Our journey to Westview was a rocky one, to say the least. Our adorable, smart little boy with the brightest smile had already been asked to leave two schools by age three. We had been sent home notes where he was called "atypical" and "too difficult to manage." We had sat through a parent-teacher conference where we were told he could no longer attend the school until we did a complete developmental evaluation proving he was a typical developing child. The waitlists for the evaluation were six months long, leaving us heartbroken and unsure what to do next. We turned to our speech therapist, who gave us a list of schools to tour. As soon as we walked into The Westview School, we could see that it was a very special place! Walking the halls, we saw other children jumping and wiggling like our son. Our biggest takeaway was how happy the children were to be at a school that met them with open arms.
Hill was three years old when he started in the Early Childhood Development Program. Within the first couple of days of school, it was clear this would be a great school year, and we had bright days ahead! The child who had always been apprehensive about going to school was smiling and going right in at carpool time. The notes coming home from the teacher showed us that she was not only very in tune with our child but also cared so very much about him. We could finally breathe a sigh of relief that he was finally in the right place for him. We could see a weight lifted off of the whole family's shoulders.
We often describe Hill's autism as having to teach him things most children pick up on their own, such as language and social skills, but picking up on his own the things people usually have to teach their children such as colors, numbers, and letters. Hill has learned so much socially and academically over the past two years. We attribute this growth to the very thing we saw when we toured Westview. They meet children where they are in order to help them thrive. At Westview, the students' strengths and milestones are celebrated, and they are accommodated where they need a little extra help.
We are filled with such relief and optimism for Hill and our family when thinking back to the position we were in just two years ago. Westview is a very special place where kids on the autism spectrum belong and thrive. Every child deserves a safe place for their education, and we will be forever grateful for this special little school. A donation to the Westview Fund will help a child change their trajectory. It can take a family from some of their rockiest times and turn them into bright days ahead. We can't think of a more worthy cause and hope you agree!
Cassie and Kyle Mathis
