Dante had been in public school before, but had difficulty paying attention and communicating with others. It was decided that the public school was not the place for him at that time and he was referred for placement at NECC. At NECC, instruction was at first centered on building his communication skills, paying attention, and problem solving. His curriculum also included academics and socialization skills.

Now Dante, who has always been a good reader, reads at his grade level. His ability to pay attention and stay still during class has improved dramatically and his social skills are continuing to develop.

As Dante makes the transition, Sue will accompany him to the classroom and stay for this school year. Sue knows his case well and will continue to evaluate his progress throughout the transition period. Working with the public school teachers, Sue will help them become more familiar with Dante and how he learns. As the year progresses, Sue's role as Dante's teacher will gradually fade as the public school teacher assumes more and more responsibility.

So today is a big day for Dante, it won’t necessarily be easy but his parents have given him lots of encouragement and he knows Sue will be there. And according to Dante, that’s just what he needs.