Well it's been 8 days since I last wrote to you all and, believe me, it has not been dull! It has gone from bad to worse with the Pilot Point Middle School.
As you all know that Jessica had a major meltdown, several to be exact. I demanded an emergency ARD which was supposed to take place within 48 hours. It did not. The diagnostician was at, of all things, an Autism convention and would not return until Friday(translation: she won't be in the office until Monday). Through all the conversations with the aide, the Asst. Principal(the Principal refused to have a meeting with us citing that he was too busy) and exchanging of cell phone voice mails with the diagnostician we achieved ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! No emergency ARD(it was slated for 24th, a day later than the original)and no psy. help for Jessica to relieve her panic over school.
I spoke to the diagnostician who wanted to 'teach' me new techniques on "how to relieve Jessica's anxiety over school". All right, banging her head against a concrete wall, crying in hysterics over even entering the school and wishing that she would die because she couldn't complete the schoolwork is just a tad beyond anxiety, wouldn't you think? I told her that Gary and I thought that she was not emotionally ready for Jr. High and that she should be moved to 5th grade. I was informed that she would not be going to 5th grade and then she blamed me for the child's stress!!! Yea that's right, not letting her stay up until midnight and sending back 50% of her homework unfinished because there wasn't time enough in the day to do it is just causing Jessica all kinds of stress and pressure. Emailing and calling the teachers attempting to get them to ease up on bellwork, writing assignments and the homework is causing Jessica all sorts of anxiety.
But I kept my cool and didn't say what I really felt. I promised myself that they wouldn't get to me. Afterall, Alyssa is also an ARD student at the Intermediate(where she is having no problems thank you very much) and don't want these spiteful people to retailate on her.
But then the last straw came the day before yesterday. Jessica didn't go to school Monday due to severe sinus problems and then she refused to go on Tuesday(she hid in the bathtub). I called the school to request a tutor which I know is legal if the psy. would state that she needed to be homebound due to emotional duress. Since he witnessed this on Tuesday I assumed that this would be no problem. How wrong I was! The Principal, whom refused me meetings and I have never been able to meet, informed me that he would just send the truant officer and forcibly remove her from the house and take her to school. After 2 days? I don't know what the laws are where you live but here in Texas a student has to be absent 17 days and then there is a great deal of paperwork that needs to be send to me and then sent back to them before a truant officer can physically remove a child from his/her home.
Well that was it. I lost it. I told the idiot that if a truant officer came to my house he would be leaving with no kneecaps! That I would let him walk across my threshold and then take away his reason for walking. I also informed him that this was a veiled threat and I didn't appreciate it.
Jessica was taken out of Pilot Point Middle School the next morning. She had to go with me and Jessica cried all the way there because she thought that I was going to make her go inside. Four weeks of school and she's reduced to a pile of sobs and tears.
But all is not lost. The aide, who would call me at night to let me know what was going on(and risking her job I might add), let me know about a private school in town. In fact, her own ADD 11 yr old son attended this school. I spent an afternoon calling and checking credentials not only on the school but on the teacher. Then we all had an appointment with her.
On Tuesday, Jessica will be attending the Educational Plus Learning Academy. She will have her own cubicle, her own computer and a lot of peace. She is actually excited to go. Of course, I think the woman's vast herd of cats and kittens, peacocks, guineas, dogs, and goats might have something to do with it too. Jessica is actually excited to return to school.
Looks like Mama needs to go out and find a really good paying job! Private school=$$$ But that's OK.
Hopefully I'll be able to sleep again at night.
Nothing But Love
| 
Michel
