Building belonging through family leadership

As families transition from the relaxed pace of summer into the routines of a new school year, September often represents a fresh start. While this season can bring both excitement and uncertainty, Christina, a Grandview Kids mom and Family Advisory Council (FAC) member, shares how Grandview Kids has been a source of discovery, connection and belonging for her family.  

Christina and Chris have two children, 8-year-old Noah and 6-year-old Ethan, and a beloved golden retriever named Ralph. Ethan has a big personality in the best possible way. He is acutely aware of other people’s needs, never leaving a child sitting alone for too long, and is quick to advocate for his own needs and those of others. An easy-going child, he enjoys reading, spending time outdoors biking, exploring new parks, visiting the family trailer or cottage, playing soccer and anything related to superheroes (with Spider-Man being his favourite). At first glance, there is little to suggest that this bright, blue-eyed boy has demonstrated such determination, resilience and strength to get to where he is today. 

Ethan met many early developmental milestones, producing sounds like “mama” and even rolling over ahead of schedule. When Christina notices he was no longer using the skills he has once mastered, it became a red flag. Trusting her instincts, she knew she needed to seek answers. Ethan received his first assessment at Grandview Kids at 14 months old and was diagnosed with both a speech delay and a gross motor delay due to very low muscle tone. Soon after, he began receiving speech-language pathology services and physiotherapy with two beloved members of Team Grandview for whom Christina feels immense gratitude. “I was familiar with Ethan’s speech-language pathologist because of our previous positive experience with Noah, who also received speech therapy,” Christina shares. “We knew we were in good hands.” 

When Ethan was 3.5 years old, Christina shared her concerns with Ethan’s clinician about him starting school in the Fall and the possibility that others might not understand him. This prompted an application to Grandview School. Once they received an offer, the family attended the Grandview School open house to gain a better understanding of what the school offered.  

After the open house, Christina and Chris faced a difficult decision: Would the Grandview School be the right fit for Ethan? “We really wanted this opportunity for Ethan, but we had a lot of mixed feelings,” Christina admits. They questioned how Ethan would fit in because his speech seemed more advanced than that of some other children, and they noticed the diversity of students with varying diagnoses, some of whom appeared to have higher support needs than Ethan.  

What would his experience look like? Would he excel? Would he be held back? Would he be taking the spot of another child who might need it more? 

The School’s Education Consultant was instrumental in answering Christina’s questions and helping her make an informed decision. In the end, sending Ethan to Grandview School was “the best decision we could have ever made,” Christina says. Their expectations were exceeded. The program was incredible, the teachers were invested and, when Ethan experienced other medical complications, they were able to support him through those challenges as well.  

Ethan entered Grandview School with a significant speech delay, but through early intervention and a smaller student-to-staff ratio, he excelled and made remarkable progress in his speech. He also made friends, felt included and developed his kindness and empathy toward children with a wide range of needs. Christina attributes his awareness and mindfulness today to the fully immersive experience he had in the Grandview School classroom. “Ethan would see a child in a wheelchair and recognize that bringing a toy to that child or simply standing beside them helped them feel included.” Ethan also met his best friend at the Grandview School. When Ethan noticed that his new “bestie” would benefit from some new bibs, he asked Christina if she could help him make some superhero ones. For the second summer in a row, Ethan (with the help of this mom), made 25 bibs custom bibs that reflects his friend’s interests. 

When Ethan graduated from Grandview School, the support his clinician provided during his transition, along with the skills he developed while attending the school, helped him successfully integrate into his home school, making this a true success story. However, the impact Grandview School had on their family continues to be seen in the ripple effects that followed. Christina also formed friendships with other Grandview Kids families, building a community of support and belonging. She knows she can reach out to others for both emotional encouragement and practical help. Throughout Ethan’s year at Grandview School, his bus driver, Michelle, also became a constant in the family’s life. Every morning, they knew Michelle would be there to support Ethan, safely and happily bring him to school, and provide a reassuring, familiar presence, even on the toughest mornings. 

Seeing the impact Grandview Kids had on Ethan inspired Christina to become even more involved. Despite already participating in the Ambassador Program and regularly attending Family Engagement events, she had not learned about Grandview School until Ethan’s clinician suggested it. Christina joined the FAC because she wanted to better understand existing gaps and help improve the supports available to children like Ethan while contributing to decisions that benefit other families. She is proud to share both her lived experience and her professional expertise in process improvement, privacy, policy and partnerships to help further elevate the family voice at Grandview Kids. 

For families seeking new opportunities this school year, Christina encourages stepping outside their comfort zone and exploring ways to become involved in the Grandview Kids community. “The time commitment is small compared to what you gain,” she says. Through her involvement, Christina has gained knowledge, friendships and a supportive community, while also bringing what she has learned back to her professional role. “It may be intimidating at first, but it’s worth it.”