I can NOT believe that yesterday I attended a meeting to discuss Carmela heading to kindergarten. Where does the time go? I feel like I lost so much of Carmela's toddlerhood due to autism, therapy, and school and I just do not feel ready to have her in kindergarten quite yet. I feel sad. When I think of her time at home with me, I just think of all the running we did. I would have to think back to her first year to really remember when she was home with me. It just makes me sad.
Anyway, yesterday I went to her kindergarten meeting. I met with the head of Special Education and a spokesperson for the IU (where Carmela is registered now). I had to speak of Carmela's strengths and weaknesses and what I thought would help her for next year. We agreed that she needs to get retested in the areas of speech and occupational therapy to see if her IEP needs updating. We also agreed that she should start the year without the help of an aide, and we can see where we feel she is after a month. Carmela's preschool teacher felt an aide would benefit Carmela, but I guess they want to register has a "normal" child (their words not mine).
Then we got to the knitty gritty of the meeting. Our school district is still half day. Carmela has been in preschool since two years old. She went 2 days a week for 2.5 hours at 2, then at 3 she went 4 days a week (two different schools) for 2.5 hours a day, then this year she goes 5 hours (6 hours with bus schedules) for 4 days a week. I have to admit every single year we have only seen progress in Carmela, and I 100% believe the more she is at school, the better she is doing. It is hard to admit that, as I sometimes feel it is ME that is causing her issues, but it is the truth. So I told the teacher how I felt that a half day kindergarten would only cause regression in Carmela and I hate to think of her regressing at 5 years old when she's made such growth this year. Do you know what the lady said to me? She actually said she "probably" will regress!!!!!!!!! This is where I am supposed to send my daughter to school???? Where it is ok to regress in kindergarten??? I am more mad today than I was at the time, and that is something that I regret. They explained that the full day kindergarten (they have 3 in the district) is saved for the worst case scenarios (again their words not mine).
So, I am going the end of February to a meeting to check out Lehigh Valley Academy. It is a Charter School, and I have heard wonderful things about it. It is full day, and actually they go an hour longer than regular school, plus they go for a month longer than regular school. They offer drama, science, and spanish in kindergarten! Carmela LOVES all three so I think she will love it. Of course now this is on a lottery system so I have to see if she gets in, then if she is picked to get in, then I have to make sure they will follow her IEP. So its a longshot, but what else am I to do? I have to try to get her in because this Mom will not stand for her little girl, who tries SO HARD at everything that the "normal" folk takes for granted, to regress.
On another note tomorrow I am scheduled for my colonoscopy so hopefully we can get to the bottom of my health issues. Of course normal Beitler style, I ended up in the ER yesterday with a staph infection, impetigo and pink eye! FUN TIMES! But the colonoscopy is still scheduled and I am starving.......
No news on the adoption front...the wait is on!
4 comments:
Gosh, Jackie! I hope you are feeling better today! That sounds like a heck of a lot going on! (I've never had a colonoscopy, but I had to do the lovely "bowel prep" and liquid diet before my last surgery, so I feel your pain today :(
I also hope that everything works out with your daughter and school. That is completely mind-blowing that someone would tell you that your daughter will regress and expect you to be ok with it.
Good luck with your test tomorrow!
Hey Jackie, just read your latest blog entry and had to reply. Jin Yi will be in kindergarten, too. Are you BASD? I think you are. Our neighborhood school is one that has a full-day kindergarten, but only for the kids who are far behind. Jin Yi has maybe some speech delay but I am sure there's no way she'll get into full-day. Which is awful... I think she needs it. Sounds like Carmela does, too -- not because you're a bad influence -- ! -- but because she is still developing and practicing the skills and strategies needed to be independent, and to function fully without you there. I worry about your school (the staff, particularly). I, too, am looking into LVA, again. I did, when Ben was little, but he needed special help -- he has a very skewed academic profile -- and at the time LVA kept insisting that "every student is able to reach his/her full potential in our regular classrooms." No extra anything. But LVA is where my friend has her kids, one of whom is on the autism spectrum, and she is satisfied with them -- specifically, her son's teacher, who happens to have a strong background in special-needs kids. Anyhow, so if I can manage, I'm going to one of the info sessions. I still will need a TON of reassurance that they can meet Ben's needs. I'm pretty doubtful, really. But maybe I'll see you there... you'll know me -- the brunette with the blond son and Korean daughter. :) In the meantime, good luck with EVERYTHING. Sounds like you're having a heck of a time.
Just wanted you to know that I was thinking about you today and hoped your procedure went as well as it could.
Tracy
PS... said a little prayer about the school issues...
No you did not miss anything... we did get our P3 sent to Eastern, but nothing more than that. I just figured we need to start getting ready to go!
Tracy
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