Open House

Tonight is one of those nights that I wish and wish and wish my kid was not in Special Education...

Open House at my kids' school was tonight.  Most of it was been there, done that.  A couple of changes that sort of irk my nerves, but nothing major.  ie New rule: if a kid forgets their lunch at home, they are SOL.  You can no longer bring it to them/to the office for them...supposedly it's all about holding them accountable.

We went to our oldest son's class first.  His teacher is very nice.  I told her that we are taking him out of school next month and that I would fully explain in an email.  She gave me a knowing smile and nod, and said that K has been telling her all about it!  I asked her how he was doing and she said she would fill me in when I emailed her.  I figure it can't be anything too pressing since she didn't want to schedule a conference like she did with some of the other parents.

So we moved on to A's teacher.  Let me stop here and mention the goings on of A's first few days of school.  As I mentioned in another post, I brought him to his 1st grade class on the first day of school.  I told his teacher who he was and that he should be spending some time in the Special Ed room as well as her class and that we need to adjust his IEP because he needs to start Speech Therapy as well.

Well, as the week goes on, I ask A how school is doing.  One day he comes home and tells me "School is OK, but I didn't get any candy today..."  I asked what he meant, and he said "Teacher said if we make our numbers we get a candy, but I couldn't do my numbers, so I didn't get a candy."  I asked him if he had someone helping him (I even referred back to last year's Aide) or if he asked for help and he said "No one was helping me, I asked for help but no one was helping me..."

Um...What?!  He is supposed to have an Aide or Para....why would she give candy to some and not all...why is she giving out candy at all...why would she single out a SPED student???

I then ask if he has been going to his other class and he says "No I spend all day in Mrs----'s class.

Again WHAT?!  A full 7 hours in a regular 1st grade class when my son is mentally about 4-5 years old!

Then the straw that broke the camels back...the note cards.  In 1st grade they write note cards in class so the kids can practice certain spelling words.  Well with no help this is what A came home with

 Those I could make out...these below I could not...

Now look I get it.  A doesn't "appear" different from most first graders.  However, as soon as he starts talking you can tell that he is a little behind.  His has an IEP.  Plus I sent his new evaluation in the first week, so it's not like the school doesn't know!  Per his homework, he was to study these cards for a test in a few days.  How were we to get him to study if we couldn't even make out what they were supposed to be?!  Not to mention A can barely write his letters and numbers, let alone words on his own. 

So I complained to Facebook, and waited to call the teachers until I was much calmer.

I call Mrs---- the 1st grade teacher, and leave a message.  She calls me back and says she doesn't know why A is in her class all day, but she will contact the SPED teacher and find out.  She calls back later to say starting the next day A will be in the SPED class and 1st grade class 50/50. No explination, no further instructions, nada.  OK

A keeps coming home with regular homework, no modifications...so we have spent every night painfully getting through this work.  The only way A can write a word or whatever is to have us write it out for him, then below that make dot outline or write it in highlighter and have him trace over it.  After every 3 or so letters he starts "Idontwannadothisitstoohard" and usually goes limp and falls to the floor a few times.  This process takes about 1 1/2-2 hours!

So I had really hoped to talk to his 1st grade and SPED teachers to find out ways to make this better, plus we really need to update his IEP and get him in Speech.

So we go see his 1st grade teacher and she looks right at us and says "A doesn't really come in here at all much, just for journal time and then he spends the rest of the day in Mrs==='s class." and turns away.

Um SERIOUSLY?!  WTF!  Just totally ignored us.  Before we left I walked up and told her that we were taking him out of school the last week of September...as I am saying this her eyes bulge and a look of disgust? maybe washes over her face.  I told her I would email the details, and left.  Really?!  UGH

The SPED teacher was out sick, so I didn't get anything resolved and now I am just pissed off all over again.  The most frustrating part is that this school is the best school for SPED in the parish...and I have never had a major issue before!

So for now, I am just going to...

Once a Month Cooking...August

Sorry I haven't posted this sooner but with the start of school I have been preoccupied!

I decided to give Once a Month Cooking another try.  I had a few issues with last month's recipes and how much money I spent on food, plus the amount of food I wasted.

So this time I read all the recipes first.  I got them here.  From that list I decided to make Roasted Tomato Bisque, Dijon Baked Chicken, Crockpot Mongolian Beef, Spinach Stuffed Chicken, BBQ Meatballs, Orange Teriyaki Pork, and Chicken Cacciatore, plus I had some left over pork chops so I made an addition Pork marinade.  The other recipes just didn't appeal to me this month, so I skipped them and made these to 6 servings.
I decided this time to do my shopping at Sam's to save money on certain bulk items.  From there I purchased a large pack of chicken breasts (containing 6 VERY large breast, that I portioned out for 6 meals), a large pack of THICK pork chops (enough for 4 meals), a package of Flank Steak (which had 3 HUGE steaks, enough for 2 meals plus I cut up the last one for breakfast...steak and eggs!), about 6-7lbs ground chuck (enough for 2 meat loaves AND I portioned the rest into 4 ground beef servings to cook later), and 2 roasting chicken that were on sale...Add in most of the produce, eggs, milk, and diapers, etc and I spent $250. I did have to go to Winn Dixie for a few things I didn't need in bulk, but I only spent a little over $50.  So strictly counting the food for these recipes I spent about $225.

  Altogether, this yielded me 14 meals, plus 4 servings of ground beef left and 2 whole chickens!  Minus the soup, because I only cooked half, which was still a HUGE pot and between my husband, my oldest son and I we ate a whole pot of it in less than a week.   That figures to about $16 a meal or $4 a person...and it really is a bit less because of the soup!

I thought it went really well, and I really liked the recipes I chose.  In the next few days I will go through each recipe!

Been a busy week

Where to begin?  Well now that the kids are back in school, I am working 5 nights a week.  If you didn't know I am a cake decorating instructor.  I normally teach at one account 3 nights a week, now I am teaching at a second account for an extra two nights a week.

I started last week at the new account, and it was the breath of fresh air that I needed.  First off, I am replacing someone.  Very weird/crazy circumstance that I can't go into here.  Let me just say that everyone is glad I am there now, and the students were very thankful that I am shall I say normal!

The kids started school last week.  I brought them to there classrooms, and I think the teachers must think I am nuts!  First to K's class.  I met his teacher and in all of the chaos tried to explain to her that he is newly diagnosised with ADHD.  That maybe she should sit him next to her, and that his doctor also suggeseted giving him tasks to do throughout the day that required him to get up.  I know I sound strange, but I just want the school year to start off on the right foot.
She kind of nodded and then turned away.  I hope to talk to her again soon.

Then to A's class.  Now normally he checks in with the Special Ed teachers and they bring him to class.  However he wanted me to bring him this time.  So we get to his class and again amid the bustleing halls I try to explain to his teacher that he has Asperger's and this morning he decieded not to bring his blanket to school for the first time ever.  And how he uses his blanket to calm himself when he has panic attacks...and where can I find his SPED teacher so I can repeat all of what I just said to her...

Again I get a nod before she turns away.  I get it...it's the first day of school.  I look like that crazy mom not willing to let her babies out of her sight...

I assure you, I am really not that mom.

 

I guess all of this is also compounded by the fact that in a week I am going to tell the teachers that I am taking my kids out of school for a week to go to Disney World.  I just know I am going to be their favorite!