Meet Nolan

Nolan (he/him) is an outgoing White nine-year-old who is the youngest of four children. He attends Northern Lights Elementary School in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Nolan’s family moved there from Biloxi, Mississippi, just before his birth, so that they could be closer to his paternal grandparents. The family is busy in the community, and Nolan is no exception. Sports and the Special Olympics are a big part of his life, as are meet-ups with his teammates and best buddy, Milo. In addition, his caregivers ensure that he participates in other activities with his brother and sisters, including attending services at the local synagogue, which can sometimes be challenging, as Nolan has Down syndrome. Within three weeks of his birth, Nolan started speech and language early intervention services, thanks to a HelpMeGrow referral made by his pediatrician. This was delivered four times a month during in-home visits. He is currently served under the disability category ID per his Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

In school, Nolan’s teachers report that he seems to enjoy participating with his peers in learning activities, but he struggles with reading, writing, and math. Despite being in grade three, he reads at a first-grade level and has been unable to move beyond sight words. Cognitive needs impact his progress. At his last three-year re-evaluation meeting, his IQ was 65. Handwriting is also challenging, and he uses an adaptive keyboard for written assignments, which he loves. Nolan is also easily distracted and is supported with frequent prompts to help him stay on task. His father shared, “He can be silly, which we love about him, but that also makes the school day’s structure difficult for him.”

Nolan spends half the day in the general education third-grade classroom with 20 peers. This year, his inclusion focuses on academics (e.g., science and social studies) and social development. He is learning that reading has a purpose, and he is eager to share what he knows with others. With the help of a paraprofessional, Nolan starts the morning with his peers, and then goes to the special education classroom for 60 minutes of intensive reading and math instruction. He also receives a preview of content/background-building support in the special education classroom before participating in science and social studies lessons with his peers. A real strength is that he can understand complex concepts if they are presented to Nolan in multiple ways and formats other than print. Every other week, he has a “Lunch Bunch” social skills group with the school counselor to strengthen peer relationships. Nolan also participates in adapted physical education and occupational and speech therapies to help improve his physical coordination, self-care, and communication.

Much of Nolan’s success depends on coordinated support from his caregivers and teachers. Nolan’s parents meet with his IEP manager and third-grade classroom teacher weekly via Zoom to stay on top of communication and expectations for his progress. Nolan’s mother reports that these informal 20-minute meetings are a time to talk openly about his progress and better coordinate what he needs at school, and how they can support his learning at home. Collaboration is a high priority and the key to Nolan’s success. Yet, in two years, Nolan’s caregivers worry about transitioning to middle and high school. Not only do they worry about his academic progress, but they are also worried about what the future holds for him – employment, friendships, living, sexual maturation, and so on.