ESY) is for neurodiverse individuals to continue their learning during the summer break to prevent them from falling behind. It is NOT just for autistic people. It's for all neurodiverse people. There are so many benefits with ESY:
Minimize loss of skills
Helps with consistency
Maximize a window of opportunity for learning to get ahead for the next school year
These are the biggest benefits for any neurodiverse student when attending ESY. It is important to keep in mind that an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team determines the recommendation for a neurodiverse student to attend ESY. Personally, the IEP team I had back in my specialized school called Children's Center of Monmouth County recommended me for ESY. ESY helped me develop my communication, social, and academic skills. Then, when I attended the Marlboro school district back in NJ, the IEP recommended me for a special needs camp called Harbor Haven. I'll share that experience in next week's blog story.
It is important to know that at the end of the day, it truly comes down to the neurodiverse individual needs in which the IEP team recommends will enhance quality of life for the neurodiverse student. ESY is one of the many options for neurodiverse people over summer break.
For neurodiverse advocates, did you attend ESY growing up? What were your experiences like? For families of neurodiverse children, would you consider ESY for your child? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section!