As I read more and more on here, I realize that compared to many of you my road has been very easy. but it's because of one person and I'd like to nominate her.
We live in a small community in NM. The district has very limited resources and I had been told on more than one occasion that I should consider moving to a different state.
The diagnostician at our local school approached me while I was at the school with another child. She had heard stories of the wunderkid I had stashed at home. I'm guessing she got her information from my other kids, don't really know for sure. I explained to her that I had applied for early admission to K the year prior and was refused. We were homeschooling and since he was accelerated in all subject I decided homeschooling was the only way to deal with his educational needs. She asked me if I had any samples of work, tests or anything that she could look at. I told her that I made him take the Washington standards test every time he completed a grade level of work. She asked me if I would consider enrolling him in the school if they could come up with a program that would meet his needs. I admit I was extremely sceptical (partly from reading posts on here) but I agreed to look at what they came up with.
The following week, she asked me if I could attend a meeting with several people from the district. The school principal along with the Director of Special Ed, the Superintendant of Curriculum and a bunch of others attended. I brought the standards test he had taken. After his tests were passed around the table, they agreed that it would be a challenge but that they would like the opportunity to try. All of this without any formal testing. The diagnostician gave me a list of teachers that were being considered for his classes and asked me to take the time to do observations. She wanted to know which teachers I thought he would do well with. I gave her my recommendations and got called in again. She and I sat with the principal and built his schedule. The principal told me that the Director of Special Ed had given the school complete flexibility to met DS needs as they saw fit. The school had to submit a quarterly report on his progress and changes that were made to his schedule.
We built a schedule that looked like a middle schooler, changing classes several times a day based on subject. He was offered classes that aren't normally adressed until 3rd grade like Science and Social Studies. He has computer science and participates in a special program called "Concepts of Algebra" with the gifted teacher. He was given "official" tests about six weeks in and the results bear out all of the accomadations that have been made. He absolutely loves school! Over winter break he drove me crazy wanting to go back.
Without the diagnostician, he would still be at home with me so she gets my nomination. But honestly the entire district has been amazing. The principal has already given me a list of teachers for next year that she would like me to observe. His IEP is already scheduled for the end of the year so that we can go into the summer with everything for next year in place.
