The following are letters that Partners has received from parents of our clients. Please note that the children’s names have been omitted and that Partners was formerly referred to as PIE.
Well, I just had to let you know about a very important honor [my child] received at school this year. She was honored with a Character Recognition Award for being helpful to her classmates. The award stated that she is always willing to help her classmates and is a very caring girl. Only 2 children per class receive this award 2 times a year. She was very humble about her award, unlike her mother.
I am very thankful to PIE for helping [her] so that she can help others. 1/29/10
We want to thank you for the wonderful work you’ve done to help [our child] grow and develop well beyond our hopes. We believe this is because of your hard work and commitment that she has turned into this happy, smart and funny little girl. We’ll miss all of you but more than anybody; [our child] will miss all of her friends and therapists. So, this is a little sad but a happy resolution for what we were all hoping for. We will highly recommend PIE to anybody that struggles with autism in their family. 1/29/10
The kids and I were in an accident a couple of weeks ago. We got side swiped by a big white work van. I got cited for it, however the insurance company is investigation it because it doesn’t add up. The guy has a suspended license, the wrong plates on the van, and expired tags. He wasn’t even legal to be on the road! I had to go to the hospital because my neck and shoulder were killing me. Just tore some muscles and ligaments. Nothing was broken thank goodness. Kids are fine. [My son] was actually amazing and told the paramedics that he had no boo boos and to take care of his mommy. He was very serious about it. He really impressed me. He even told them my name, [my daughter]’s name, and how to spell his. He held my hand in the ambulance and told me it was going to be alright and the doctor was going to fix me. Too cute. Then he looked at me and said “Mommy I think the car is broken!” When we got to the hospital, [my son] looked at the doctor and said “My Mommy’s shoulder hurts and you need to fix it ok?” Then he came back over to me and kissed me and went and sat with [my daughter] and held her hand while they were talking to me. He was totally amazing! Thank you for teaching him who the firefighters, paramedics, and policemen are. He was never scared through the whole incident and did exactly what an adult would do. I was so worried that the lights and sirens would scare him, but he took it like a trooper! I just wanted to give you an example of what you guys strive to do every day. [My son] did it! 9/7/2009
Just wanted to drop a quick note and to say thank you for everything you have done for [our son]! His progress has been amazing and he loves it there! 7/31/10
Thank you for checking in… we are so thrilled with everything so far!
First, your staff is magnificent! [Staff] (I’m sure there are many more- that is who I have personally met) couldn’t be more warm, welcoming, positive, and professional. The entire staff we have met is absolutely top notch!! [My son] truly loves them and looks forward to greeting everyone each day.
[My son]’s classmates are all so sweet and smart, and their families are great. Every parent I have talked to is so grateful to you and to PIE, and is very aware of the positive steps their children have made since being at Partners in Excellence.
Personally, I am adjusting to my little buddy being gone, but it is an easier adjustment when he is having fun, likes going, and is in such great care.
After much deliberation (TOO much!), I now am leaning heavily towards holding [my son] back for another year before starting kindergarten. We do have a spot available in private preschool if we decide that he needs to have more neurotypical relations, or if the PIE placement is not appropriate for full-time. I will wait and learn all of the information you have to share over the summer and we will go from there. We have options, and we feel confident that together we will decide what is best for [my son].
Again, my only disappointment is that I am unable to turn back the hands of time and get [my son] to you at two years old instead of four. Bur I am really happy we are in your care even if it won’t be for as long as I would have liked. 7/24/09
Dedicated, hard working, positive, unrivaled with uncommon caring, This is how I would describe the staff of PIE. I have been impressed with PIE from day one and my gratitude for everything that the staff at PIE has done and are doing for my son continues to grow. Every Therapist, including the Occupational Therapist, we have worked with has been truly wonderful. The therapists go up and above what is necessary; they are always kind and constantly greet us with such good energy (despite [my son]’s sometimes unwelcoming disposition). They always listen to concerns and are very patient.
Deb, I want to thank you for creating such an outstanding program. I’ll never forget my initial phone conversation with you when I called to inquire about services for [my son]. You shared with me the story of your son’s disability and how and why you started up PIE. I admire your strength and I am amazed at how you were able to put together such an awesome program. You are an excellent role model for your children but also for all parents of children with a disability.
Just wanted to give you some feedback and let you know what a great job we feel your staff are doing. 9/22/08
It’s hard for us to believe that today is [my son]’s last day at PIE. He spent the last 2 years and 4 months with your wonderful, dedicated staff.
We are so thankful to have found this program for [my son]. My husband and I feel it has made a tremendous impact on him and his future. He came to PIE with only a few words and is leaving with speech typical for a 5-year-old. He has made significant gains in all areas, and formed many wonderful friendships too.
Although it is very hard to say goodbye…[my son] is ready for his next step. Thank you for the wonderful service, dedication, and hard work that all of your therapists, teachers, and other staff has put into [our son]! We couldn’t be happier with the results! 1/14/07
Thank you for having me here at PIE. I spent a very happy two years here. I will miss everybody at PIE! [Client] (and family). 9/10/07
[My husband] and I are finishing up a very good Sunday at home with the boys. As I look back at the changes since we started at PIE I am truly amazed. First of all, I took [my son] to church with me and he made almost the entire service (I was aiming for 15 minutes given it was his first time in a church service versus a Sunday School program aimed at children.) He did so well that I rewarded him with a trip to Lund’s bakery where he was able (with minimal prompting) to tell the baker the kind of donut he wanted and he was able to thank her. While at the checkout we saw our pediatrician who was floored by his progress!! We sat outside of Lund’s and enjoyed our donuts together. This may seem rather ordinary for most parents but this was not something [my son] could do a few months ago without making a public scene of some sort by having a meltdown over something.
Our day continued at Bush Lake Beach with the help of two PCA’s. We spend 2 ½ hours at a crowded beach as a family with NO DRAMA!!! While [my sons] have to be watched very closely, the fact that we pulled off the trip to a crowded beach is a miracle.
[My other son] is making more eye contact then ever before and I noticed today when I gave him a few choices he can tell me what he wants- this is huge and, to be honest, something I never thought he would do. He is more engaged and just seems happier in general.
[My third son] seems more focused and independent and “Bridges” has been great for [my fourth son]. The overall schedule and flow of our days since we started full-time is amazing. I am not exhausted or nearly as worried and stressed as I used to be because I know they are getting the best therapy available with a great staff.
This is a very short thank you for all you guys have done but I wanted to write this before I let more time go by without saying anything.
Thank you for making our family life so much better. 8/13/10
Thank you so much for giving [our son] and our family the opportunity to develop and grow at PIE! Your influence and compassion from day one has been wonderful! At a time in our lives when there is so much uncertainty you and the staff at PIE were (are) there. Thank you- it’s been a great experience! 12-29-06
I must say – I have said it before and I know I will say it again a million times, we owe so much of [our son]‘s success to PIE! When I met with his pre-school teachers and they said how impressed they were with his skills, I told them it was because of PIE. I really do believe that [our son] would not be where he is today, if not for you all. Never in a million years, did I ever think, two years ago, when we started this journey that we would be where we are today. I never thought that I would have his pre-school teachers practically begging me to keep him at their site, (he’s going to pre-school closer to home, in Andover, in the fall), because they thought he was such a neat, fun kid.
It’s just so, so awesome to have come on this journey with him and to see where we will go next. I know there will always be bumps in the road for [our son], but I love being his mom and accompanying him along the way. So, thank you, thank you, thank you again from the bottom of my heart! We will always feel a connection to PIE and especially you and those that worked on his team.
Deb, as I have expressed to you along the way, we couldn’t be more grateful for all that your amazing staff has done to help [my son] gain language and social skills. They have been an incredible team to work with and have provided an environment that is loving, caring and fun for [my son]. It has meant so much to me and our other sons to be able to share in [my son]’s experience by participating in the many wonderful programs held over the summer and holidays.
Keri Taylor [Center Director] has been outstanding in every way since we started with PIE. This is a very emotional journey and Keri’s extremely outgoing personality and can-do attitude have made bringing our son to PIE each day something we can do with confidence. She passes that on to her staff and makes PIE a very positive place to be for both the children as well as the parents. Keri has gone above and beyond to accommodate everything we have requested along the way. She has always encouraged us to pursue the therapies we feel will be of benefit to [my son]. She has accommodated speech and occupational therapy, Berard Auditory Training, an exposure to typical preschool this fall, administering supplements, many doctors appointments, many observations from our school district, and currently hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We understand that all these appointments have taken time away from his program at PIE and we appreciate her support and understanding of the decisions we have made.
I would also like to comment on the parent training programs you started this fall. Thank you for making them available to us. I started some individual training with {treatment team members] but unfortunately my schedule did not allow for me to spend as much time in that endeavor as I had hoped. They were both wonderful to work with and extremely knowledgeable and proficient at giving examples to help me better understand the material we were covering. Thank you for your efforts to allow parents to be more involved……Thank you for all you have done for [my son] and our family.
The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word JOB as follows: “A regular activity performed in exchange for payment.” Although this sounds pretty simple, here-in lies our problem, what is the payment for hope and opportunity?
When we arrived at Partners in Excellence nearly two years ago, we had no idea how far [our son] would go. We brought in a nearly three-year-old child with limited language, no social skills, and the inability to regulate his emotions and meltdowns. There were also two devastated parents, trying to cope with the diagnosis of autism, who had no idea what to expect in the coming years.
Over the past year and a half, we have endured plenty together, countless time-outs, uncontrollable meltdowns, half day parent meetings (sorry Keri!), and most importantly, incredible progress. We are now leaving PIE with a little boy who has a language level advanced for his age, a much improved temperament, and the building blocks for a very full social life. Most importantly, there are two parents with a very strong sense of hope for their son. Because of the efforts of all the staff at PIE, we believe [our son] has all the opportunity in the world. [He] may struggle at times as we move on to the next steps of his journey, but with the foundation we have laid with your help and guidance, we feel [he] can overcome any obstacle that lies ahead. That being said, [my wife] and I would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts………….for a JOB well done.
I just wanted to let the staff know how appreciative I am towards all of you. I’ve watched some of you and I am so impress with all of you. You are all so great with the kids and professional with the parents. I have dealt with the special education professionals now for 12 years and I have never met so many young adults with such great attitudes and respect for these kids who have been affected by the autism spectrum disorder. No mater what path you take in your careers, you will succeed because of the empathy towards others you have.
A little over a year ago we found an oasis in the middle of what felt like a big, scary directionless desert. We had just come to understand that our little two year old had autism, and we had started some speech and occupational therapy for a few hours a week, but we knew [our son] would need more than that. With both of us working full time and quickly burning through our sick hours to take him to and from for therapy 20 minutes away, we honestly didn’t know what we were going to do. It was by “chance” that my husband stumbled upon a little center for kids on the autism spectrum, and it just happened to be about 10 minutes from where he worked.
I remember the day we toured this place. We hadn’t yet even had the “official” diagnosis, but we thought we better get on a waiting list because we heard about how hard it was to get services going. I walked through the roomy center and was impressed by the decorative touches, the cute little cubes that were set up with costumes, and play kitchens and libraries, and more toys than the local toy store. The people were so friendly and helpful. But it also felt heart-breaking and surreal.
I had never imagined that I would be trying to find a place for my son to go because he had AUTISM. I was gripped by fear as I saw kids at every level of severity. How did I find myself here?, I wondered. From the time [our son] was three months old, we had the perfect set up for him. It was a great little day care five houses away from ours. The lady who ran it was like his second mom. He would be friends with those neighborhood kids. That’s the way it was supposed to be. Perfect.
Well, “perfect” would have to look like something else. We were so thankful that we were not only able to get [him] into the center right away, but that my husband’s insurance was one of the only ones in the state that covered these services–tens of thousands of dollars a year. Bless the lady who started this center for parents in our position! Please know that very few people have had it come together for them as smoothly as this. We were able to get occupational therapy along with ABA therapy (Applied Verbal Behavior style), which has been proven to be very effective in teaching kids with autism. It could be a one-stop-shop. Our little two-year-old would start out as the youngest guy there, and he would soon be going for 40 hours a week.
I just wanted to set up a little background first so you can understand the depth of our gratitude when faced with a difficult situation. We are so thankful for [our son]’s angels! His therapists work so hard everyday so my child can feel like he’s playing and having a blast, even though he’s being put through the paces. They developed a program specifically for their youngest clients and made a comfortable area called “POD 10″ that was just for their five little ones under 4 or so. [Our son] loves it.
I wonder if these therapists really knew that the occupation that they chose would mean so much, and would hold such a weighty purpose. Not only are they shaping the outcome for my son, but they are easing a great burden from us. These six women always have the biggest smiles on their faces and give their best energy to the kids every day. They even ask us how our days are, and seem genuinely interested in our family. They celebrate each new thing that [our son] has tried or mastered, and are really concerned if he’s not feeling well. They love a challenge. Our son lights up when he sees them, and they’re proud of him and are truly affectionate toward him. I like how they sometimes call him “Mister [last name].”
This place has wonderful parents’ training groups, special parties for the kids and families, and the director is very present, helpful and available. I guess what I’m trying to say is that these ladies are our heroes. What a gift! I get a little nervous for the day that [he] leaves the acceptance and unconditionally love he finds at this center, but I never take for granted the deposits he is receiving in his life every weekday by our angels who happen to punch a time clock.
Thank you seems not enough for what you did for [our grandson] We appreciate all that you did to help [him] grow and develop. Your school saved our little boy!
We wanted to express our sincere thanks for the wonderful work you have all done with [our son]! It is so amazing to see how he entered PIE as a basically non-verbal little boy in his “own world” to a boy who interacts with everyone and could possibly be in a regularkindergarten classroom! [He] absolutely loved his time with all of you and he (and all of us!) will always remember you! Thank you so much for the love and care you all provide to these wonderful children – it is truly a gift!
Words cannot express what PIE has meant to our family. You have given us our son back……you are truly miracle workers!! J Thank you for all your love, patience, and pearls of wisdom. You will be truly missed!
We remember fondly all the wonderful staff that [our son] had through the years. The personal touch you always made and the hard work it took for [him] to make his gains are remembered again through this holiday season……..
[Our son] still talks about PIE. He talks of [therapist]and those piggyback rides, and asks about [therapist] a lot. He has only warm wonderful memories of PIE. Every time we are on 694 and he sees the exit to PIE, he asks to go……..
In closing, I cannot thank you guys enough. Even though [he] has so many gains to make in the academic world, I know that he NEVER would have been able to do this school program without PIE working on his behaviors. You have taught [him] how to control himself, keep his emotions under control and use his language to express himself. PIE gave him the building blocks he needed to manage himself around people.
Don’t ever question the importance of what you do there at PIE. In my opinion, you saved my son and made him a much happier person. From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one of you.
Surely God is working miracles through each of you. Thank you for helping my son find his voice.
Thank you so much to everyone at PIE for helping [our son] this past year. Words cannot express how extremely grateful we feel to each and every one of you who have helped our precious little boy make enormous strides. Without your love and dedication, this would not have been possible. Thank you for giving us hope for [our son]’s future. We will truly miss being a part of PIE’s family.
We are so grateful to all of you, whether you played a big or small role in [our son]’s education the past two years. Thank you for the compassion and dedication you have shown to our entire family. We will all miss coming to PIE, even [our other kids]! [Our son] has gained an incredible amount of skills thanks to all of you. We know he was always well taken care of and loved. We’ll always have fond memories of PIE. Best wishes as you continue to enrich the lives of children with autism.
Thank you seems such an inadequate thing to say for all you have done for my son. He has grown and flourished here at PIE. You taught him how to smile and me how to smile. I can’t thank you enough.
