Yes, I agree with kimck. Ignore that advice right now!

Thank you, kimck. That's actually exactly what we asked for in the last meeting - allow him to access his distance learning course during class just so he can be plugged into headphones and less aware of what's going on in the classroom. I think I'll pursue that again. Fact is, there are things he likes about school, mostly the age appropriate fun stuff like building a leprechaun trap. We cannot choose his teacher for next year. In fact, he can't even request a friend in his class (which is an issue in a grade of 400). So it's pure luck for next year. I think I'll take these hints and encouragement and schedule our follow-up meeting. The teachers were willing to allow him distance course access (a first in that school), but they talked is out of it by saying "do you want him to be isolated like that?". I guess at this point, the answer is yes. And DS and I talked tonight about ideas to make things better. All of your responses have been very helpful. Thank you.

It sounds like he wants to be at least a little more isolated, no?

In the room with headphones on sounds a whole lot better than in the library alone or in the classroom and miserable...

Good luck with making decisions. Talking to OT and asking for a help it's for sure a step in the right direction and it will come handy either way.

If you decide to keep him in next year you can address his anxiety during the meeting and ask for a placement with a friend of two next year They sure want to do what's best for your son, don't they

I say the fact that he does want to be HS is a big thing. May be trying it now till the end of the school year would give both of you enough time to figure out what would work the best next year. That's if you want to and feel sort of ready.

Questions....we're in the same rocky boat .... and sometimes I feel like I'm bailing water.

We too are on the HS fence.

That's funny, Dazed, because I was just reading your thread about the TIVO and thinking that sounds like DS! LMom, yes, good idea. Let them know he's distressed, and that's why we need x, y, z. Interesting thought to HS the rest of this year as a test. We had actually thought that we'd pull him out early only if we decide to HS next year, i.e., why wait. But a trial run could be interesting. Of course, that might destroy our rapport with the school system.

I also think that his stomachaches might be caused by allergies, not stress, and that he's had three years of being told to ignore it. I plan to call the pediatrician tomorrow on that one.

Questions: I'd keep a log of when the stomachaches occur. My son doesn't have them on weekends or during school breaks, only in the AM when he has to go to school. Also, the day they took a science field trip to a museum, he was dancing around the house w/ no aches at all. That tells me what I need to know.

For both my boys, I think the motivation to learn to read early was due to needing to be able to read the TIVO screen. Ha Ha Ha.

My DS is the same with the stomach aches - always in the AM before school. For the past couple weeks it's been a sore throat instead.

We have struggled with this same issue and had to move to a new district, after we pulled them out of public school and sent them toa Montessori School for 5 years. It is hard. We had to this year after reentering the public school, legally force the school to give our gifted daughter, who also has a visual processing disability, an IEP. It took 6 months, lots of money and a war with the school. It is better now but it takes a certain kind of person to fight the entire school district.