I am writing to you today as parent of a student served by the Succeed Scholarship.
My son Grant is 8 years old, and he is in the second grade at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Morrilton. He has a rare chromosome deletion, ADHD, and intractable epilepsy. We sent him to Sacred Heart, just as we did his neurotypical sisters, beginning in kindergarten. The small size has been very beneficial to him.
The school has always worked to find ways to best serve Grant, and the Succeed Scholarship has enabled them to do so much more. Were he to attend a public school, this funding would be allocated for him to receive extra services; Succeed allows him to be served the same way in the setting we feel is best for him.
He has an aide that ensures his safety (due to seizures) and helps him stay on task, and his educational plan is guided by a certified special education professional. He is able to receive pull-outs for areas where he needs extra help.
One of our primary concerns with sending Grant to Sacred Heart was the school’s ability to serve his needs as he gets older. Many small private schools struggle to provide for students with special needs because of the cost involved. We now feel very confident that, thanks to the funding from Succeed, he will be able to continue his education at Sacred Heart, in a setting that is best for him.
We understand and appreciate the challenges faced by public schools right now. We fully support our public schools. However, we feel that Sacred Heart is the right setting for our son, and we are most grateful for the resources that Succeed has allowed the school to access in order to best serve him and other students with special needs.
– Alisha, parent