Resolution....For Now

I knew going in to parenthood that I would be battling for my child all her life.  After all, I battled for a year to get her home.    I just didn't know the battles would start so soon.

I had some "surprise" issues come up with the school last week.  (You can read about them here).  They were so easy to work with when I was enrolling Sara.  I had hoped that would continue for a while.  While things aren't adversarial, I'm not as impressed with them as I was.

The issues came up at a meeting last Tuesday.  The social worker and I were the only ones at the meeting.  She said she would have to check with the director of special services about summer school and Sara's placement for next year.  I never heard back from her.  I emailed the director on Monday evening.  She's the only one I had contact information for.  I heard back from her immediately Tuesday morning.  I also got an email from the social worker with her contact information and direct line.  I guess someone didn't like that I went straight to the top.

The director told me that they hadn't offered summer school to Sara because they knew I wasn't working and didn't think I would want to send her.  What in the world  does my  job have to do with her education?  She tried to make it sound like she was doing me a favor by allowing me to have that time with my child.  They'll have her 2 1/2 hours a day for 20 days.  I'll have her the other 1,798 hours of my vacation.

We still haven't completely settled the Kindergarten issue but I'm kind of ok with it.  She will go full time in the fall.  She'll be in both the morning and afternoon Early Childhood classes.  She'll go to Kindergarten for Creative Movement (Gym), lunch, and recess.  The school hasn't ruled out her ability to "repeat" Kindergarten the following year.  If she's ready, I'd love for her to do a year of inclusion Kindergarten.  If she's not, this whole argument becomes a moot point.  Because of that, I've decided to wait a year to have this "fight."  She's only been in school a month.  No one can know where she'll be a year from now.  If she's ready for Kindergarten, I will fight for that with all the resources I have.  If she's not, we'll cross that bridge then.  I really don't see the point of continuing to fight about something that won't happen for another year and may not happen at all.

So, for now, I feel like I've won this little battle.  I know that a war rages on in front of me.  All I can do is continue fighting the battles as they appear before me


And just for fun, here are some recent pics:

Praying at her dedication

Looking way too old.

Ready for her first 5k!

Proving you CAN lick your elbow.

With Tia Anna's hat at Lauren's shower.  

Cake!

My fashionista!

School Disagreements

I got a call last week asking me to come in and discuss the plan for Sara's education next year.  The social worker said, that because she will be 5 in August, they wanted her to go to the early childhood class in the morning; to Kindergarten for creative moment (gym), lunch, and recess; and to return to her current early childhood class in the afternoon.  I said that sounded like a good plan.  She's got some catching up to do and can use all the help she can get.  Having her spend some time with the Kindergarteners would help us now if she's ready for K next year.  My only concern at that point was her ability to handle a full day.  She's so tired now with a half day.  I'm worried that she will be so tired in the afternoon that it will be counterproductive for her to be there and they will start to see some negative behaviors.  Of course, as soon as I hung up the phone, I had a long list of questions.

When I dropped her off on Tuesday, the other moms were asking me if Sara was going to summer school.  Huh.  The school never mentioned summer school.....  (I've never dropped Sara off at school.  Guess I picked the right day to do it.)  I now had two issues to bring up at the meeting.

The meeting was just the social worker and I.  Not a full team.  I knew that going in but that was before I had so many questions.  I'm wishing now there had been someone there with the authority to actually make decisions.

The social worker seemed surprised I was interested in summer school.  I don't know that Sara will be there every single day but she can use all the help she can get.  She's only been in this country for 2 months.  She's still learning the language.  How would they not think she would benefit from summer school?  She said she would have to ask the sped director.

I asked about next year.  I still have a hope that Sara will be ready for inclusion Kindergarten the year she is six.  I know that she isn't anywhere near ready right now.  She's only been in school for a month.  Who's to say she won't be ready next year?  How can you tell that in a month?  I would like her in the full day preschool program next year and inclusion Kindergarten when she's 6.  I was afraid, though, that by putting her in full day next year, they would count that as her K year and move her to 1st grade the next year--which she won't be ready for.  I feel like they are trying to track her into separate classes for the rest of her life.  Let's give the poor girl a fighting chance!!!

I was told that district policy is to not hold kids back.  Kids must stay with their same-age peers.  I understand the need for policy and the need for rules.  I also understand the need for exceptions.  They will probably not ever run into a case like Sara's again.  They won't be setting some future precedent by making this "exception."

I'm waiting to hear back from the sped director.  She was great to work with when I was enrolling Sara.  I hope it continues to be that way.  If not, I think I still have the option to keep her in half day preschool next year.  I think.  I do know that I have a few people waiting in the wings to help me out if it comes to that.  I really hope it doesn't.  I'd hate to have an adversarial relationship so quickly!