Consequently over the last several weeks, I have saved a lot of blog ideas in my head (I hope that hard drive doesn’t crash!) but am just now getting around to posting them.

Onward!

So last yesterday (yes…we will leave it as “last yesterday.” shaddup.) we had a parent-teacher conference with Jonny’s teacher. We are coming up on enrollment for next year and we need to know how/what/where to enroll him.

Before I continue, let me explain… “No. There is too much. Let me sum up.”

Jonny went from preschool into a recommended Kindergarten at a different school because of their half-day specialized program. Said half-day program was cancelled a week into the school year, forcing Jonny into full-day kindergarten for the rest of the school year against his preschool recommendation. I made a stink. I made a stink to the principal. I made a stink to the district. I made a stink to anyone else who would listen.

It stunk.

Nothing else can be done since half-day was cancelled district-wide. So Jonny (who just turned 5 last July) is in all-day Kindergarten, and is a bit behind his peers. He is still maturing and developing, but he qualified for assistance in 4 different areas (Occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and more recently, reading intervention).

All this to say, he is working very hard, but a “good day” for Jonny is a day when he “doesn’t cry” according to his teacher.

A few weeks ago, we received a notice that the deadline for choicing a student (sending a student to another school in the district) was rapidly approaching. We really want to bring Jonny back to where he attended preschool so we discussed it with his teacher.

His teacher was leaning more toward  Jonny repeating (now called “retaining”) Kindergarten to catch up to his peers. She thought that first grade general education might be a stretch for him at this point if the decision must be made now.

The problem then, is that Jonny will not be evaluated to see if he is has met his IEP benchmarks until June. Enrollment will need to be decided before then.

That was the FIRST PROBLEM. The bigger problem is that when his teacher inquired about the situation to the district she was promptly informed that the district simply DOES NOT RETAIN STUDENTS except for extreme circumstances (extreme learning disabilities, language barrier, etc). Regardless of if both the teachers and the parents recommend retention, the district does not allow it.

*it got stinky again.*

Emails were sent, phone calls were made, Daddy was gonna make some heads roll…(or maybe just turn some in Jonny’s general direction).

So, after talking with the principal… (I have yet to hear back from the district),  we expressed our adamant desire to retain Jonny if the enrollment decision had to made right then.

The principal explained to us that the situation was getting political for the district so they would not support our decision. The district informed the principal that if we decide to retain Jonny against district policy, they will not extend the same benefits as were extended this year, specifically transportation services.

It’s like we’re being penalized for wanting to do what’s best for our child.

*phaw*

PHAW I SAY!

So what are we to do? His principal genuinely wants Jonny to succeed. I believe she really does. She said she will hold a spot for him in Kindergarten at his current school, but to also enroll him at the other school (in 1st grade).

Then, when he is evaluated in June, we can move forward one way or another. If his teachers and specialists recommend promotion at that point, we will move forward into first grade. If they recommend retention, then DARN IT! We’ll retain him!

…BECAUSE IT IS WHAT IS BEST FOR HIM!

(i never liked his stinkin. bus driver anyway)

*sidenote – this was not what his parent-teacher conference was about last night at all. That rant just needed to come out. mmkay. There. Next blog will be more happy-feeling.