Saturday, August 18, 2012

Logan and preschool

So this whole preschool business with Logan has been BEYOND stressful.
It's hard enough on me that's it's my first baby going to school. And hard enough on both of us that he's never attended any preschools or daycares before.

Well they screwed up right from the get-go with apparently someone misplacing his paperwork or something. He was referred for an IEP, and once they receive their materials, they are mandated by the state to have the IEP done BY his 3rd birthday (July 11th). Well we were into the first week of July, when I spoke to his Help Me Grow coordinator and told her no one had called me. She said how bad that was, because the state would get in a LOT of trouble not having it done.
So that got done in a huge rush, just a few days before his birthday. They did his language/speech evaluation, and then I had to go back for a second meeting where they reviewed it and let me know he qualified. Well the woman doing it looked young, and she seemed VERY inexperienced to put it nicely. She was only mildly professional, and didn't seem to know much of anything she was speaking about. Even the HMG coordinator said the meeting was extraordinarily short. And she gave me next to no information. She led me to believe I'd be receiving more information in the mail.
Well as of last week I was wondering what the heck was going on, I hadn't heard anything from the school at all. Our coordinator called to check up on things (even though she is no longer working with Logan, they only go up until age 3), and was able to at least verify that he IS indeed enrolled. That was at least a relief to hear. Well I got an e-mail from someone at the school, very nonchalant, saying she heard I had some questions, and told me school started the 27th, and I'd be getting a letter from his teacher if I hadn't already, and let her know if I had any other questions.
Well, I wrote her back Friday, and again this Wednesday. I've received no response.
I finally got this letter from the teacher this past Thursday, containing MINIMAL information. It informs me he is in AM session (BUT NO TIME GIVEN!!), and when meet the teacher night is, and pre-school only orientation is. There was also a list of "supplies" which seem to be quite the joke, as it is mostly paper plates, cups, forks and batteries :-/
I called the school upon receiving this letter, and told them I felt I was missing quite a bit of information. The lady had a very clipped, rude tone with me, and basically told me that I would need to attend those parent nights and get my information there. When I questioned about the transportation I was told he would be receiving, she was snotty and then told me I needed to call the transportation department, that they don't have any information on that.
My mom later called back the school and at least got someone to tell her what time the AM session is (8:55-11:20). I called the transportation department, who told me I would be getting a call from the bus driver about pickup times and whatnot.
Now I was NEVER even told what days he goes!! They have a handbook on their website dated 2009/2010 school year, and then it says in one area on the site that preschool is Tuesday-Friday. Well, both his teacher and the bus driver said the first day is the 27th! Which is a Monday! I found out finally from another parent, that she was told preschool goes from Monday-Thursday.
There is still a ton of questions I have, and my stress keeps mounting every day.
As for trans. I have no idea if it's an actual yellow school bus, a van, or what it is. I would like to know about restraints? He is technically by law still supposed to be in a 5 point harness car seat. How do they handle that?
And his IEP is for expressive language delay. I feel nervous and like I should be speaking one on one with the teacher to tell her what certain things mean! What is Logan is trying to say he's thirsty, or has to pee, or doesn't feel good and she can't understand him? He has certain words that are VERY hard for someone who doesn't know him to understand. This really worries me.
I am REALLY hoping I can get a lot of things cleared up for me on Monday at the whole school orientation. If I have to wait until Thursday at the preschool only orientation it is going to have me stressed out all week.
I am sending my child somewhere he's never been, with people he's never met. And he has a hard time communicating.
This. Freaks. Me. Out.
I hope this teacher is nice, and understanding, and will help settle me a bit, because if the poor kid wasn't so excited about going to school, I'd probably be thinking about pulling him out of it, and just doing private speech therapy.
OH! Not to mention, we got the luck of the draw to have this AM session. And he has to get on the bus at 8:15!! On the bus for 40 minutes!!
I don't get much sleep as it is. But Logan will usually at least sleep until 8:30 am.
Now, in order to make the bus/school, I will be having to WAKE him up at at least 7:30am :-(
That really sucks.
I know I'm a whiner, but it does. It sucks.
PM session would've worked so much better with his/my/Meredith's schedule.

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