The first day of school for KatieJo and Edward (a.k.a. Samuel who has chosen to go by one of his middle names) was Tuesday the 31st. I have pictures, honest I do. However, I can't for the life of me find the cord that attaches to my camera so I can put them on the computer. So, you'll just have to trust that I have awesome pictures of all of the kids on the first day.
On Thursday August 26th both KatieJo and Edward (still a little weird to be typing that but I'm trying!) had to go in to do some placement testing. It's standard procedure to see where kids are when they come in from new schools. However, Edward...because of his age and the fact that he skipped 1st grade last year had to take an extra test to make sure that 3rd grade was an appropriate placement for him. He placed appropriately for 3rd grade and so I have two 3rd graders. It's a little bittersweet after the fight we've been through to watch him walk to his 3rd grade classroom with kids who are taller than him. After talking to his teacher she says he's doing great, which is WONDERFUL to hear!
I find it a little funny that both KatieJo and Edward have been playing together at recess. At Church they ignore each other during Primary, however at school they're stuck to each other like glue! It's nice to know that they are there for each other, and that deep down they really do like one another. And if you are wondering they are in different classes at school.
Phillip misses both of them, and the first 2 days I couldn't get him to do anything because all he wanted to do was go pick them up at school. Maija on the other hand is really good at telling them "BYE!!!!" at the top of her lungs. She also says "SEE!" which means see ya! to them as they head out of the van.
I did get Phillip to do some table time this morning after I let him play at the park for 1 1/2 hours. He can now proudly tell you that A says a, ah & aw. I really need to get the book out of storage to teach him to read. He's excited to read and I'm hoping if he has something to do he'll calm down a little.
KatieJo started tap dance class this week. We're thrilled because the dance studio we chose has sent students off to Juliard and some famous ballet companies. Not that I expect that of KatieJo, but we are excited that she'll get actual dance instruction rather than what she was getting.
Both KatieJo and Edward are going to be starting the violin or viola this year. The first 3rd grade orchestra rehearsal is on September 13th. They are SO EXCITED!!!! KatieJo wants to play the violin and Edward wants to play the viola.
Besides that things are pretty normal around here. Stuart is helping with football in the hopes that he'll get hired on as a coach...which looks like will probably happen. He hasn't been getting home until almost 7 every night.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Friday, September 3, 2010
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The winds of change
I love change...don't you love change? Okay, I jest. I don't particularly care for change, but once again my life has been thrown for a loop. Not only have we been fighting illness since before school started, I am now Home Schooling Samuel. Well technically we are using the K12 Wyoming Virtual Academy, but I am his "learning coach" aka teacher... although, he does have a licensed teacher who oversees everything but I do the teaching.
After a year long fight and IQ and other assessments that said Samuel should be in 2nd grade (although quite a few of his results placed above the 2nd grade level) the school district decided not to do what Samuel needed. Samuel got to the point where we were fighting to get him to go to school and was VERY depressed. I didn't know a 6 year-old could get like that! So, we pulled him out. It's been almost 2 weeks and he is doing FANTASTIC! He is learning so much more than the schools here in Rawlins offer. He gets to take Art, History and Science. They do a little bit of History and Science here in the schools. But absolutely no Art. He has already learned a little bit about Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Nomads, Mummies, The Fertile Crescent, The Nile River Valley, Amun Ra, Osiris, Isis etc. He thinks the Nomads and Mummies (because their insides are taken out before they are made into Mummies...quite a good reason to like them. Don't you think?) are the coolest ever.
It's been a pretty big change for me as I'm not used to spending a big chunk of my day working on school work with him and planning for what we need for the next day. However, I think it's been positive for Samuel & Phillip. Phillip is learning quite a bit along with Samuel and was "measuring" things during Science the other day with Samuel, and at the very least it has helped Phillip sit at the table and do some "school work".
Having Samuel home means we don't get to run out and do whatever we want, but with a little planning we can still do quite a bit. It's been so great to have our son back again! It's a little scarry to have your son so depressed. And I'm grateful for options that allow us to get him what he needs.
A lot of people have asked how KatieJo feels about all of this. Well, we offered her the option of staying home to do school as well. But, she was very adamant about wanting to stay at Mountain View. She is a social butterfly by nature and needs the social interactions. Samuel on the other hand enjoys being at home. It perplexes me about how different my children are! However, I am SO very glad they are who they are!!!
After a year long fight and IQ and other assessments that said Samuel should be in 2nd grade (although quite a few of his results placed above the 2nd grade level) the school district decided not to do what Samuel needed. Samuel got to the point where we were fighting to get him to go to school and was VERY depressed. I didn't know a 6 year-old could get like that! So, we pulled him out. It's been almost 2 weeks and he is doing FANTASTIC! He is learning so much more than the schools here in Rawlins offer. He gets to take Art, History and Science. They do a little bit of History and Science here in the schools. But absolutely no Art. He has already learned a little bit about Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Nomads, Mummies, The Fertile Crescent, The Nile River Valley, Amun Ra, Osiris, Isis etc. He thinks the Nomads and Mummies (because their insides are taken out before they are made into Mummies...quite a good reason to like them. Don't you think?) are the coolest ever.
It's been a pretty big change for me as I'm not used to spending a big chunk of my day working on school work with him and planning for what we need for the next day. However, I think it's been positive for Samuel & Phillip. Phillip is learning quite a bit along with Samuel and was "measuring" things during Science the other day with Samuel, and at the very least it has helped Phillip sit at the table and do some "school work".
Having Samuel home means we don't get to run out and do whatever we want, but with a little planning we can still do quite a bit. It's been so great to have our son back again! It's a little scarry to have your son so depressed. And I'm grateful for options that allow us to get him what he needs.
A lot of people have asked how KatieJo feels about all of this. Well, we offered her the option of staying home to do school as well. But, she was very adamant about wanting to stay at Mountain View. She is a social butterfly by nature and needs the social interactions. Samuel on the other hand enjoys being at home. It perplexes me about how different my children are! However, I am SO very glad they are who they are!!!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The end is Coming!!
The end is coming sooner than we wanted! Stuart had to start back to work last Friday, which has proved a bigger deal than I originally thought. Before he went back Phillip was pretty much potty trained....then he went back and now Phillip is almost flat out refusing to use the toilet (except at bedtime when he doesn't want to be in bed.) GRRRRRR.
Everyone else seems to be doing fairly well with Stuart being back to work. Although because dad is back to work that means we are closing in on the kids going back. KatieJo is THRILLED to be going back and is anticipating 2nd grade with JOY. Phillip thinks he's going to High School because that's where dad is. (Luckily for him, he'll be able to go to the HS everyday for lunch with dad). Maija is blissfully unaware of anyone leaving, although I predict she'll be looking for KatieJo & Samuel next week.
But, Samuel is feeling a little displaced. During the last school year he attended 1st grade for most academics and attended kindergarten for most of the other classes. We were told at the end of the year that he would be put in 2nd grade if he passed the end of the 1st grade tests with 80% or better...which he did. Then because we were getting a new principal she decided that the tests weren't accurate enough and flat out vetoed the move.
However, we didn't agree with the decision and after doing our own research and talking to Gifted and Talented directors from other districts etc. We decided to fight the decision. So a few weeks ago we had a meeting with the Superintendent and the Special Ed Director. As it turns out the people that made the decision at the school level shouldn't have been involved in the decision, so last Thursday Samuel had testing for over 5 hours, and I had to be there for approximately an hour to answer questions and do a social history. Now we are waiting for the results so we can schedule a meeting and find out what grade Samuel will be in come Monday morning.
We are frustruated because there is an open house tomorrow night to meet the teachers and drop off their school supplies. And as we'd like Samuel to attend a different school so that none of the kids will know he was supposed to be in 1st grade we were hoping to have the answer and be able to attend tomorrow night. No such luck!
We are also keeping the option open to enroll him in what is called the k12 program. It is an accredited online program monitored by licensed teachers.
I guess what frustrates us more than anything is that everytime we go in and ask for more testing or tell them that he's smart they look at us like we're idiots. Yes, most parents feel that their child is brilliant (and really...who's isn't?). Then, because Stuart works for the district they decide to do the testing and...OH MY GOODNESS he really is smart! You're right.
I know it's hard to have kids who don't get it and to have to get the district your kids attend give them the services they need. But we feel like they are sweeping our kids under the carpet because they'll be able to perform on the tests...so why do anymore for them? Why does it have to be such a fight to get kids at the opposite end of the spectrum the services they need?
Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE principals from other schools who neither know my child or know that my husband works for the district (because I failed to mention it to see how she would treat me), that LIE to you? She told me that there is a district policy about advancing kids....which there isn't....we read the ENTIRE school district policies. And, she also told me it's normal for a 6 year-old to read Harry Potter....Really? Hmmmm, I guess those children's literature classes I took lied to me and so did the Superintendent who said it's atypical.
Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.....Maybe.
Everyone else seems to be doing fairly well with Stuart being back to work. Although because dad is back to work that means we are closing in on the kids going back. KatieJo is THRILLED to be going back and is anticipating 2nd grade with JOY. Phillip thinks he's going to High School because that's where dad is. (Luckily for him, he'll be able to go to the HS everyday for lunch with dad). Maija is blissfully unaware of anyone leaving, although I predict she'll be looking for KatieJo & Samuel next week.
But, Samuel is feeling a little displaced. During the last school year he attended 1st grade for most academics and attended kindergarten for most of the other classes. We were told at the end of the year that he would be put in 2nd grade if he passed the end of the 1st grade tests with 80% or better...which he did. Then because we were getting a new principal she decided that the tests weren't accurate enough and flat out vetoed the move.
However, we didn't agree with the decision and after doing our own research and talking to Gifted and Talented directors from other districts etc. We decided to fight the decision. So a few weeks ago we had a meeting with the Superintendent and the Special Ed Director. As it turns out the people that made the decision at the school level shouldn't have been involved in the decision, so last Thursday Samuel had testing for over 5 hours, and I had to be there for approximately an hour to answer questions and do a social history. Now we are waiting for the results so we can schedule a meeting and find out what grade Samuel will be in come Monday morning.
We are frustruated because there is an open house tomorrow night to meet the teachers and drop off their school supplies. And as we'd like Samuel to attend a different school so that none of the kids will know he was supposed to be in 1st grade we were hoping to have the answer and be able to attend tomorrow night. No such luck!
We are also keeping the option open to enroll him in what is called the k12 program. It is an accredited online program monitored by licensed teachers.
I guess what frustrates us more than anything is that everytime we go in and ask for more testing or tell them that he's smart they look at us like we're idiots. Yes, most parents feel that their child is brilliant (and really...who's isn't?). Then, because Stuart works for the district they decide to do the testing and...OH MY GOODNESS he really is smart! You're right.
I know it's hard to have kids who don't get it and to have to get the district your kids attend give them the services they need. But we feel like they are sweeping our kids under the carpet because they'll be able to perform on the tests...so why do anymore for them? Why does it have to be such a fight to get kids at the opposite end of the spectrum the services they need?
Oh, and did I mention that I LOVE principals from other schools who neither know my child or know that my husband works for the district (because I failed to mention it to see how she would treat me), that LIE to you? She told me that there is a district policy about advancing kids....which there isn't....we read the ENTIRE school district policies. And, she also told me it's normal for a 6 year-old to read Harry Potter....Really? Hmmmm, I guess those children's literature classes I took lied to me and so did the Superintendent who said it's atypical.
Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now.....Maybe.
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