Personal Stories - Jace

Moving from Elementary to Middle School can be stressful for any child. For a child with autism it is that and so much more! Jace’s struggles with planning, organization and emotion control lead to misunderstandings and poor relationships with his teachers. As the infractions and detentions began to pile up, so did Jace’s anxiety and depression. It became a vicious cycle of behaviors, punishment, depression and social stress. We needed help! This is when we reached out to South Dakota Advocacy Services. Through a series of negotiations with teachers and administrators, South Dakota Advocacy Services helped us make sure Jace had the appropriate accommodations and services in school to be successful and that his right to a free education was protected. We are so grateful for their knowledge and the time they committed to helping us navigate through this transition. We couldn’t have done it without them.

~Maria & Joe Palmquist, parents of Jace