Bi-Yearly Checkin

I noticed it's been almost 6 months since my last posting. I guess that's a sign that things are going well. David continues to improve at Mary McDowell Friends School and is almost performing at grade level. Albeit with tons of support, cues, and in a class of 12 with 2 teachers - plus much smaller groups for reading and math. The tuition is huge (almost as much as an Ivy League college costs) but it's worth every penny. He is confident, fun and empathetic, and also tries to get by doing as little work as possible. I'm not sure if this is because of his LD or just genetic. (One of his parents used to own a T-shirt that said, "Underachiever and proud of it." Hint: It wasn't me.)

David did well on his standardized tests with extra time and split between several days instead of over several hours like his non-LD classmates. He finished 6th grade with good reports and smiles. We had a wonderful summer mostly upstate, med-free. Lots of reminders about finishing the 2 books and accompanying 2 book reports he was assigned. But they got done, a little carelessly, but that's the nature of his beast, especially medication-free.

7th grade got off to a decent start almost 2 weeks ago. It marked the first time he would be commuting regularly to and from school via the train. (Although he did it a couple of times last year when the bus was really late or delayed by weather.) After pizza with his buds the first day, he ended up getting on the G train in the wrong direction but realized it at the first stop, jumped off and asked a cop how to get to his home stop. Got home safe and sound but lost his sneakers (long story). Has managed to keep track of his cell phone and train pass. And also learned that school transit passes still work after being washed.

Peter and I had our annual dance with the DOE and had to view the "appropriate" placement they found for him in a local school, the Secondary School for Law, which is housed in the John Jay High School complex. The metal detector was a nice touch. As was noticing 3 wall clocks during our visit, all with completely wrong times displayed--especially helpful for kids with LDs who don't know what time it is anyway. The 12:1:1 class had only 5 students. The 3 present were totally unengaged, despite the personal attention and efforts of their young, hip teachers (tattoo & nasal jewelry). The windows were thrown open to 7th Avenue's loud bus traffic and even adults without concentration issues had trouble following. Wrong on so many levels, and again, the sadness for the kids with no other alternative.

         Us three, this past summer.

Who knows what this year will bring for David. He is taking great joy in books, something I never expected. A trip to his prescribing doctor will tell if he needs a medication adjustment, which I assume he does because he's grown over the summer. MMFS staff has already noticed a bit of inattentiveness and is going to put him on a therapeutic listening program. Stay tuned!

Up to Speed

When I started this blog, I intended it to mainly be an information source for other parents of LD kids rather than a blow-by-blow description of our daily lives. But I cringe when I realized that I hadn't made an entry since last July. Here's my shot at a quick incapsulation of our lives since the summer. We traveled to Alaska the first two weeks of August, upholding David's request to visit a different national park every vacation. It was an incredible educational experience between the expansive parks, wildlife and incredible salmon fishing where David landed several whoppers and caught our lunch/dinner. His transition to middle school at the newly-renamed Mary McDowell Friends School went well, with a few bumps in the road in the beginning. There was a lot more homework (at least in the beginning) which he dragged out and made even longer. Things seem to have evened out. He's had two good parent-teacher conferences since then but still manages to be a master procrastinator, just like his dad. David seems to like having more responsibility and we are determined not to remind him a dozen times about his homework, leaving it to him to get it done. As per MMFS, we don't check it but he seems to do okay, has only had a few "re-do's" and even a few "check plusses." Our CES meeting with the DOE in the beginning of March went well, we think, though the psychologist seemed a bit testy with David's teacher, who kept reminding her that just because a child with LDs is in a better setting doesn't mean that the LD goes away completely. His reading and math have greatly improved but are still below grade level. We'll see when we get the IEP in the mail. And we recently heard that the DOE settled with us before going to impartial hearing, for a bit more than last year, which is great because the tuition went up, as it does every year. But I can't imagine David being in a public school setting because those programs are sorely lacking. In September, I visited the Brooklyn School for Global Studies where they found a spot for David, sending me this letter at the end of June, when there was no time to view the school. So I had to write a letter, as I do every year, explaining that I would be happy to look at the placement school...in September when school is in session. Of course, it was abysmal, on so many levels. I'm sure they will send an "appropriate placement" for next year which will be grossly inadequate. We recently had a checkup with David's behavioral specialist (the one who prescribes the meds) and she was very impressed at how much he has progressed, even over the past year. He scored higher on tests she administered and his curve has been even greater since he first started coming to her 3 years ago. Dr. V talked about some of her patients in 12:1:1 programs in public schools, how they have issues with bullies and how terrible the classes are. And how lucky we are to have a space in MMFS. I am thankful for this every day. As a person, David continues to develop into his own unique self. Still very into video games and role playing games. He has a great sense of humor and enjoys looking at funny vids online, especially involving animals. Some days he says he wants to be a zoologist, others a video game maker, others a psychologist. He doesn't seem to want to get rid of his toys, though he barely plays with them--just the dragons, weapons, and action figures. I know someday soon, he'll want to get rid of the kid stuff. Something I both look forward to and dread. He even took the train to school alone a few times. I worked him up from walking there while we took the same train to taking the train himself (after walking him to the station) when the bus was really late. Next year, I think we'll transition him into commuting himself. It's only 5 stops and about 4 blocks, a walk he knows well. My, how he has grown...

David ready to take the train alone to school for the first time in September 2011. No more "short bus."