Yesterday was Maria’s promotion ceremony (the teacher said they can’t call it “graduation” because that’s reserved for high school. whatever) at school. Just like last year, the kids sang songs, did their ABCs, and a couple other things. Maria was the first name to be called and I wasn’t quite ready. I videotaped it from the back row, so there are heads in the way, but it’s still ok. 4 or 5 other kids graduated, the rest are in preschool for one more year. As far as I know, only 2 of the girls are going to Maria’s school. Her good friend, Samantha, is staying at this school unfortunately. She was really good to Maria.
It’s pretty tough seeing a class full of kids, some a year younger than Maria, all singing, sitting up straight, saying the alphabet, etc etc while Maria sits there in her own little world. She looked pretty stressed, actually. I just don’t know how parents of special kids do it. Sue wasn’t feeling well, so didn’t come. Just as well because she certainly would have cried, which would have gotten me going. Seemed fragile enough w/o that. It just doesn’t seem to get any easier.
I’ve been trying to get over to Maria’s new school. I was going to just show up this morning, but sent an early morning email to the “intervention specialist” who finally called me back. She went on and on and on and on about how I couldn’t go see the regular classroom or the special needs classroom, confidentiality and disruption and none of the teachers will be the same and everything is in an uproar and and and and. But she did offer to take me around campus, to which I replied, “don’t take this wrong, but I don’t really care about the campus, I care about what situation Maria will be in next year every day all day.” I then proceeded to tell her how important my daughter’s happiness, security, etc is. How I understand that not all people are able to be around kids like Maria and how that’s ok, but Maria will not be with a teacher like that. And if I can’t see the classrooms now, then I will see them in the fall when she’s in class and if it doesn’t work out I will move her to a classroom that fits her better. She mellowed a bit then and the end result is I’m going in on Tuesday with my list of concerns (I guess it’s not spelled out well enough in her 20-page IEP [individual education plan] or in the transition book I wrote about Maria, complete with color photos, that specifically talked about Maria’s likes, dislikes, strengths, and areas to watch out for.) I told her it was all in the transition book, but that I’d write up some bullets if that would be better for her. I’m going to her school a day or two before classes start to “train” them on feeding, etc. and I’m going to sit in her class at least one day the first week. I suppose that’s good enough.
So far my introductions to this school have not left me with joy or comfort. I’ve heard good things about the school and the principal, but I’m not feelin’ it.