Back-to-school season comes with its unique challenges and tasks. For families with a neurodiverse child, preparing for the school year takes consistency and planning. At St. Mary’s Home, our team prepares nearly 80 kids and teens to attend classes across multiple school districts. Kimberley Bierce, Director of Residential Services, shares her advice on supporting neurodiverse kids and teens to have a confident start to their school year.
Essential Tips for School Preparation
Establish Predictable Routines
Establishing a consistent daily schedule helps children feel secure and understand what to expect each day. Learn more.
Roll Play Using Social Stories
Encourage open dialogue with teachers and staff to ensure your child’s needs are met. Learn more.
Practice Skills Together
Incorporate tools that aid learning and accessibility to enhance your child’s educational experience. Learn more.
Form Relationships Early
Help your child adapt to new environments and changes in routine with gradual exposure. Learn more.
Connect with Teachers
Work closely with teachers to tailor educational strategies that suit your child’s unique needs. Learn more.
Prepare for sensory challenges
Support your child in developing self-reliance and confidence in their abilities. Learn more.
Incorporate Post-School Day Rest
Keep up-to-date with educational policies and participate in school activities to advocate for your child. Learn more.
Establish Predictable Routines
Establishing consistent daily schedules can help your child reduce anxiety and improve focus. Visual schedules and planners can be helpful but try to incorporate flexibility and teach coping strategies when routines change unexpectedly. Consider implementing routines around morning, mealtimes, and play at certain times throughout the day to create a structured environment at home. Introduce and work on these routines a week or two before school starts.
Roll Play Using Social Stories
Utilize social stories to create narratives about social situations that may happen on the bus, in class, in transitions from one class to another, and their ride home. Where should they sit on the bus? How will they get from one class to the next? Develop visual schedules so your child can learn what is coming next throughout their day.
Practice Skills Together
Take trips to the bus stop and talk about what it will be like to get on the bus, follow the route, and arrive at the school. Practice social skills. Arrange playdates with peers or join social groups that foster social connection and cooperation. Positive reinforcement and encouragement go a long way!
Form Relationships Early
Participate in your school’s open house. Tour the school with your child and highlight the classroom and other important areas they will access during the school day (cafeteria, library, gym, playground, clinic, etc.). Begin forming relationships with the school staff by introducing yourself and your child.
Connect with Teachers
Build a strong partnership with the school staff, including the office staff, classroom teachers and administration. Develop a one-page description LINK about your child’s strengths, needed supports and things they love. Kim recommends this one page profile template from Sheff Kids.
Prepare for sensory challenges
Plan for your child’s needed sensory breaks and outdoor playtime to reduce sensory overload and help promote self-regulation. Collaborate with the teachers to create a sensory-friendly space within the classroom and provide tools for your child like fidget toys or noise-canceling headphones.
Talk with your child’s teacher about incorporating breaks in their day to promote self-regulation.
Incorporate Post-School Day Rest
Plan something fun at the end of the school day! Your child may need to decompress and regulate after a long day. Go to the park, take a walk, or have a play space set up in your house. Create low-demand opportunities for rest and eating. Have some of their favorite snacks prepared when they come home.
Final Thoughts
Empowering Your Child for School Success
Back-to-school transitions can feel overwhelming, but with preparation, structure, and strong collaboration between families and educators, neurodiverse children can thrive. By building routines, practicing real-world skills, and fostering meaningful connections with teachers and peers, parents can set the stage for a positive, confident start to the school year. At St. Mary’s Home, we see every day how intentional planning and support help kids feel safe, included, and ready to learn. With these strategies, families can ease anxieties and celebrate the excitement of a new year full of growth and possibility.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kimberley Bierce
Kimberley Bierce M.Ed. is a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities, serving as the Director of Residential Services at St. Mary’s Home. Kim has a bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from East Carolina University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Old Dominion University. She has nearly two decades of experience working with people with intellectual disabilities, and is also a certified Person-Centered Thinking Trainer and Coach.