A Transition Story
Mario, age 4
Mario was 4 years old when he transferred at the beginning of the school year from one Child Development Center to another. Mario had already started to make friends and become familiar with his first school but his mother’s job required her to move to a location closer to her work. Mario was having a very hard time transitioning, crying when his mother tried to leave him, and looking sad and bewildered by his new environment. Fortunately, there was one consistent presence between Mario’s former and new schools: Toni, Lincoln's Mental Health Consultant.
Toni made a point to welcome Mario and his mother into his new environment and collaborate with the current teacher about strategies that would help him acclimate to his new classroom. Toni led the school team and Mario's mom in conversations about the importance of creating a safe environment for him as well as the impact that the transition was having on his social and emotional development. Toni worked with the new teacher to implement the transition strategies with Mario, including a “calm down” toolkit and a sensory pillow. Through targeted strategies, collaborative meetings and coordinated care facilitated by Toni, Mario quickly integrated into his new environment and got back on track socially and academically. Today, Mario is thriving and his mother is actively engaged with his new school.