S.A.G.E.-- Special And Gifted Education

S.A.G.E.

Special and Gifted Education Group

     I am beyond blessed to have such a great group of friends!  I know without friends and family, anyone can get lost in this rat race we call life.  I have kept a lot of my friends from high school, thanks to the invention of Facebook, but I am also involved in this amazing group called S.A.G.E.  Whether you are a parent with a child who has a disability or have a child that is very VERY smart (think Einstein or Bill Gates), this group serves our R.I.S.D. community without skipping a beat.  We are a group of parents-- yes, there are some very involved dads too!-- who look for resources to help our children in the classroom and beyond.  I was introduced to S.A.G.E. by a very good friend last year and it has been a God send.  Many of you know, I don't name people in my blog (just me and Cole), but you know who you are when I say THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR INTRODUCING ME TO THIS GROUP!!!!!!!!  Many families in our school district are served by S.A.G.E. and we are just one of the lucky ones.  I feel like this has been my life-line to getting things done for Cole and his I.E.P.  Many of you know, it is hard to deal with change when living with autism.  One big change is something we can adjust to, but we had four big changes in our school this year.  I prepared Cole for one of the changes as we knew about this the end of last year-- a new Principal.  However, the other three changes were totally unexpected, which threw both of our worlds into another dimension of chaos!  We not only had a brand new principal, we also had a new special education teacher, two sixth grade general education teachers named both Ms. Thompson, and a new building that resembled a hospital to a lot of kids because there was no artwork to display.  Change, at times, can be good.  I changed churches for me and Cole, which turned out to be great!  I got divorced (which was a very needed change) and that turned out to be great.  However, when it involves change with Cole, sometimes this can become worrisome for me. The reason I am telling you all of this is because maybe you can get an idea of where this is going-- my support group of S.A.G.E.

     S.A.G.E. is very interesting group of like-minded individuals.  You have me-- the loud and boisterous mom who wants to get things done in without pissing people off, you have the amazing Chairman, who gets things done RIGHT and the most unassuming mom who represents the Gifted Voice.  We are ALL a part of S.A.G.E. and we all seem to work well in our own way.  Two of our members are even running for the Board and I hope they both win!  They are tireless moms that do everything they can for our children (including their own) and should be awarded a medal for not running once, but TWICE, for our school board!  I honestly don't see how they do it, but they do, and I love them both.  What every parent, I assume, wants for their family is love, acceptance, understanding, and a future filled with bright opportunities.  I have learned over the course of Cole's twelve years is that all Cole needs is unconditional love to thrive at home and at school.  Sometimes I can get frustrated with his progress, but all I have to do is look back even a year ago and see  how much he has progressed into a young man.  I cherish the day he says he wants to be independent and not live with me or his daddy.  He talks all the time about getting married, having a job (no school because it's boring and useless!), and having his own children.  I know I wish that for him.  I know my husband and Cole's amazing father wants that for him.  The only thing I worry about is who will understand Cole and get him?  I guess time will only tell what the future holds for Cole.  Without S.A.G.E., I don't think I would ever consider this an option for him, but because of the support and understanding I receive from S.A.G.E. is a blessing beyond words.

     Obviously, this is a plug for S.A.G.E., as I am the new volunteer coordinator for this awesome group!  What I want to do is to change the world, one school at a time.  I thought by going back to school, SMU, and becoming a school teacher would help me achieve my goal by giving back to other students and families.  I realize now that wasn't my destiny.  Supporting parents, families, children and adults that are affected by some sort of learning difference or life situation is my calling.  I was once told by a very smart lady, "Maybe teaching isn't your thing.  You are created to do something so much bigger than teach.".  These were the words of my support teacher (when I was a student teacher), Paula O'Neill.  I now believe she was absolutely right.  During college, we were asked what we wanted to do with our lives-- specifically in terms of creating music and sustain a relationship that gives back to the community.  I am forever grateful for this question that was posed by Dr. Jose Bowen, Dean of Meadow School of the Arts at SMU, and now the new President of Goucher College.  I always yearned for more, but really didn't know where to start.  Because of his knowledge and the brilliant teachers I had at Meadows, I am now fulfilling my dream of giving back to the community and maybe making a difference in other people's lives.  S.A.G.E. is responsible for part of my happiness and giving back to others.

     The moment you receive a diagnosis of autism, your world changes.  I am comfortable in my own skin and know what I want for Cole.  However, when I was looking for answers to my questions, I didn't have a support group like S.A.G.E. when faced with Cole's autism diagnosis.  You can find S.A.G.E. (we hope to have it in every single school by this year) on Facebook.  Please feel free to contact me, if you have any questions.  This amazing group offers you help and solutions to your inner most questions.  I know it has helped me compose my thoughts and not get mad at something that is out of my control.  What S.A.G.E. has taught me can't be found in a book.  You just have to attend a meeting or attend a free workshop and you will understand why I LOVE THIS GROUP AND EVERYONE INVOLVED!   I can't thank my friends enough by telling them thank you for supporting S.A.G.E. and all that it has to offer.  Please feel free to ask me any questions about S.A.G.E. as it is a great resource for everyone!  Happy Thursday and go SMU MUSTANGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!