End Of School

What a year it has been! Ruby has made so many great strides and met so many IEP goals this year; we couldn't be happier about her Pre-K year at Sope Creek!

With the end of the year comes parties and field days and celebrations a many. For the official field day, the 5th graders are given the great responsibility and privilege of escorting around the Pre-K and Kindergarten students during their time at field day. Of course Maddux asked to be assigned to Ruby!

Maddux was able to assist Ruby and her school bestie, taking them to each station and assisting as needed. They three girls had a blast and it was so fun to see Ruby taking it all in.

The end of year party was an opportunity for the parents to join the Pre-K on the playground for lunch and Popsicles and fun. Ruby loved having me there and I enjoyed watching her in her element, always interacting and checking in with her peers. We are going to miss our Pre-K 'bubble'!

      

IEP

As we eluded to a month or so ago, Ruby was due for her annual IEP this month. This afternoon we sat down with Ruby's 'team' at school to discuss the goals currently on her IEP, modify or set new ones, and start the discussion about placement for next year. With Ruby having a summer birthday, she will either be older or younger than her peers, depending on when we start her in Kindergarten. This was a tough decision for us when we faced it with Eli...it is proving to be equally as tough with Ruby.

First, let's talk about the goals. Ruby mastered all of the social, behavioral, speech and OT goals set for her at the end of last year (we did an IEP amend before school let out). We put some new ones in place, mainly to get her through the end of this school year, though it has been obvious to me that her teachers are not holding anything back from Ruby. When she has shown mastery of a goal at school, they have moved on to the next thing for her without hesitation.

When the team talks about Ruby, they can't keep the smiles off of their faces; it's obvious how much they love working with her. And while they think she is ready to move on from their classroom, they will definitely miss her. (And she will miss them!) The talk about next year covered everything from Ruby's growth in the short time she's been in the Special Needs Pre-K to her ability to follow the classroom routines and transitions well. She is very social, and they don't see any issues with her in regards to typical peers. I asked many questions about what Kindergarten would look like for her (number of pull-outs, percent of time with typical peers, etc.); while answering these questions basically requires a crystal ball, Ruby's team still gave me solid responses.

And then, when I launched into my requests for things that would help better prepare her for a fall Kindergarten start, the meeting got even better. I asked for a few resources for things that Ruby would be expected to learn while in Kindergarten, and they gave them willingly. I asked for opportunities for Ruby to visit with a Kindergarten class before the end of the year to help get her acquainted with a bigger class size. Not only did they say they would make that happen, but they said they would try to have it start right after Christmas. (Hopefully circle time and some specials.) And here I was thinking that would be a difficult sell for a visit a few times before the end of the school year.

This is the part where I cheer and dance and rejoice because I know this IEP will likely go down as the best one we will ever have. This just isn't how it normally works.

At the end of the day, we are having to weigh our options. We have three: Kindergarten, repeat Special Needs Pre-K, or private Pre-K/Young 5's. I've visited a few private programs in the last few weeks, to see if those options really are options. One I found is great, amazing even, but comes with a steep price tag and a far commute. The other is affordable but carries no extras, and a lot of uncertainties. Now that we've seen how much Ruby can thrive in the right environment, I'm so scared of the missed opportunities we could face putting her in the 'not-right' place. Especially for a whole year. Especially when the whole reason of putting her there instead of Kindergarten is to see more growth.

As much as we love her SNPK, repeating means just that: repeating the same curriculum. And Ruby has mastered it - seriously mastered it. That doesn't mean she's up to speed with every other four-year-old out there, but the colors, letters, numbers, months, seasons, etc. that they teach in her class is all information Ruby has demonstrated comprehension of. So that means she could be very bored next year. Also, she would be 5 and her classmates would be 3 and 4. We know that so much of what Ruby has learned at Sope Creek so far has come from her classroom peers, but if they are younger, there is a chance she isn't learning from them anymore. Also, we've been so fortunate that Ruby has not picked up any undesirable behaviors at school. My girl is a big sponge that observes everyone very closely and follows their lead. If we were to roll the dice with another year, it's quite possible she could have a behavior model that ends up creating behaviors that we have to work hard to correct.

So that leaves us with Kindergarten. So many pros and cons for each of these choices, but especially this one. My girl would love it. Love. it. She would have some great models for speech, lots of new information for her to learn, and I have no doubt that the kids would rally around her and help her when needed. But we know about the delays. And the big question is would those delays put her in a position where she is away from typical peers more than she is with them. I would hope not, but that isn't an question anyone can answer right now.

So we wait and we pray and we pray some more.

Boosterthon Fun Run

An annual tradition since Eli started Kindergarten oh-so-many years ago! My kids love Boosterthon. They gather outside with their peers and run 35+ laps around a coned off area, accumulating tally marks on their Boosterthon t-shirts while the music plays and the parents cheer them on.

When Eli was in 5th Grade they started allowing the 4th/5th grade students to have color as part of their run. So in addition to the previously mentioned craziness, now corn starch color powder is thick in the air (and hair).

Maddux was all about the color last year, and this year was the same. Thankfully she thought ahead both years to bring a pair of clear glasses to protect her eyes, but the color she begged the volunteers to pour on her shirt and hair promised to stain for days.

Oh yeah, and if you pour water on yourself, or sweat (as it's August in Georgia), the color powder bonds to your skin/hair/clothes and makes everything even more messy. I'll be coughing up color for weeks.

A fun surprise: Ruby got to participate this year! There is an exceptional student run in the gym just before the 4th/5th grade run, and the Pre-K was invited to join. Ruby LOVED this: the music, the lights, the chaos, the running...it spoke to her for sure!

Back to School

Maddux

5th Grade! I am having a hard time processing the fact that Maddux is in her last year of Elementary school. She has a young teacher that we've heard some great things about, and her best friend is in her class. The first few days have gone well; Maddux jumped right in with applying for a 'job' in her classroom and taking on the homework (minimal) assigned so far. After school this year she is participating in three programs: Drama, Cardio Sharp and Math Marvels. Her biggest excitement is surrounding Cotillion, which she'll participate in after New Years.

Eli

Eli started a week later than the girls, just like last year. His schedule this year allows more time with Drew, which was a huge bonus for both of them. Outside of band and PE last year, they haven't had a class together since Kindergarten. This year they are in homeroom and a few other classes together. Eli's locker is still a lower locker, which is a good thing because he can't access most of the upper locker's space (and it's right across the hall from Drew's). Eli's homeroom teacher is the Latin teacher, who he already knew from last year. When he and I walked in for his pre-school conference, he and she immediately connected on something; I think this will be a good year!

Ruby
Ruby started the same day as Maddux this year, since she's at the BIG school. She desperately wants to ride the bus, but I still drive her to and from each day. She is in the same Special Needs Pre-K class she started at the end of last year; same main teacher but a different paraprofessional. There are a few familiar faces in her class, and plenty of new ones.

This year Ruby will stay for the full day (until 2PM) 1/2 the time. (On those days, she takes a short 'rest' and then works more intentionally on handwriting and other things that will help her in Kindergarten. It's more one-on-one too because only a few kids stay the whole day.) She still does so many private therapies that the afternoons would be impossible if we waited until that time to try to fit those in along with the big kids' stuff. So two or three days each week I will pick her up at 11:45 and bring her to speech or aquatic therapy and be done in time to get Maddux off the bus. I am very excited to see this girl thrive in her class!

Guest Reader

About a month ago, Maddux earned the privilege to read to another class. Her teacher had the incentive in place, intending for the 4th grader who earned it to read to a lower grade. However, Maddux's first choice was Ruby's (pre-k) class, of course. So she (Maddux) asked Ruby's teacher and got permission. This morning was the day; instead of going to PE, Maddux brought two books from home to read to Ruby and her classmates. When I picked Ruby up, she told me several times, "Maddux. Read." Obviously she loved it. (And Ruby's speech therapist snapped a photo for me!)

End of Year IEP Meeting

We had another IEP this afternoon. I called this one. We are not 'due' for another IEP until December (the goals should last a year and we had one to challenge Ruby's initial denial into the program last December), but with the school year ending, prep for another begins. I wanted to establish if Ruby would be returning to special needs pre-K, and in what capactiy, along with goal updates.

Prior to these meetings, there is always a lot of prep for Lehr and I. Re-reading her current assessments and reports, reading up on kids similar to Ruby in different settings, discussing what is working and what isn't, talking with other families to see how they are navigating these waters, praying, praying, praying... But even with all of that prep, this time we did not go in with a clear plan.

 Honestly, I felt very conflicted about what I hoped the outcome would be. We have pushed for as much inclusion as possible all along which would mean us requesting Ruby attend the typical preschool (Mt. Zion) 3 days/week, with a facilitator a few hours each week in addition to attending the special needs pre-K (Sope Creek) the other two days. However, she has done so well at Sope Creek in just four months. She is potty trained and has been with rare accidents since the first month, she has made friends that she has conversations with every day, and she is talking talking talking so much! Those great things (which didn't happen in the typical preschool) are so great that they make it hard to consider taking even a little bit of it away. She may still thrive that way with only 2 days/week next year, but what if she doesn't? And what if her typical environment is one that causes frustration again?

So with these questions (and many more) on our minds, we went into the IEP with a very open mind, ready to have a conversation with her teachers and therapists. We all agreed that Ruby has made a lot of progress in a short time, in all areas. (The teachers are so proud of how well Ruby navigates the classroom and fulfills her responsibilities with no prompting.) And we all agreed that next year she should continue that progress at Sope Creek. She will be eligible for the afternoon (full day) program as well. That program allows for smaller numbers (more one-on-one), and more intensive work to prepare her for kindergarten (handwriting, number work, etc.). However, if she stays until 2PM each day, it will mean her 2-4 therapies outside of school will have to take place after the big kids get home, making our afternoons even crazier than they already are. So Ruby will attend full day, but only on days she doesn't have therapy. (These last few months, it's worked very well for me to pick her up before noon and get her therapies done before returning home to receive Maddux from the bus.)

So that's the plan for next year and we are happy with it. Ruby's summer birthday means she could start kindergarten after next year, or after an additional year (starting right after her 5th or 6th birthday). Should we wait until the second year, her final year of pre-K might be a typical/special needs pre-K mix.

Here's what made me smile at the meeting. The team, Ruby's team, a speech therapist, an occupational therapist and her main teacher, gave lots of feedback with lots of genuine smiles. They told little stories and gave examples of her in the classroom or therapy that obviously brought them joy. They love my girl. They see my girl. They are proud of my girl. They get how much she loves to learn. They see how much she wants to learn and work.

Conflicted

Our holiday break was so nice. Besides seeing so much of my family for a whole week, the five of us got to hang out and not give a thought to anything responsibility related. For me, that was especially evident in the 'time off' from therapy and school conversations and research about this that and the other. And for Ruby that meant time for her just to be her. Amen.

But when we returned we had a lot waiting for us. A new school for Ruby and registration for next year for Ruby. All within three weeks. Ruby's new class, a special needs pre-K at Maddux's elementary school, started slowly, with a few holidays and snow/ice days, but it was obvious from the get-go that Ruby loved it. Unfortunately, the first full week she had was the same week I had to register her for the following year at her previous (private, 'typical') preschool. Unsure of what exactly to do, I opted to register her for the 3-year-old class, 3x/week. She will turn 4 just before the school year starts, but I think that may be a better fit for her than the 4-year old class, where she would be the youngest in her class.

So here we are, now a month into her current school, and I'm conflicted. I've always been very pro-inclusion. Always in favor of starting as we intend to go. Always on-board with Ruby participating with all of her typical peers. That's why she's been at a private preschool, and that's why we've signed her up for it next year as well. But in the last month, in an environment that we've not wanted for Ruby, we've seen Ruby blossom in a really cool way. She has picked up some new words, spoken out more in school (her speech at school resembles her speech at home now, and it never did in her private preschool), she is rocking the potty training, and she is happy!

It's so hard to know what the right thing is to do. Do we continue to push her to be in a typical classroom because that's what we want for her once she hits Kindergarten? Or do we let her stay in her special needs pre-K because we know she is getting more help with the things she needs help with there in an effort to best prepare her for the typical environment in a few years? Do we fight for her to be in the private preschool next year so that she can learn how to speak up for herself and learn by watching others? Or do we give her more opportunities to be with the teachers that are trained to help her learn her way?

Too many good arguments on both sides of this, and my brain hurts each night after running through the list of pros and cons on both sides constantly all day. For now, we have decided to continue to enjoy the great things we are seeing for Ruby in special needs pre-K. When we have our IEP in May, we will weigh everything again and see where Ruby is at that time.

Keep On Trucking

We are still happy with the immediate outcomes of Ruby's new school situation. This girl is making HUGE strides in potty training - only two accidents total last week! Her verbal skills are improving daily, and she is happy, happy, happy.

It must be noted that Ruby is still a toddler, so she still has the occasional push or hit at school, and if someone is across the room building a block tower, she must run over and knock it down, very joyfully. But overall, she is adjusting well. She loves the kids in her class, she loves her teachers, and she leaves with a smile on her face every day.

However, the new school schedule means Ruby needs to be awake by 6:30am to arrive on time. This is about an hour earlier than she would wake naturally. While she doesn't seem to mind getting up earlier, it does mean that her body has already become accustomed to early rising, so our weekends are now 6AM wake-ups as well. Boo.

Fitting all of Ruby's therapies into her now more-full schedule has been challenging. We had to drop gymnastics, and fitting in both of her private speech therapists is a constant calendar game, but we are starting a literacy tutor at Gigi's Playhouse this week, and we are looking into private PT and/or hydrotherapy.

So How's It Going?

Ruby has been in school for a week now, so I thought it was time for an update. To be clear, she hasn't really been in school for a whole week. Even this upcoming one won't be a full five days. The first week we returned to school on a Thursday, last week we missed the first two days due to icing, and this upcoming week is following a 3-day weekend. But if you add all of that together, she's been there for just a few hours short of five school days.

Ruby loves school. Did I mention that? She yells 'coooool' when we pull into the parking lot each day, and she happily walks with me, backpack on, to the front doors where we wait for her teacher each morning. When I pick her up a few hours later, she is walking in line with her classmates and smiles so big when she sees me. After saying, "Mommy" and coming right to me for a hug, she tries to return to her teachers to go back to the classroom.

The first day, the big kids were so excited to have her at the breakfast table with them. Maddux and Eli insisted on 'first day pancakes' for her, and all three had quite the celebration while they ate. In her day at school, she does centers, speech, story time, circle time (with a calendar and weather and some other daily routines), OT twice a week, and snack/lunch. I get a great report at the end of the day telling me how she handled the transitions and each of these areas. She has yet to 'struggle' with any of them. (Again, she loves school.)

The best part? (Or at least one of the best parts, because so far it is ALL the best part.) She is ROCKING the potty thing. Finally we are able to be consistent all day with her visits to the toilet! She started going at the school on day TWO, and she has consistently gone every day since, rarely wetting her pull-up at all. This means she is wearing underwear more at home and having many days where she is dry all day. Her teacher said to start sending her in underwear to school.

Can we all stand up and cheer now?!?!

It's obviously too early to say if this is a good thing in the long run, but for right now, Ruby's new school is a GREAT thing. Even if just for right now, so many prayers have been answered.