Support Dylan Smith's development with an Aide

Brennan and I have come to the belief that there is no better school for Dylan than The Hartsbrook School . His community of supportive peers, the unmatched "seeing" that the teachers have for him, the 55 acres of rolling hills and woods, the farm animals to care for, the integration of body movement and art into everyday learning -- he absolutely shines when he gets met so fully the way this community meets him. For him to continue there, he needs support.

 

Dylan's moving into 1st grade -- a different class environment. If we chose a public school he would have an Aide assigned to him all day, one-on-one. Unfortunately, he would also be learning via a Chromebook, sitting most of the day in a fluorescent-lit classroom, and focusing exclusively on traditional academics.

 

The one-on-one Aide that his learning plan calls for would suit the daily rhythms and curriculum of his land-based school perfectly -- in fact, having such an Aide ensures that he and all of his classmates will be served beautifully there. As such, they have required that we secure someone to accompany Dylan throughout the day before they accept his continued enrollment. We have explored every avenue (except foundation grants, whose applications we're in the process of writing) to get this Aide provided by the State or the school district, but to no avail.

 

As an interim measure while we're working toward grant funding for him and other neuro-diverse students at the school, we're asking for your help to fund this Aide for Dylan's 1st grade year. We believe that, fully supported with this helper and loved so much by this community, he will continue to rise beyond all expectations for his diagnosis (and he'll continue to shine that love right back on you and all of us).

 

Thank you.

 

Katie and Brennan