I am Priscilla Heimbruch, mother to Andrew who was born with Down Syndrome and diagnosed with autism at age 3. He is now 17 years old and a junior at Cloquet High School. My husband Lloyd and I have two older sons. Andrew has been a joy to have and we have learned so much from him. We have also met so many wonderful people that we would not have met if Andrew was not in our life. Some advice I would like to share; remember you are your child's advocate; research and learn about your child's disability; and most important, enjoy your child. Our children bring us so much happiness in spite of the extra time and energy required. It is well worth it!

I am the Parent Support Mentor, available to answer your questions. You can call me, email or we can meet in person. I've been through it. You can ask me questions about the IEP process or if you need resources. I am licensed and serve the 12 school districts of the Northern Lights Special Education Cooperative (www.nlsec.k12.mn.us).

Planning for your child's transition from adolescence to adulthood is one of the most important things you can do to pave the way to a successful future.