Everyone wants to start the year off on the right foot, one where everything runs smoothly, and we are able to feel on top of it all.
This is a tall order, but completely possible! There are a few things that can help achieve this goal:
1) Plan all your meetings now.
Once you know your team members availability (teachers, admin, etc.) then look at your IEP/MET due dates and put each one on the calendar giving yourself at least a two-week window, in case you have last minute changes or cancellations. Then send out your calendar invites to everyone you need at the meeting. Doing this ensures that all your students are on the calendar and you are not trying to schedule around other meetings. This also gives parents the time they need to make arrangements to attend such as planning to miss work or getting a babysitter for younger siblings.
2) Determine your data collection method.
Finding what works best for you is key to using it consistently throughout the year, which ensures you have the best data to report once progress reports roll around. This is also a huge stress reliever as you are not trying to grab a piece of paper to write things down on which, let’s face it, can get misplaced or you don’t get everything you need such as you might forget to write the student’s name on it or the date and then you don’t know what to do with it. This also helps ensure you are collecting data on each of the goals.
3) Determine how you will log things.
There are lots of things to keep track of other than IEP meetings. Evaluations, screenings, etc. There is no way to remember it all. Do you prefer a digital calendar, paper calendar, lists, folders, etc. There is no right or wrong way but thinking about what you can stick with is the most important part.
4) Make a schedule that will work all year long.
It is easy to get caught up in planning a schedule for your current students but remember you will have evaluations and you will get new students throughout the year. Planning ahead and leaving some spaces for new students and blocking out a dedicated time for evaluations, even though you might not have any for a few weeks, is important. Having these open spaces will make adding new kids much easier resulting in less stress later in the year.
5) Communicate!
Start early and communicate often. Whether this is your first year or tenth year at the school, communicate with your teachers and administration. Send a welcome back email, send quick tips or things to watch out for when referring for speech. Remind them of referral procedures, etc. This can help when you need them to complete present level forms or need more information about a child you are evaluating as they are more likely to give you the best information they can!
Remember, you don’t have to do things the way other SLPs do things, it doesn’t have to be pretty, it just has to be functional. Staying ahead of things reduces your stress throughout the year, we all have things thrown at us last minute so knowing that you are on top of things can make these last minute challenges more manageable and leads to a less stressful school year!
Author: Stephanie Rich