I have wonderful News to share. As most of you know Starr has numerous issues that have made going to school hard for her. Last year she started doing independent study through the public school. The change this made in Starrs anxiety is almost immeasurable. We also realized how much of her resources were being used up to simply get through the day at traditional school. For example at the independent school she would go to each class once a week and there were about 10 kids in the class. She came home mesmerized by how the kids would play jokes on each other and general in classroom high-jinks. We realized she never saw these things happening in the past because she was concentrating on not vomiting or disrupting the class. The day before school started this year I learned our district has a day treatment program aldeainc.org/services/mental-health/adapt. This is a special school for children with mental health problems. It is on the campus of the public high school and is ran by a local mental health agency. Needless to say I went into full speed to get Starr in this school. The process takes a while like everything in Special Education. But on October 6th Starr was accepted in this school. Let me tell you about the school. They have 17 students 2 teachers 2 therapists and 4 teachers aids at all times. The school day is from 8:30 - 1:45. A DR comes in every other week to meet with children (translation we dont have to take her out of school to go see the DR). For the first time when I say I dont care if she gets an F we care about xyz they know what I mean. I could go on and on about all the ways this school has made our lives better but I think I can explain it best by saying; Starrs first day was October 9 and she has gone EVERY day since then. She has not missed school once. I am practically crying while I type this. And if that was not enough she rides the school bus home every afternoon. Friday when she came in she said when I got off the bus all the kids said by Starr. We are so happy and feel so blessed. These schools are not unheard of in the private sector but they would cost us 50 - 60g a year. Our public school offers this. I Love our public school. The interesting thing is how few people know about what schools offer. I am super proactive and have been loud and proud in the special education parent world and I didnt know about it. This is their 18th year. So I encourage any one who is having difficulty with school keep looking keep talking to every one. Public Schools have so much to offer even if all your hear is how bad they are.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 23:11:42 +0000