Leland: A Head Start Success Story
by Corinne Garland, Director, Region III RAP, Child Development Resources, Lightfoot, Virginia
Four-year-old Leland Phillips attends York County Head Start in Williamsburg, Virginia. Like his fellow students, he enjoys play ground activities, sing-along's, and field trips. Unlike his classmates, Leland engages in many activities from his wheelchair.
Leland was born on August 30, 1988, with a severe form of spina bifida, a developmental defect of the spinal cord. The condition affects his nerves from the mid-back down, leaving him with little feeling and no control over the lower part of his body. His hand-eye coordination, equilibrium, speech, and physical development are also affected. He is also hydrocephalic. Until recently, a wheelchair had been his only means of getting around, but with a walker and soft retracting braces on his legs, he is slowly learning to walk. His cognitive development is only about a year behind his peers.
Leland and his family received early intervention services until he was 2 years old. He then transitioned to the preschool special education classroom in the public schools. However, Leland's parents, wanting a more inclusive setting for their son, moved him to a regular child care center. (There Leland enjoyed the same experience as his peers.)
At three and a half, Leland transitioned to York County Head Start. Leland' solder brother, James, who has a mild hearing loss, had a successful experience at Head Start, so his parents, Gloria and Tom Phillips, naturally looked in that direction. "The child care center was wonderful for socialization and for Leland to experience age-appropriate behavior," Gloria said, "but we felt he was ready for more structured learning."
The transition went smoothly for Leland and his family. Nyokia Dandridge, Leland's teacher, was volunteering at his child care center during the summer that the Phillipses were considering the move. She got to know Leland and his family, their needs and abilities, and encouraged their ambitions toward Head Start. Since the program just happened to be in the same buildings as the center, Leland was able to "visit" his class room before he was fully enrolled. With help from the RAP project and his physical therapist, his teachers were able to encourage his development.
A blooming socialite, Leland loves school. "His self-esteem is great," Gloria says. "He's okay with being there in a wheelchair."
Gloria and Tom are thrilled with Leland' s progress. "We have had really good luck with Head Start," said Gloria. "Leland has had a wonderful teacher. He's playing with the other children and doing all the normal things the other kids do." They are especially pleased with the onset of Leland's expressive language. "He tells me what he did, what he painted, who he played with."
The Phillipses have enjoyed excellent communication with Leland's teacher. They share insights and try to complement each other's work on Leland's weaknesses. Gloria and Tom are also pleased with the specialized equipment Head Start willingly and quickly got for Leland. The local school district provides Leland' s transportation.
Both Gloria and Tom enjoy visiting the classroom, often volunteering their time whenever their schedules allow. They appreciate the friendly, open atmosphere, and the teachers are happy for their help.
In the fall, although Leland will be 5 years old, he will spend another year at Head Start. Gloria and Tom feel that he is not quite ready for kindergarten. "We're going by what he's showing us in performance," Gloria asserts. The school district and Head Start endorsed the Phillipses' decision at the IEP meeting. The school will provide therapists and special education support to Leland in his Head Start class room.
The Phillipses hope that Leland will soon matriculate into a regular classroom situation.