School days! How do you feel?

[BusynMember]

My kids start tomorrow! My Aspie son is a sophomore this year and mainstreamed and will be taking driver's ed and I'm crossing my fingers, but he really had a good time at orientation and waved to everyone and stopped to talk to his best friend. L. is very friendly in a familiar environment and he's been at this school since fourth grade--it's small and he knows everyone. (Get him in a new situation and you see a different kid who won't even meet anyone's eyes, but I digress): My feeling here is a little nervous.

My daughter is going into eighth grade. This year we "choiced" her into a big middle school. She's going from a total class of 38 to a class of about 350. It was her wish and, after we all discussed it and visited the school, we agreed to let her go. I have to drive her each day. If you choose another school district, you drive . N. is very Learning Disability (LD) and doesn't always understand what the teacher says (she has an auditory processing problem). She also has trouble paying attention, probably because of her Auditory Processing Disorders (APD), AND she has short term memory problems. She'll be getting help in the Resource Center and has an IEP, but color me terrified. She's very social and athletic and has tons of friends there, but...it's the academics I'm afraid of.

So...how do you all feel? Jittery, like me?

 

[tiredmommy]

I was fine with school starting until I heard the news that Duckie's best little buddy will be moving out of state as soon as they sell the house. Duckie doesn't know yet, though I'm sure she'll know the next time they get together. Duckie was so excited because they were in the same class, third grade is a big year in multiage. I'm pretty sure there will be tears and much drama when Z goes.

 

[crazymama30]

School does not start here untill the 8th. I have mixed feelings. I am glad as both difficult child and easy child need to get out of the house and away from each other, but part of me wants to know how long it will be untill difficult child's new school starts calling me? difficult child is going to do sports at a neighboring middle school (the charter school does not offer them) and the good thing is it is not one that he will know many kids in. He is really getting a fresh start as there are very few kids who know him from elementary here. I so hope he can take advantage of thatand start over.

 

[Christy]

School started here last Monday and difficult child had a great first week. I am always on pins and needles waiting for the next big catastrophe but so far I am amazed at how well difficult child is doing. He was able to go to the kids portion of back to school night which was an ice cream social on the playground. He could never have handled an unstructured, free-for-all like that in the past but he did well. He is still in a small, self-contained "school within a school" that specializes in children with behavioral and emotional issues but this year (fifth grade) he will integrate with other mainstream fifth graders for science and social studies and have a different teacher for math as well. I am very excited that he will have this opportunity but terrified that it will stress him out. In the past I really felt that I would go back to homeschooling next year because middle school, even with the support of the program he's in, would be too overwhelming but if he makes it through this year, maybe he'll be able to do it. Dare I say that I am hopeful?

I hope you daughter rises to the challenge and enjoys the social aspects of the new school while surviving the academics. Have you met with the resource teacher? Are you feeling good about the iep?

It is nice to hear about how comfortable you son is feeling and that he has the chance to be a big fish in a small pond. I hope it's a year of continued social growth.

Best wishes for a great school year.
Christy

 

[TerryJ2]

Woo hoo!!!!!

 

[TerryJ2]

P.S. My "woo hoo" is in response to "how do you feel," not the pins and needles and other things you all wrote. Just wanted to clarify that.

 

[susiestar]

Sounds like a lot of cool stuff planned for this year. While N's academics may be a problem, having the extra athletic and social events at the bigger school may provide all the "carrots" you need to keep her focused on having good enough grades to earn those activities.

Isn't it absolutely mind-blowing when our autistic spectrum kids can finally go to school (or work or whatever) and have excellent supports but still be mainstreamed?

thank you started almost 2 weeks ago. Jess still has not started. I spoke to the coordinator on Sat and she says that we should be up and running by Fri. We are waiting on the emergency transfer form from the local school district. We will pick curriculum and have her going with-in 2 days from receipt of that form.

 

[wakeupcall]

difficult child is in eighth this year....in a social development class that right now only has two students, difficult child is one of the two. It always becomes a little more populated as school settles in. He's mainstreamed for PE, Band, and now TV and Radio Broadcasting. I'm nervous that the instructor for the broadcasting class hasn't been notified of difficult child's IEP, but don't they have some process to ensure that? There are twenty in that class and I will be surprised if he can maintain focus. Time will tell.

difficult child has lots of problems with transition, so his first week back to school last week was rough. He hates change of any kind.....and REALLY hates having to go to bed at a decent hour.

Let's see.........eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve....that's only FIVE more years of school!! Then what?

 

[Jeppy]

Not good. Today is the first day of school.

I told difficult child he must take the bus this year due to all the difficulties last year, including him making me late for work because he wouldn't get ready when he was supposed to.

He is mad and deliberately missed the bus, thinking I would drive him. I did not, and he used his own money to take a taxi.

Then he told me he lost (deliberately?) his key so I arranged for grandma to be at the house to let him in this afternoon after school. After waiting several hours, she called to tell me he never showed up. Called his best friend - he said difficult child refused to take the bus and is walking the eight miles home. At least it is a nice day, but I am steamed that he knew grandma would be waiting and left her hanging all these hours. He was mad at me so decided to try to get at me through her.

By the way, he's ridden the bus in the past with no problems. But he now he says it's only for poor kids (not true at all) and beneath him.

 

[Wiped Out]

difficult child and easy child start tomorrow. I think easy child can't wait to see her friends even though she says she isn't ready for school to start. I'm hoping her year is better than last, she needs to get serious as this is her junior year.

difficult child has been in strange moods so I'm hoping school goes well. A bit nervous but since his case manager is following him I'm not overly worried.

I start with my students today and am excited! I'm also tired and sad to be saying good bye to my summer naps but I am looking forward to a great school year!