So, we are two weeks into school (well, I suppose, technically, a week and a half) and we are already looking at some pretty major changes. We have been working with the school district all summer, getting Ricky assessed and trying to find out from them, exactly what services they would provide for him, if he went there, so we could decide if now was the right time to make that transition. Yesterday we went and met the lady who would be his teacher and saw the classroom, school, and fellow special needs students, where he would be enrolled.
Needless to say, we have many concerns. We are nervous about having him exposed to all the things he will be exposed to in a public school setting, but we are hopeful that with the extra supervision that takes place in a special classroom for Autistic kids, he will not get quite so exposed as he might otherwise. We are hopeful, that since when they tested him to see where he places on the 'spectrum' he was right AT the cut off number, thus making him the MOST 'capable' kid in the classroom, that his self esteem will be greatly boosted by the fact that he's the 'smart kid' in the class again, like he was when he was in a special needs classroom in Camas.
We have decided we are going to give it a try. With the understanding that if it is not working, we can always go back to homeschooling.
It was a wonderful visit that we had with his teacher, and he is VERY excited about going to school.
I am excited for him, and I am looking forward to the extra time I will have to spend on helping Mayahna heal more.
It's a journey, this ride we are on, called life, and it has been an interesting one!!
Our experience with Travis in the school system was very good. Of course, Sherwood is reputed to be one of the best in this area. He got resources that we would never have gotten on our own. We did have one incident where a teacher just didn't get it and kind of tried to shame him into cooperating. But over all, for us it was the right thing go do.
ReplyDeleteyeah, Limestone is, suffice it to say, NOT 'one of the best in the area' -- but -- we have met the teacher and she is AWESOME - what I keep saying is that if you could write a script, about how you wanted the teacher to be, she is right on script. She is low key, understated, matter-of fact, caring, accomodating, (he's taking his homeschool math curriculum with him!) and sweet! AND, she has LOTS of help. I think it's been VERY good for him to be home with us for the last four years. I think it has helped to cement in his mind that he is part of the family, and not as 'different' as he apparently felt that he was before. Now, he's solid in that relationship base, he is ready to branch out and make some friends!!
ReplyDeleteWe are all very excited about this change. It will be good on SO many levels!!