The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 8

It has been awhile since I have posted any pictures, so here are a few of our last week of school.

Tacey's last day of school! She has completed her first year of preschool! One more year, with an extra day thrown in there. ;)

Taylor had a Kindergarten Celebration and performance. It was so cute!

But he couldn't stand still. It turned out, he was trying to wait patiently because he had to use the restroom!

The Kinder grad and his amazing teacher! She will be seeing a lot of me next year too. I plan to help out in her classroom, considering she will likely have 25 + Kinder kids next year. And the year after, when she has Tacey! We love you!

And his other amazing teacher! I will truly miss her, as she is pregnant with her second child! Congratulations!

They also got to have a Pizza Pool party, the day before the last day of school!

He was cartwheeling into the pools! Those were some good looking cartwheels, he just needs to learn to keep those legs straight!

Taylor's teachers were nice enough to let the little sister attend the pool party! She thought that running from the hose was the best thing ever.

And, here we are, on our way to class, the very last day of Kindergarten!
I forgot to add that I have been a blubbering fool, this entire week! I couldn't even keep my eyes dry as Tacey gave her teachers the gifts that she made for them. And Taylor's celebration? Oh my goodness! I was a mess! I had tears rolling down my face the entire 30 minute performance! But, at least I wasn't the only one. Even his wonderful teacher started to choke up a bit! I even cried as Taylor gave his teachers their gifts. But, never a full bawling, sobbing cry. It was just the tears, buckets full!

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 7

I have been fortunate enough to chaperon all of the field trips that Taylor has been on this year and today was no exception. All the Kindergarten classes went to the Library, a park and the Safety Center (the Police and Fire Station, which are housed in the same building, but different sides). The library was wonderful and the kids had a great time at the park. The fire station was beautiful with amazing personnel, despite getting a call.

But I was absolutely appalled at the Police Station tour. The language used by the tour guide was highly inappropriate for 5 and 6 year-olds! He explained to them what happens to people who drink beer and wine and showed them the “Drunk Tank,” and showed them where “bad kids” go. Then he gave them an example of what they might do to find someone who stole another chaperone's wallet and that you never know if a person is good or bad by looking at them. He pointed to me and said, “The lady in the pink shirt is bad.” Okay, not, “Let’s pretend.” Just a blanket statement. My son’s face went white as a ghost. I almost rung the guy’s neck. You see when children have been through what my children have been through, totally uprooted because someone they loved and trusted did something bad that hurt them, statements like that can be devastating. I reassured Taylor that the guide was just pretending. But I was really upset by it. I don’t think that this person realized that children this age see things in black and white, good and bad. What you say to children can leave a very long and lasting impression if you are careful. Thank God that Taylor wasn’t affected by it after I reassured him.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 7

So, it has been awhile, but let me update you on school. There have been lots of ups and downs, but we now have an IEP in place for Taylor. The speech therapist at his school didn't think that he qualified for services any longer. Since Josh and I disagreed with his initial findings, we asked for a second opinion. While the district is supposed to pay for an independent therapist to evaluate students when the parents request a second opinion, we were asked and agreed to allow another one of the district's therapists evaluate him. Fortunately, this was one of the parents of fellow soccer campers last summer. So we had a rapport.

Her report was incredibly thorough and professionally prepared and had some of the same findings, but also disagreed with some of the findings. It determined that Taylor is, in fact, qualified for services. Some of his mistakes are not age appropriate, even for a 4 year-old Kindergartner. His goals were re-evaluated and amended to goals that we find will be beneficial. The proposed goals were those that he had already met. It didn't make any sense. So, we were happy that the second evaluation had an outcome that will help Taylor's speech improve.

Taylor also qualified for a 504 which is a blessing too. The school psychologist also evaluated Taylor and agreed with his pediatricians, Taylor suffers from anxiety. The 504 will ensure that we can help him recover and learn to minimize the impact of his anxiety on his life. Overall, these are two huge victories for him.

We are guaranteed that he gets to meet his teacher for next year and build a rapport with him/her before the transition to first grade. However with the budget issues this year, they haven't narrowed down who will be teaching first grade, making it impossible for Taylor to get to know his future teacher. This is very frustrating for me. I talked to the school psychologist briefly today, though, and she will be working on this issue for me.

I find myself obligated to mention that landing at the elementary school that we have has been a total blessing. While we desperately tried to get into a different school district only to be shot down by the school board, twice, God's will was done, in Taylor going to school where he is. Every time that I go to the school, it is a daily reminder that God's will and plan are perfect. He knows what is best and will make it happen. Thanks be to God.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 6

One week of school under our belt and a three day weekend. Labor Day. I remember school starting AFTER Labor Day. Labor Day was the last hooray before going back to the grind of a new school year. But, not anymore. School is quickly in full swing before the unofficial start of fall graces us with its presence. Our first week went really well. But, our second week, wow, busy as a family of little bees.

We quickly learned how early we need to leave to get everyone to school on time. We found shortcuts and figured out the best routes and learned parking secrets. We had Back to School nights on back to back nights,costing $30+ for a babysitter. Yes, some preschools have Back to School nights. I really enjoyed Back to School night. I spent the prior week, wondering what the kids were doing in school all day. Typically when you ask a 3-year-old what they did in school today, you get little more than "Played." The 5-year-old isn't much better, "We read a story." So, both Back to School nights were enlightening for me. It was also very beneficial to how I could help the children learn by reinforcing their school lessons at home. For example at Taylor's school I learned that children do not know what an "Lmnop" is. Instead, it is now, "Lmn," clap, "op," clap. Hmm... okay, good to know. At Tacey's school, we learned that the primary objective is for the kids to learn how to sit, semi-still and listen to a story for three minutes. And that Deedee Dear says "duh."

Oh and at Taylor's Back to School night introduction, I was decisive enough to choose a seat right behind the bitch of a school board president, who patronizingly, turned around to ask how our son was doing. When we replied that he was adjusting well, she replied, "I just wanted you to try it." I am still kicking myself for not replying, "But you took away my fundamental right as a parent to decide what is best for my kid." Josh was right when he told me that it wasn't the right place or right time. I should've protested at the school board meeting a few eeks ago. Oh well. She is up for re-election and I know at least a few people who are unimpressed and unhappy, even, with how the school board has governed this school district. SAVE OUR STUDENTS, REPLACE THE BOARD!

Okay, enough of the tangent. I provided Taylor's teacher with a copy of his IEP for Speech Therapy and he saw the Therapist for the first time. Tacey had her first sick day from school. Not even a full week of school for her and she is already sick. I hope this isn't a precedent. Her illness was short-lived a night time fever and a runny nose. Back to school for her next week.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 5

After dropping Taylor off at his first day of school and getting him settled in, Tacey was very demanding of my attention. She, of course, was used to having someone to play with her all of the time. So, I set to work finding my little 3-year-old a school of her own. I spent the morning calling numerous preschools in town and setting up appointments to visit them over the next few days, in between games of Candyland, Sesame Street Chutes and Ladders, and Guess Who? I was bound and determined to have her in school by the end of the week.
Tuesday while Taylorcwas at school, Tacey and I spent our morning visiting the schools that I had called. Josh and I discussed what we had seen and the costs of the various schools and settled on one. It was meant to be, because they had one spot left and it was in the class and the time that I preferred. Unfortunately, after just getting back from vacation, we were a little strapped for cash, so I asked the director if they would split the enrollment fee into payments, which they gladly did. Tacey had a school! Yay!

So, Wednesday morning, I took Tacey school shopping, just as I had done with Taylor five days prior while we were on vacation. She picked out a couple of adorable long-sleeved dresses, one black with three different pink colored polka dots on a poodle skirt. So cute! And of course, she absolutely had to have a backpack, just like Brother, only Disney Princesses.

That afternoon, we ran around getting all the paperwork in order so that Tacey could start school the following day. Lo and behold, it worked.

Tacey's first day of preschool was Thursday, August 28, 2008! She opted to wear her "Shampoodle" dress that her brother picked out especially for her when I took him school shopping.


Then, Taylor insisted that we all take her to school, since we all took him to his first day. Daddy watched through the window to make sure she was okay after he, Taylor and I kissed her goodbye. I blinked back tears as I raced Taylor to school, 2 minutes late.


Now, what I am going to do with my kid-free time? On this glorious Thursday, I spent my time on the phone just catching up with my best friend in Michigan, after a quick stop at the grocery store, where I felt completely naked, like I was missing something. I guess that will happen after more than five and a half years of shopping with kids in tow.

Sidenote... How did Tacey's dress get the name "Shampoodle?" See the picture above? Notice the poodle on the front of her dress? Well, the kids have a Leapster game that they can earn jokes by completing the learning games. One of the jokes that they earned is, "What kind of dog likes to take a bath? A shampoodle." Ha, ha, ha. Thus, the dress with a poodle on the front, became a "Shampoodle dress!"

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 4

So, Monday, August 25, 2008, the first day of Kindergarten for Taylor, came at last. We all took Taylor to school. We learned that the parking lot and the front of the school is a total zoo on the first day of school. So Josh and Tacey dropped Taylor and I in front, parked about a block away and met us in the fenced Kindergarten playground. I immediately identified (took a wild, shot in the dark) Taylor's teacher. I introduced myself and as I was getting ready to introduce him, she said, "This must be Taylor."

I said, "Yes, it is."

She said, "Wonderful, we are all ready for you."

Taylor was very concerned that his backpack would be too small and wouldn't fit a regular, full-sized folder. So, he asked if it would work. His teacher was incredibly reassuring and told him, "That is perfect." He was very relieved. And so was I.

Josh and Tacey caught up to us and I introduced them. She asked us who would be picking Taylor up and I told her that one of us would be. We located the hook for Taylor's backpack. And the whistle blew, time to line up. Taylor got to be line leader! His teacher bid all the parents farewell, "Children line up, right here. Parents, thank you, we have tissues if you need them, and we will see you after school." I choked back tears as we watched our baby lead the 19 other Kindergartners into his new classroom.

In front of his new school.Line leader Taylor.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 3

We didn't even know until 6 days before school started if this transfer was approved or for what school it was approved for. We found out that we were approved for a different school on Tuesday before school started. We were on vacation until late the Saturday before school started, which was Monday. When we got home at about 2 o'clock in the morning on Sunday, August 24, Josh immediately checked the mail to see if Taylor would be in morning or afternoon Kindergarten and who his teacher was. Since we were on vacation, we missed Friday's "Meet 'n Greet" with the Kindergarten teachers, which would have allowed us to meet his teacher and see his room.

So, Sunday we went to the school and the principal, a wonderful woman, met us right in front of the office. She took us to Taylor's room and showed us the Kindergarten play ground. Josh noticed that Taylor's name was nowhere in the classroom. So, he mentioned this to the principal. She took us to the office, where she checked the classroom lists. Sure, enough we had the right room and the right time of day and the right teacher. The teacher must not have had the "latest and greatest list," according to the principal. So, she assured us that she would talk to the teacher first thing in the morning. Can you imagine how devastating it would be to go to your first day of school and feel like you don't belong?

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 2

Since we knew that Taylor would, in fact, be attending school, we even knew the school, we were just unsure of when and who, he got to go school shopping. In fact, he got two special trips. First, Grandma took him. He got to choose the stores they went to, pick out clothes and shoes that he wanted for school and pick where they went to dinner, which was of course Taco Bell, his favorite restaurant. (The kid will put away three cheese quesadillas from there!) I know, you are thinking Grandma is one lucky grandma!

Then, he got his annual trip with Mommy. Since I was trying to be efficient, we did this on the next to last day of our vacation, along with getting haircuts. This is the shopping trip that he gets to pick out his school supplies. Since we didn't get the letter explaining what he needed yet, as we were on vacation, I just got some basic things, thinking that if he needed others we would get them Sunday, before school started. He got to pick out his "First Day of School" outfit, his backpack (Cars, of course), a lunch box and thermos and some other things. He was also sweet enough to pick out an adorable pink dress with black polka dots on a poodle skirt for his little sister.

We had such a nice afternoon together. I really do cherish those rare one-on-one times with my kids; those times when we get to do something special together.

The Chronicles of School Days, Issue 1

Well, if you have been keeping track, we fought with the school district to be released from our district and accepted into another. So what happened? The short version... we followed the procedure, which is to get released from your zoned district, apply for acceptance into the desired district and attend school.

Last I had told you, we were "remanded" by the County Board back to our local Board. So, we went before the local Board for a second time. It was a total waste of time, since we were denied practically as soon as we set foot in the building. We were fortunate that our landlord was gracious enough to relinquish our commitment to our lease. We searched and searched for a house but were unable to find one due to our previous life rearing its ugly head. We also found out during this time that our preferred district would not accept us into the district, since they were full. When I spoke with the County Office of Education, they indicated that if the accepting district denied acceptance, we would have to appeal that decision and the board rarely (less than 10%) overturned that decision. We figured it was an uphill, losing battle. We tried and were beat, so we gave in and simply requested an intradistrict transfer to a school with less violence in our own district.