Tomorrow we go to visit her new school. We went to School choice to change schools yesterday and called enrollment to be sure we can do the paper work in the morning and also be counted in attendance the same day for FTE count.. THE COUNT FOR MONEY... it is tomorrow.
If she is not in attendance to get counted for the federal money coming into her school then I will not be able to get McKay Scholarship for her, if I choose to use it. The school will not get any funds for her and all is for not.
Right now I am going to TRY their way because they gave no other option here unless I was to hire legal and the fees are out of this world.
Kaitlyn has more attention right now from our District INCLUSION team from their District Coordinator to the specialist who both are working with the school along with the District Alternate assessment person who happens to be a parent of an adult with Down syndrome.
Now the kick in the butt is Kaitlyn is really not included any way...SHE IS CODED; IA now...I am not sure how this happens with out an IEP but it has... IA is our new word for varied exceptionalities/ the old VE rooms. So every child in Kaitlyn's classes has an IEP....NOT INCLUSION!!!
When I brought this up the group said she could go to science in the general education class because they have a teacher who would be willing...and then her special can be computers and this is general education but appears over loaded with IA kids during this time period... so one class...NOT EVEN LUNCH... but what the heck would kids think if she just "showed up for lunch" and the rest of the day she was invisible.... I am sick over this; I really am.. Emotionally not sleeping, vomiting-- just a mess....I stay away from blogging to remove it from my thoughts and Kailtynand I have been measuring, doing time , weighs and other math along with her reading program here at home preparing her the best I can.
Kaitlyn wants to be with her "friends" and she knows her friends are in school. When she goes to school it my all change, then I will make my final act to go for full inclusion via a court battle.
She has never done well in ESY because her year was inclusive and ESY was all children with special needs and this environment overwhelmed her... Now she has to live in it every school day of her life... I know her inclusion general education is so well documented her best learning environment it is a clear court case but finding an attorney who wouldn't make me put my house up for the fees....
Today I am thinking of Kaitlyn and that she is out of education, not with peers at all... I know I can teach her here at home although I feel the socialization is what I am fighting for her, if all her friends are in school she needs to be there. WITH THEM!
I had a phone call from our ESE District Administrator; He and I have a special connection although now that Kaitlyn is older, I am listening to him closer--- inclusion is not understood by him...When I told him we need to think about High School now for Kaitlyn and start preparing the /A school for her to be coming so this doesn't happen again, he agreed.. He told me of a group home here in the Cape that had all their kids bused to many different schools. Now that a new High school opened they made a "class" for the kids out of this group home and surrounded it with support.. This one class has it's own Behavioral analysis working directly with this group of boys.. With the "success" of the Principal willing to do this -----CLUSTER!!!! he felt this being great strides to inclusion, this Principal will be very willing to put together a class where Kaitlyn will fit in..... A tear ran down my face as we completed our phone conversation and I was weak in the knees for the future of everything I believe in. I know he was speaking with honesty and truly believes he is envisioning her best interest...but couldn't be any farther from what I desire for my daughter...
I made phone calls to find out where funding is to get our administration educated on inclusion because it clearly has been a journey of segregation thinking the past eight month... . I need my District to SEE THE LIGHT ; understand it is all for the good of everyone, even their budget.
I need HELP!!! I need to somehow get the Principals here to learn how this all works to get their staff on board so that teachers do not think THIS IS A JOKE. My passion to press on- but not at the cost of my child- is no less and will prevail in time.. My children have the right to be educated next to their peers and it will happen.... The get more than SOME out of being in general education. They get dignity and FRIENDS far more important than anything else... The rest they take in by osmosis being the little sponges they are naturally.. VISUAL LEARNERS! Believe me they are learning every moment their eyes are open and if you are a parent you know it... MONKEY SEE -MONKEY DO -saying- really came from a parent of a child with Down syndrome!
Tomorrow we have an open invitation to stroll around campus and see how it is run, drop in and meet teachers and introduce Kaitlyn to her classes although she will not be staying. Kaitlyn will start full time next Wed. when school resumes in session from a four day weekend. We thought it would be stress on her to start and then have four days off as she would be excited to get back.Now it is a process of enrolling. I also need the time to swallow what I am about to experience tomorrow and grieve the loss we have been forced into.. It hurts deeper than anyone other than a Mother of a child who she wants included then being excluded can feel... it is like ripping my arms off of me.. I feel so helpless tonight.
