The Foreign Service Journal, June 2011

98 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 1 1 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT then in the Foreign Service, was homeschooling her children, too. Audrey and Brandon connected and became fast friends. When we moved on to Santo Domingo, the Halls found themselves in South Africa and then back in Germany. Audrey attended the school at post in Pretoria before moving to the Benedictine School for four years. During her last year there, the Halls found that she was now ready for a more challenging curriculum, as well as vocational training and more advanced life skills practice, which led them to the Riverview School. All three are now enrolled in the Riverview GROW program, which stands for “Getting Ready for the Outside World.” GROWworks close- ly with the Cape Cod Community College, whose Project Forward pro- gram provides a vocational training element in which all three are learn- ing marketable skills. In addition to finding vocations that suit them, Matt, Brandon and Audrey will continue to receive academic training at the pace and ability allowed by their unique special needs. Their classes at Riverview in read- ing, writing and math are designed to prepare them to lead as independent a life as possible when they leave school. Besides academics, they are taught how to cook, do laundry, maintain a budget, balance a check book and plan their social time, among many other skills. They are also learning how their disability affects their future and how to market themselves despite the challenges they face. The staff, campus, academic challenges and social opportunities are all just what our special needs young adults require. The connection they have with each other as FS kids and with the other special needs students makes this an academic year full of opportunities and excitement. How did we get to this point? When I think back over the past seven years in the Foreign Service, I realize that when it comes to our son, we really have done just about everything there is to do. It all start- In 2005, the FS Special Needs Yahoo Group was formed. It was a very significant step.