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Willa -
I want to caution you about putting in the volunteer hours. I know it's good for the kids, but

1) Is it good for you? I think 2 hours/month is sufficient to know what's going on and people's faces.

2) I think the Adults in the building respect you LESS when you make your self too availble - think dating: You want to be the glamorous Veronica, not the sweet Betty!

3) I reccomend finding a really low time/energy demand hobby that sounds really impressive that you can chat about with the other adults. Something you enjoy, that builds yourself respect also.

Sad to say, that Mothering, one of the world's most interesting, important, challenging jobs, doesn't impress people much at this particular moment in time and culture. I say, fight back, by making sure you have an alternate identity to impress other with, and nurture yourself.

This isn't meant as a critisism, only as a caution.
Trinity

That is good advice and I do plan on cutting back. Mite's teacher has cancer and is going through chemo; so, all of us are trying to make things easier for her.

But, I don't like to hang around at the school because I find myself being over-protective.

As far as having other topics, I do web design on the side and have the PTO's site as well as several other businesses in town; so, people are always talking to me about that. I also do advertsing layouts and such.

However, I do need a job and I do need to "get outta their faces". I want to balance "aware of what's going on" in there, but I'm not doing a good job of it these days. There has just been too much confusion at the school between the teacher's illness, the tornado (a little neighbor girl died and about 40 families are without homes now), and the IEP/gifted stuff for Mite. I'm not sure how much to push and how much to leave to them.

I also just don't trust them. They haven't taken care of him so far. It's hard to back out.

I'll do it though.

Willa, just wanted to say I love your stories about Mite too. He certainly is, umm, verbally precocious, LOL.

Oh My Willa Gayle!
How sad!

I'm not really saying to back off - I want you in their faces as much as possible, but from an executive direction, not a underling direction. As we say in our house - flex those alpha muscles - of course it's usually tough with a public school, since you aren't in an Alpha positon, unless they break the law - which it sounds like they are. Your web design business sounds like something you could at least pretend to act like a big shot over. For example, Name Drop thoses local businesses! Do those local folk make any major donations to the district? ....? Or build a website for a good cause to win "Take me seriously - I'm involved with Saving the World" points.


I wish I could explain this better - and with what the teacher is going through, perhaps it's just not going to happen this year - but really, how do they think they can get away with not meeting his special ed needs?

I think you mentioned that you've hired a suit of somekind to help advocate, yes? If so, what's their take on all of this?

It's clear from here that Mite is a terrific kid, very sweet and HG or PG. Keep going! You've come a long way already!

Smiles,
Trinity

I'm really thinking about making a web site called, "Educating Mite". chuckle. I think it would be quite a draw.

I do feel the district needs to hire a teacher's assistant for this classroom while the teacher is going through chemo. She missed the 1st month for the radical mastectomies. Now she starts chemo. I've seen my mother (died in 98) and my best friend (who lived with us when they came from India for treatment and died in April) through breast cancer and I ***know*** the teacher is going to have fatigue and other discomforts that are going to interfere with her teaching. Already I have had to point out corrections on EVERY paper she has sent home for Mite....all related to dyspraxia. I think it is too much stress for her and I hate to place demands but I have a responsibility to Mite.


Thanks for the Mite compliments.

Willa Gayle, it definitely sounds like she needs an assistant during this time. Have you said anything to the school administration about it? Maybe mention it to some other parents and start a quiet campaign to get some extra help in that room. They'll pay attention if more than one parent is voicing concern.

"Educating Mite" -- sounds like a good book/movie title, too. Start with the website and branch out. :-)

I'm going to plant it in some parent ears. There really needs to be an assistant who can provide continuity during the times she is sick. The month long sub was great, but having the sporadic ones isn't working well. If there were a consitant adult to help with the details during her absences, that would be great, imo.

it would especially help with the implementation of Mite's IEP.

WG -
I just reread the post that says you didn't want a skip because you had had such a good experience with this particular teacher with DS1. So Sad.

I'm curious - would they give skip him to 4th after Dec Vacation?
((Hugs))
Trinity

I'm thinking DS1 was a much better fit with this teacher. Now that I see Mite with her, I don't see a good fit at all. Mite needs more nuturing. DS1 needed more structure. This teacher is all about structure. Then throw in that she's moody from the cancer stuff (I certainly offer her space for that.) and the little girl being killed in the tornado who was in her class 2 years ago and the whole school still riding on the tornado roller coaster.

It's just been a horrid start to an uptight situation for Mite.


I really think I was duped about the mid-year skip. But, I'm still working on it. I spoke just today, at a gifted gathering, with the state gifted director, who originally suggested the skip, and she said she will meet with our district gifted director in Nov and will work with him on developing a better IEP and education plan for Mite.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....we'll see.