My son has never fit well into the mainstream school system for a variety of reasons. Foremost, several years of bullying from select individuals, and the futility to resolve the issue firmly set the chip on his shoulder. I have always known my son is a good kid, but as a parent, my heart ached as I watched helplessly while he teetered with life's choices. Since he found the TEAM program at John McInnis last year, I have watched him flourish in leaps and bounds. For the first time he is happy to go to school, attending all of his classes, successfully navigating his way through the curriculum, and achieving admirable scores. He will graduate.
Eric consistently expresses how the education team there treats him with the same regard an adult would any other, and that he is able to approach them for assistance without hesitation. He is comfortable there. Many years ago, I had the pleasure of working with a few of Eric's current classmates and saw who they were back then. They are great young men and women and one only needs to give them respect -- who as people, they deserve -- and provide an environment which facilitates communication to see who they really are.
The results I see from my son being a student in the TEAM program is a young man emerging into a respectful and productive member of our society. To all the members of TEAM -- staff and students -- I will be eternally grateful. You have given my son a place to belong. Thank you.
Proud to be Eric's mom,
Andrea Baker
