Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Widow Wednesday--Life Update

I know I said I would update on why I have been not posting as much and quite honestly I know it seems like to do a post all I have to do is sit down and do it or take a few pics and post but a lot of time and planning go into a post. My widow Wednesday posts can bring up a lot of feelings for me and can be emotionally draining at times. My outfit posts require time to put together the looks, find a location, shoot the looks, link the items, and finally write the posts.

My time lately was focused on the kid's last few weeks off of school. We took the trip to Niagara Falls kind of last minute after having a change in original plans and then when we came back I was dealing with the school.

I know I have posts about this and you can search my blog if you want to read them, but Ray was dyslexic and I believe both girls are as well. Since Kindergarten, they have shown signs. The short side of the story is they were tested in 3rd and 4th grade and neither showed a learning disability. When Lily entered 4th I had started a program on my own that showed success, as well as had researched a lot and knew it was dyslexia. After pushing she was retested (different measures were used) and qualified. Needless to say, not many in the schools even know what dyslexia is, yet statistics show 1 in 5 students have it, or what to do for a kid that does have it.

Lily entered a resource room class last year and made progress for the first time. I loved her teacher and her regular teacher, but before spring break her teacher went out on medical leave and the sub that was filling in wasn't there a lot because she was still in college. At this point she started complaining about going to school again, her grades were dropping, and her accommodations weren't being met. I had to contact the resource room teacher and explain.

Summer was retested again last year and again didn't qualify, but I had an issue with the testing and the results. I had a principal converse with me in ways that clearly showed he lacked knowledge in dyslexia and what a student that has it can achieve or will achieve and what it effects.

We went for middle school orientation and already things that were supposed to have been accommodated were not. I was then challenged about my concerns and again the conversation showed a lack in knowledge by the staff and I had had it.

I contacted the advocate who I had tried to reach before and she wanted to meet right away. We met and put in place a plan for both girls. This plan involves retesting Summer outside the school and also moving Lily districts. I didn't want to move Summer. This was such a hard decision to move her out of a school district she has been in since Kindergarten and friends she has grown up with. She seemed fine with the transition and I implemented the change of district.

Lily went to her old district for the first week of school and on Monday started the new one. She was really excited to go to the new school and I was for her. The staff was welcoming and the school seems much smaller and a better fit. She came home the first day crying and cried all last night and this morning. She complains the classes are too easy, yet the school said she tested as being in an even lower class. I am so conflicted on this change of schools and if this was a good move for her. I really feel like the districts don't know what to do with these kids that struggle with dyslexia. I think her reading and writing capabilities hinder her being able to show what she is really capable of.

I hope to be able to update this post in a few weeks with her progress as well as Summer's progress and where we are at with the districts.

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