Click here to watch Phil’s entire presentation to the School Committee on YouTube

The School Committee in Auburn has been extraordinarily supportive of the transition planning and process that has resulted in so much success for Nicky.  Recently 22at20 team member and Special Ed Director, Phil Campbell, provided a presentation to the School Committee – our own in abbreviated form and with anonymity for the purpose of privacy (as required by the Committee and its policy).

Although many of the individual members of the Committee already knew some of the story and many have known Nicky for years, they were astounded when they learned the details of the year-long planning.  At the end, they were unanimous in their excitement and congratulated Phil on his creativity.

My husband and I, Nicky’s parents, were originally invited to participate in the presentation but there was some concern about the privacy issue; it was felt that it would be creating a bad precedent to make any discussion of a specific child public.  We discussed it with Phil, who felt that it would be important to honor those concerns.  For our part, we were fine with it.  We felt strongly that the Committee will be able to glean the key aspects of the story as it pertains to the School system, without the specific individual named.  To us, we are already telling people who need to hear and be inspired by the story through other venues.  The more who know, the more who can feel empowered to affect change for themselves, the more our personal goal – and that of the 22at20 team across all the agencies – will be achieved.