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."