I Absolutely Agree

That's what shee said.  I have been dying to type that.  I'm going to laugh whether you do or not.  Okay, I'm done.  But, really; that's what she said, " I absolutely agree".

Cheryl made the call.  We had an appointment to talk to the Special Education Director of the school system.  Our expectations were high; for a lot of reasons.  First, (let's call her Nancy) Nancy knew us and she knew Ryan.  She was not a disconnected administrator.  She had been an advocate for Ryan from our early days in the system.  And now that I think about it -- she had even been to some of his IEP meetings.  And in addition, she knew stuff that we didn't know.  The expert.  The guru of gurus in all things special ed. 

The meeting started with an update on Ryan.  Nancy's interest in Ryan's progress and plans was real.  She has always gotten points for that in my book.  So, we told the Ryan Stories; his school work, his extra-curricular stuff, his job at Olive Garden.  "He has a job?  How did that happen?" Enter proud Dad.  I explained how we thought that his social  skills (read: you should see him work a room.) matched the expectations of a restaurant host, then why not go to the restaurants and ask for a job.  So, Ryan and I rehearsed what to say a few dozen times and hit the road each afternoon.  With Ryan in the front, we would walk into the lobby, and he would ask for the manager.  News to me; when you ask for the manager at a restaurant -- they come, quickly.  They would expectantly look at me, then look at Ryan, and then lock on me.  That is when I stepped back and Ryan stepped up.  "I would like a job application please", he said.  Proud papa.  So, after a week of asking and filling out applications, the manager at Olive Garden called back for an interview.  I sat two booths away as Ryan did his thing.  Done deal.  He got the job.

Cheryl says, "Ok, Nancy, before we go any further. Just a reminder.  We have told you and the  folks at school for some time now  --- Ryan will NOT be receiving transition services at his high school campus.  We think that is wrong."  And she agrees. Absolutely so.  Pause. Comma. But.  She continues, " We agree that it would be much better to execute transition services at a campus other than the student's high school, but for now, (that dang "but" again) that is all we have to offer."

Until that moment, I thought we were going to walk out of that meeting with a newly discovered option.  I thought that Nancy would tell us about some wonderful, new, and amazing transition model in our existing school system that was just perfect for Ryan.  Nope.  No such thing.  She had more to say, but so that I won't be the one speaking for her  --- let me scribe what I "understood" her to say; she told us that  based on Ryan's current progress (skills, jobs, etc) there would be very little in the school system transition program that would challenge Ryan. In other words; he is already past what they had to offer and ready for something else.  Something else? Got it. Go find that "something else".  We need help.