Private Assessments
Jasper
Jasper is an eight-year-old boy from Dawson Creek who has been diagnosed with Autism. He’s currently in Grade 3 and thankfully, he’s been receiving extra help so that he can be as successful as possible at school. But despite this additional assistance, last year he was sent home a number of times due to disruptive behaviour.
That’s when Jasper’s mom, Christine consulted with their pediatrician and the school. Together they determined that Jasper needed a psychoeducational assessment to help identify the different areas of learning he was struggling with and what was causing the frustration and outbursts in class.
Knowing that there was a two-year or more waitlist to be assessed through the public school system, Christine was desperate and knew that Jasper needed help now … not later. That’s when a friend told her that Variety had begun funding private assessments which cost approximately $3,000. She applied, was approved and thankfully Jasper was assessed shortly after.
The assessment actually identified that Jasper had no intellectual challenges but in a learning environment, he responds best to visual stimulation. With this knowledge, the school and the family together created an IEP or Individual Education Plan that Christine describes as, “the best plan for Jasper to enjoy a successful school journey.”
“The assessment helped to identify the different areas where Jasper is struggling and it gave the school some really good ideas on how best to support his learning,” Christine said. “Jasper has now also been diagnosed with ADHD and we are working with his pediatrician to address this too.”
As kids like Jasper grow and develop, their educational needs change and that’s why many will require one or two more psychoeducational assessments throughout their schooling. Transitions like high school can represent a big step for kids with learning challenges and thanks to Variety, these kids will now have access to psychoeducational assessments when needed so they can feel supported and are provided with the tools they need to learn and build confidence. Thanks to you – our Variety supporters – we’re giving kids like Jasper a brighter outlook for the future!
