Ok so I met with Perry's teachers, and the special ed teacher at the Middle School. Didn't want to change anything, everything they are doing is working just fine. He's doing fine. I just want to know what transitioning to the new school will look like. I pretty much do this every year whether he's going to a new school or not. Meet with those who help him learn and make sure we're on the same page, and see if we need to change anything for next year. So you'll have to excuse me for not being completely aware of what's going on with the budget cuts, but I know at least 36 teachers are losing their jobs, the High School is going from 4 blocks to 7 bells, and I am sure theres a ton more that I am unaware of. So me being concerned that my special needs child is being isolated in a trailer outback is the very least of their worries. BUT IT'S A LEGITIMATE CONCERN. So the special ed kids.....AKA resource room kids are in a trailer behind the Middle School, the trailers are needed because there isn't enough room for everyone in the school. And a few of the special ed kids require air conditioning, and the school isn't air conditioned....which is a lame excuse, as many rooms have window units, and if that was the case, they can provide AC for whatever room the special ed kids are in!Here's my concern. Middle School, it was called Junior High when I was a kid, is probably the worst 2 years for any kid, you are becoming a teenager, your hormones are raging, you are trying to figure out what social group you belong in, you are losing friends, and gaining new friends or not. Ad in the added presure of a learning disability, a resource room with little to no integration, and you ride the short bus. In addition to all that you are going to isolate these kids in a trailer behind the actual school building. So average kids have little to no social interaction with the special needs kids and the special needs kids have little to no interaction with average kids. Many of the special needs kids are fairly normal, they may have their quirks, but most of them are as normal as any other kid. If they are left with each other they will never learn what is socially acceptable during normal everyday social interactions. A community trip once a week to the dollar store, or a resturant is not enough to teach a kid how to interact socially with his peers. Sure the nose of the hallways, can be overwhelming for a kid with sensory issues, but they don't change class's as often and they can close their door, and they have aids that help them get to where they are going.
Ideally I would be all for total integration with the right assistance it can work. Fairfield doesn't have the budget to do it properly, so theres no way. Not to mention it's not for every kid, but for some I think they'd benefit greatly. Ok I am off my soapbox, feel free to debate, I doubt you'll change my mind, I am not a fan of my kid being isolated in a trailer out back, air conditioned or not, the social implications are not reversable. And for the record my kid could careless, he thinks it sounds cool to have a trailer classroom all for his class. Ha! I am in an uproar for the other kids who do like to socialize, and aren't fine just to talk to themselves.
*I am aware that much of what I said is politically incorrect, it's my blog and I do what I want.
