Avery had a rather disappointing year at his first school.  What we wanted was to have a school that wanted to challenge him and encourage him to excel and what we got was one that just wanted to go through the motions and not hurt him.  This was similar to his orphanage experience and is the worst thing for this child.  His Mother had to continuosly push his therapist to demand more of Avery and they did not.  Avery did not get a decent Speech Therapist until Early May and within 5 minutes she noted that his oral motor muscles were concrete and she immediately began exercises that dramatically helped him develop the ability to babble and start to form words and sounds as well as eat more appropriately.  It took greater than 8 months to get an adaptive tricycle (which we had to provide) and the outside recreational structures never were adapted to his height to allow independence.  This is very sad and dissapointing in a facility that is supposed to cater to the special needs child.    Within 1 week of being home for the summer Avery was walking/running with his walker.  He was more verbal and having a great summer.  He was getting the PT that he needed by his parents and his new PT and he acheived many of his goals away from this facility.   He is soon to start a new school which has a teacher with a much more proactive mentality.  I have high hopes that in this new environment he will blossom.    ---August 28 2006