By Mike Hipple, PRC-Saltillo Blogger

Hello this is my blog. Wow, it is already time to start thinking about the fall. You know what that means, school is starting soon again. I wish I could see the future to tell you if your school will be in person or Online in the fall, but no one can. No matter if we will have in person school or online school, we need to be ready.  

Ten years ago, I wrote a children book about starting school for children who have a disability. I wrote this book and gave workshops on this  topic, because I always had the hardest time starting a new school year.    Transitions   can be a  challenge if they don't have a voice or don't have a huge vocabulary to tell adults and peers how are they feel about the upcoming changes. I want to share with you 10 tips for your family to have a great start of the school year.

Number ten- start getting back to a normal schedule. I know I have been sleeping in, have you? Children and teenagers need to have 8 to 10 hours of good sleep. You might like to start going to bed 10 minutes earlier each week to help your child so they have a good night sleep.

Number nine- read, read, and read to them. You could read anything like the local newspaper, comic books, and blogs. Anything to get them started on reading for the school year.

Number eight- start wanting more from them! If they are at one word responses on their device go to two word sentences, notice that I said sentences not two words. I believe that we need to say sentences to them, not one or two word answers, because in their mind they will start thinking in sentences. We have a lot of children who use one icon that represent  a Sentence.  We can help them start using sentences  by putting words that they know on their device. 

Number seven- get out their I E  P and read it to them on a level they can understand. After every goal give them examples that they understand.

Number six- talk up school to them everyday and with everybody. This is so important to do, because they haven't been to school since March. Maybe they will be scared to go to school, that is okay and understandable. Say things like you are going to see your best friend or I  wonder how your friend is doing.

We are halfway through, it is time to have an ad for United States Society of AAC. Don't worried PRC I will make this quick. Families, we need you to join our national society of AAC. We want to hear from you!! check  out the website, USSAAC.org. 

Okay, number five- make a game about going to school and play it at least once a week. It needs to be fun and enjoyable.

Number four- drive by the school and bus stop many times. On the way find their friend's houses.

Number three- ask for a meeting with their school team to set the year off on the right foot. Tip if you can bake, bring something tasty to the meeting.

Number two- make the weekend before school start a family fun weekend. Do their favorite activities and play the game that you made up about starting school a lot.

Number one- remember to have a lot of fun!!!!! School years are so fun for typical kids and parents with the dances and community nights, why not have fun yourself and your children. I love and PRC love good giveaways, so I have four copies of my book and two memberships to USSAAC. All you need to do is write or have your child write a paragraph on your AAC journey. Have a great start of school everyone!

Enter Now and Win!

We want to hear from you! Enter our giveaway for a chance to win a copy of Mike Hipple’s book or a membership to USAAC.

To enter, send us a paragraph on your AAC journey. It can be written by yourself or with the help of a parent or other adult.

It can be funny, serious, about school…about anything associated with your AAC journey.

Deadline for entry is October 31 at midnight.

Good Luck! We look forward to hearing from you!

Mike Hipple is an Ambassador for PRC-Saltillo and a Wisconsin resident. He is a passionate advocate for users of AAC and the author of My School Journey: The Many Things I Have Learned.

USSAAC is an organization dedicated to supporting the needs and rights of people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). It was established in 1991 as a national chapter of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC).

How to Enter

• Write your paragraph and email to Jane.Odom@prentrom.com. Include your entry in the body of the email (no attachments, please).
• Please include your name, email and physical address to send the book/membership information.

• Winner will be notified by email.

The Legal Stuff

• Who can enter. To enter, you must be 18 and over and a U.S. resident.
• No purchase necessary to enter. To enter without including a statement, please send an email to jane.odom@prentrom.com before midnight October 31, 2020.
• Only one entry per person.
• Winner will be chosen at random.
• Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.
• Prize value:
  • Book: Approximately $20.00.
  • USSAAC: USSAAC’s membership fees are also processed through ISAAC, which is located in Canada; therefore, the membership price of $40.00 is in Canadian Dollars. The exchange between Canadian Dollars (CAD) and United States Dollars (USD) fluctuates at an irregular rate; use a conversion calculator for the most updated information.
• Contest will run between October 1 and October 31, 2020. Winners will be chosen November 2, 2020.
• PRC-Saltillo is the sponsor of this drawing.