Our Sons' School Journey

Where to start and where to begin? This is our sons' school journey which is coming to a beautiful close this month June 2025.

Our journey has been filled with both tears and laughter. My sons began their education in a segregated classroom with little hope and many challenges. They were nonverbal, displayed a range of behaviors, relied on staff for their daily routines, had no friends, and were often isolated.

But early in our journey, we were blessed to come across a wonderful organization called Extend a Family, and to meet an amazing coordinator named Kim Southern-Paulsen. Through them, we learned about inclusion and were encouraged by other parents’ experiences. Their stories gave us hope.

With that hope and faith, we made the decision to move our sons into a regular classroom with TDSB, despite facing many rejections from both school boards. The first year was tough. But slowly, they made progress. They were exposed to all subjects and began to build lasting friendships—friendships that still stand strong today.

If you ask me what we did to help them get to this point, I’d say it was a combination of small, intentional steps. We weren’t experts, but we were committed. We stayed proactive and planned ahead. We enrolled them in various community activities—basketball, dance, art, swimming, air cadets, camps, and cooking classes. We invited friends over, went to parks, and placed them in spaces where they could meet peers their age.

We celebrated their every achievement—no matter how small—and always spoke positively about them. We wrote down a vision for their lives: to be valued, included, to contribute to their community, and to build natural relationships.

As a family, we learned from other parents and attended workshops that encouraged and empowered us. When one door closed, we found another that opened. We trusted in God and believed He would guide us—and He did. And He continues to do so.

Over time, as our vision became more visible to the teachers and schools, our sons began to grow—both academically and socially. Despite challenges along the way, they remained in regular classes and succeeded.

They discovered their talents—math, computers, art, music, dance, and photography. They’ve published books, sold their paintings, and performed at events showcasing their creativity.

Each of them is unique and contributes to our household and community in his own way. Today, Daniel is one of our church’s social media photographers, and Jason is a valued community volunteer. They are independent young men with friends, supporters, and bright futures.

We still face struggles in each new season, but we remain hopeful. We pray that our sons will continue to work, volunteer, and be contributing members of society.

We are deeply grateful to Extend a Family, and to every person who has helped us along the way.

Please, never stop cheering for your children. Celebrate them for who they are, and always, always see their potential.

I am truly proud of our two sons. I stand before you as the proud mother of two high school graduates. Daniel and Jason.

I thank God, and I thank you all. Thank you for letting us share our story.