Jake

Where do I begin?  From the moment my sister told me about your school a year ago I knew it was where I was sending Jake.

We were in the middle of getting Jake assessed and Joan was so kind and patient to wait and hold Jake’s place until his final assessment.

It was a Thursday morning when we got Jake’s final diagnosis and we were very emotional and worried about what the future would hold for him.  But in the afternoon of the same day, Joan gave me a call asking how Jake was doing and how his assessment was going.  I explained everything to her and she was so understanding and helpful and she told me that Jake’s place was still open and that he could start that Monday.  This turned the day completely around and it gave us hope for what was ahead of Jake.

Jake loved the school from day one.  I had taken the morning off work thinking that he would need me to stay with him but to my surprise he ran into the room and said goodbye to me and he has never looked back.

Within his first week you had taught him how to use his Pecks book which he adored.  He could finally communicate with us what he wanted or needed and this make him a much happier and content little boy.  It wasn’t long before he was saying a word here and a word there which led to sentences and now singing (which we can’t stop him doing) He thinks he is the next Bruno Mars J.

It is my birthday on Monday and Jake sang me Happy Birthday for the first time and it was magical.  Every time I hear him speak or sing its like he is doing it for the first time all over again and it’s wonderful.

We were told at most of Jake’s appointments and assessments that it was more than likely that he would never talk and that we should come to terms with it.  How wrong they were.  Most of this down to Jake’s determination (stubbornness) and willingness to learn but a lot of his success is down to you guys.  Your patience and understanding of him and your personalities are a gift that ye have.  Words cannot describe what you have done for us over the past year and how you have changed not just Jake’s life but mine and Jonathan’s also.  The support and guidance that you have given us is more than we could ever have hoped for.