August 2022 – 

The MLO Minute: “Back-To-School Guide: How to Prepare for a Successful School Year” – 

A Two-Part Series by Dennis McAndrews, Esq. and Jennifer Grobe, Esq.

Part 2: Initiating Effective Communication with Your Child’s IEP Team

 

In our decades of collective experience in public education, we have found that the simple but critical process of communication between parents and teachers is fundamental to student success.  Families can respect teachers’ challenging schedules while also providing valuable insights regarding critical issues for students and in addressing parental concerns.

 

To start off the year with good communication habits, we recommend that parents take the following simple steps:

 

1. Identify Important IEP Team Members

In particular, identify those teachers who are likely to instruct the child in the most challenging aspects of the child’s school day.

 

2. Highlight the Student’s IEP

Parents can support teachers and service providers by directing them to the most relevant portions of their child’s IEP. For example, a parent can share and highlight a few carefully selected pages of the IEP which relate to the most critical information that the particular teacher needs to know about this student. Parents may also choose to highlight a few pages or passages which are areas of particular concern regarding the child.  Short marginal notes can also be helpful, so long as they are completely legible and concise.

 

3. Write a Short, Friendly Note

Alongside the critical information related to the student’s IEP that must be communicate, the parent should provide a very short note thanking the teacher for considering the parental perspective and providing an email address and cell phone so that the teacher can reach the parent easily if a problem should occur or a concern become apparent.

 

If you have concerns about your child’s educational progress, please know that we look forward to being of assistance to your family. We are privileged to serve parents and students throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware in special education matters, and our initial consultations are at no charge, with most cases handled without fees advanced by the family. Please let us know if we can assist you! Call us Today at 610-648-9300 or Click here to Contact Us!