DESCRIBER: A title: "Making It Work: Teachers Get Ready." AVA: If I had to give advice to a teacher who was having a student like me in their classroom, IÕd just say that alwaysÑdonÕt bug them, but always so often, ask them what they need; see if theyÕre having difficulties in the classroom. Always keep a lookout, but just try not to be, you know, a pest. [laughs] NICOLE RAIA (AvaÕs Classroom Teacher): As the classroom teacher, my role in supporting Ava is the same as the rest of the children in my classroom, and that is to make sure that IÕm addressing her needs individually as well as part of the whole group. I found out in the middle of the summer that she was going to be a part of our classroom. The district pretty much made it very easy, paved the way, set up conferences with each of her other support teachers that come from outside. They made it very easy for us to meet and work together. KRISTEN CHERRY (Basic Skills Teacher in AvaÕs Classroom): We touched base with Ava and her family; we found out what her needs were; we educated ourselves about Ava and what her condition was. NICOLE: Mrs. Fredericks contacted us and asked to present to us on AvaÕs syndrome that she has. KRISTEN: We had an in-service before the school year began and she gave us the AÕs of Ava, and we were so prepared for her coming in. CARLY FREDERICKS (AvaÕs Mom): If I had to make a recommendation to families about training or how to train the staff working with their children in their areas, I really think itÕs important for them to have a sense of network and community. I would encourage them to reach out to their deaf-blind projects in their state to make that connection with their family specialist. I think their family specialist would be a wonderful resource to them; if they donÕt have that skill set to physically provide that training, that person does. And itÕs different when it comes from a humbled place of experience. And I think that professionals really value that; it makes it more real. ALISON SIMONE (School Social Worker, AvaÕs Case Manager): Ava is the first student that I have serviced in the district with a classification of deaf-blindness. I know before I came here that there was another student who was classified, but that was over ten years ago. She has an FM system that hooks right into her cochlear implants besides the regular FM system that is available throughout the classroom. She also has an iPad that is available to her that has the booksÑdifferent contrasts on how they are, the wording is differentÑitÕs bigger. AvaÕs prior sending school gave us an IEP that listed all of her modifications and accommodations that she needed in the classroom as well as the services she was provided before she came here from the Commission and from the teacher of the deaf. AvaÕs mom also gave us a very detailed outline about all the things that Ava would need to be successful in school. MICHELE MURRAY (Teacher of the Deaf): I work with Ava twice a week for an hour each session. I bring the hearing aspect to the team. I help the team in understanding AvaÕs hearing loss, the use of her cochlear implants, and using the FM appropriately. I also help them in reducing classroom acoustics so itÕs better for Ava. Usually when a child has a hearing loss, I let the teachers know that as long as theyÕre using the FM, the child can be placed anywhere in the classroom because everything that is being said goes right to the studentÕs receivers. However, with Ava, because of her vision and because of her peripheral issues, she needs to be seated where sheÕs not going to be tripping over objects or other studentsÕ chairs. NICOLE: I met Mrs. Fredericks and Ava at the beginning of the year, before the kids came into the classroom, in order to assess what we could do to make her feel safest inside the classroom, in the hallways, in the stairwells. So when we met, I wanted to discuss with her, how do you want to introduce yourself to the class? How are we going to let them know a little bit about her unique needs in the classroom? And we devised a plan that sort of went awry. She was going toÉfirst of all, she wanted to wear her hair down so that her cochlear implants were somewhat hidden. And she wanted to introduce herself when the rest of the children introduced themselves on the first day of class, and then she was going to talk a little bit about her needs. It turned out that she didnÕt do that, and I donÕt blame her, because she wants people to know Ava, not Ava with Usher syndrome. So she kept it on the down low, and when I talked about safety for everyone in the classroom and in the hallways, we sort of alluded to the fact that Ava especially needed the classroom to be clear on the floor, that the desk chairs were always to be pushed in. We also discussed behavior in the hallway, staying on the right-hand side, which I joked around saying that when theyÕre older, itÕll come in handy for driving. And that seemed to work fine for the beginning of the year. The class was extremely accepting of everyone, and they really didnÕt bat an eye when they noticed some things were a little bit different for Ava. ItÕs just part of our community here at MTESÑweÕre very close-knit and very accepting of all different children. KRISTEN: Ava has a buddy in our classroom that will be helpful in reminding her to take her cane if we need to leave the classroom for any reason and just walks with her as a walking buddy in the event that weÕre out and about in the hallway or if thereÕs a drill. So we have some team members in the classroom also looking out for her in addition. NICOLE: Yes. KRISTEN: Mrs. Fredericks and her family have just been so instrumental in this entire process. We contact her regularly; she comes in and visits us. We work with her other team members from outside, so thereÕs always regular contact with her family. CARLY: Sometimes I think we live in this technology world where everything is communicated via email or textÑrarely youÕre getting phone calls. I think itÕs always important to every once in a while reach out by phone and make that personal connection with your childÕs classroom teacher. Thank them for all the hard work that theyÕre doing. KRISTEN: We are so lucky to have someone whoÕs so educated on this teaching us and teaching the others how to prepare and accommodate for a child with AvaÕs condition. ItÕs just been a wonderful experience here.