the district just won't leave us alone

When we decided to pull Drew out of school and seek alternative education placement we found Spiral Academy.  A friend who had to go the home school route recommended it.  It is a perfect fit for us.  It is a private online  school that has little oversight in how we choose to homeschool.

Friday as Drew and I were driving home from running errands my cell phone rang.  I answered it (thru the car bluetooth) It was the school district informing me that I had not filed the proper paperwork to home school Drew and he was being considered truant.  I told them he attended a private school for homeschoolers and I had filed the proper paperwork with the district on April 1 when I removed him.  I asked why they thought we were home schooling.  They didn't answer that.  I suggested they contact his previous school and ask where the paperwork was.  Per Colorado LAW since we pulled him out and enrolled him in a private school we did not need to file a 14 day intent to homeschool letter.

The truant office told me they didn't recognize the school in question and since they didn't we were breaking the law. The school is registred with the state so it doesn't matter if the district recognizes them or not.  The STATE does.  

Drew was hearing this conversation because it was thru the car and he got very upset thinking the district was going to make him go back.  That broke my heart.

I got home and called the director of Spiral Academy.  She had never heard of this and tried to call the truant office to discuss it  but of course they had left for the day.  She said the district never requested Drew's records which she thought was strange.  She also told me the district we lived in was one of the worst when it came to homeschooling and would try to exert their force on us.  

It is just one more instance where the district acts as a bully. I haven't heard yet today if the director of Spiral Academy and the truant office have touched base but I know I am in compliance and I honestly suspect that certain someones are behind this but we have no proof.  So we move forward and wait to see what happens but Drew won't be going back.  PERIOD

Reentering the Homeschool world

I loved when we homeschooled Drew when he was in 1st grade.  I liked the freedom it gave us to explore ancient history, the world  around us, current events, art...whatever we wanted.  Drew was shocked one day when I told him to go watch some videos on TV during shark week.  He could not wrap his mind around that those videos were counted as school time.

Let me back up.  When my older son was in school he went to a private Episcopal school who embraced learning outside the 4 walls of a class room.  It was then that I understood that ANYTHING could be a learning opportunity if we let it.  We took Phil on a vacation to Albuquerque when he was in 7th grade.  His teachers supported this 110%.  They changed his assignments to that they fit within what we were doing. For science he had to be able to explain how a hot air balloon worked,  For history we traveled the Jemez trail and have some great family jokes that still get said all these years later.( I still swear tarantulas can jump.) I can't remember what was done for english.  This experience opened my eyes to a new type of learning. 

So now back to homeschooling with Drew.  When we did the first time parts of it were a disaster.  His Tourette's, OCD, Anxiety, and other issues were not yet diagnosed.  So consequently, what I expected and what he was able to do were two different things.  This time around it is different.  Drew has a better understanding of what is expected of him.  I understand his TS and his need for breaks, and more hands on experiences.  We have talked and  he understands that spelling and math will continue over the summer.  He is behind in math and we want him caught up. 

The Spelling You See is wonderful.  Today I ordered Teaching Textbooks for math. It is done on the computer and it is self directed.  I am really wrestling with history. Before we did Story of the World and I am seriously considering it.  I feel that history doesn't make sense if it is not taught in order.  How can someone understand The Fall of the Roman Empire if they don't have the years of history before it?  It has lots of hands on experiences with it and supplementing it with Art  in  History.  

While I honestly don't care what they are doing in public school I do think that on some levels I need to ensure that he does some of what they do so I am thinking about a civics type block on how bills become law and the branches of our governing bodies.  Maybe a trip to DC might top it off. (being a travel agent could come in handy)

I enjoy the freedom of homeschooling.  I also like that I can tailor what we do to his interests on many levels. Unit studies can be fun.  It adds something to the day other than the basics.  Field trips are also great.  They break up the monotony of the week. I feel like Auntie Mame opening up a new world for Drew.  hopefully we will embrace the philosphy that LIFE IS A BANQUET AND MOST POOR SUCKERS ARE STARVING TO DEATH!!!! and we are going to step up to the banquet table of learning and embrace it all!

trying to reach Ellen

We are trying to reach ELLEN.  Drew wants to get the word out during National TS Awareness month about Tourette's and how it effects kids and adults.  He wants her to tell the world that there is no cure.  It can get better.  He wants her to know there is no REAL treatment.  There are a few things that can be done to lessen the symptoms.  He wants her to know there is no real research being done for a cure.  He wants Ellen to know that Tourette's is not what TV portrays it as.  It is not someone cussing continually. That is Coproillia.  And less than 10 % of the 200,000 people who have TS suffer from this.  He wants her to know it is so much more. It is OCD, Anxiety issues, sensory issues, being tired all the time because a person with TS doesn't stop moving. And you feel you have to hide your tics so you won't bother others. It is being bullied by kids and adults because you think differently and can't always stop what comes from your mouth. It is not being able to stop yourself from doing something you know might hurt because it has to be done. It is sitting my yourself at lunch because kids don't want to sit next to you.  It is playing alone on the swings and kids coming over and calling you names.  it is your parents deciding that you would be better at home for school because it is just to hard to face the bullies everyday.  it is teachers turning the other way and allowing it to happen. It is your mom and dad (and 250 facebook friends of theirs who post encouragement) who know you can finish math homework even when teachers don't.

It is isolating because when adults won't get educated they can't educate kids who call you weird, strange, stupid (because you can't remember things) It is watching people like Henry Winkler, Brad Cohen and Dan Akroyd and others who have had disabilities who have overcome because they give you some hope that someday you will be "normal".  It is listening to Wil Wheaton tell a girl it is OK to be a nerd and like comics because it is what you have to hold on to because your hero is batman. It is being told batman doesn't exist because kids say super hero's aren't real (I know they aren't but they keep me going) It is playing alone with legos because no one will play with  you.  It is hoping that there will be someone who wants to come to  your birthday party, and your parents having to have a back up plan in case no one wants to come.  It is

PER the CDC:

In the United States

• It is not known exactly how many people have Tourette Syndrome (TS). A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study has found that 3 of every 1,000 children 6 through 17 years of age and living in the United States have been diagnosed with TS based on parent report; this represents about 148,000 children. Other studies using different methods have estimated the rate of TS at 6 per 1,000 children.
  
• Among children with TS, 27% have been reported as having moderate or severe forms of the condition.
  
• TS affects people of all racial and ethnic groups.
  
• Males are affected three times more often than females.
  
• A TS diagnosis is twice as likely among non-Hispanic White people than among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black people.
  
• A diagnosis of TS is twice as common among children 12 through 17 years of age as among those 6 through 11 years of age.

Co-Occurring Conditions

• Among children diagnosed with TS, 79% also have been diagnosed with at least one additional mental health, behavioral, or developmental condition, such as:
  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 64%;
  • Behavioral or conduct problems, 43%;
  • Anxiety problems, 40%;
  • Depression, 36%; and
  • Developmental delay affecting his or her ability to learn, 28%.
    
• More than one-third of people with TS also have obsessive-compulsive disorder.2,3

No one knows what TS is and Ellen you could shine a national spotlight on this. No one talks about this and we need your help to get the word out!  It is someone like you who says be kind to each other every day who can show the world that we are just like everyone one else.

Sincerely,

Drew Anderson and his mom!

I am back

I tried the world of Word press but it was not for me.  I thought I wanted to be a blogger of deals and steals but I want to come back to my little corner of the world and blog about me and Scott and Drew and homeschooling ( yes the H word) and Phil and Betsy and life and love and all things me. This is where i belong.  I have to figure out how to put some of the other blogs posts on this site so i don't lose them.

Where do I start?  We have been fighting the wonderful world of bullies and drew getting beat up and dealing with the school for not telling us.  Drew is asking for home school again.  He is tired of it and wants to feel safe.  We meet with the school again on Monday for an emergency IEP and I think the will be seeing things my way for the end of the this year.  I can file lawsuits with the best of them.

We are also finding that Drew may have APD (auditory processing disorder).  So off to the audiologist we go Monday afternoon.  Tomorrow Drew and I are off to San Francisco to meet with the Tourettes doc at UCSF.  Scott and I went last week and now Drew gets to go three times then a plan of action will be put into place.  They are also putting us in touch with an Asperger specialist at UCSF to help as well.

Wedding plans are on course as far as I can tell.  They tell me when they need something.  but otherwise i stay out of it.  Safer that way.

Scott is getting ready to run a half marathon.  His goal is to finish in the top 10 my goal would be to have fun and finish.  I have started going back to the gym.  well until the doc benched me because I tore a muscle so now I am waiting for the all clear to go back.

homeschool

Bet you didn't think I would be writing about this topic again for a long long time did you? On the way to school this morning Drew told me we needed to talk. GREAT I thought not knowing what was going to come through that little mouth. He asked when he could go back to home school. You see, he explained he is bored. The things they are doing in his class he has already done. In fact, He has lost some of the skills I taught him about writing paragraphs because those aren't topics until third grade and giving presentations (like we do for International day) is not even broached until 5th grade.

Drew asked if I could supplement what was going on in school with some things at home. He misses ancient history. So I am frantically searching for copies of Surley English grade 2 and 3 as well as Teaching Textbook unit3. He also wants to find Story of the World and our Bible pack and start those again. HE told me this way he would have the best of both worlds.

I did tell him we would not revisit homeschooling on a permanent basis until he was ready for 4th grade or until his therapists felt he was ready to handle it again. I would give anything to start now but I want him to be a little more ready to understand and handle it.

So now Drew is a schooled/homeschooled kid.

back

The past few weeks have been very emotional in our house. We got a new diagnosis for Drew. They think we are looking at childhood onset bipolar. It does explain a lot of things. But to hear them actually say it was devastating. I cried for 2 days. But I realized it could be a lot worse and moved forward. However after 2 melt downs one that almost caused us to call 911 to have him admitted to the hospital several things became apparent. One I can no longer home school Andrew. That breaks my heart. Maybe in a couple years we will try again but now he needs the structure of a special class room. I just am unable at this time to give Drew what he needs to be successful.

Secondly, I realized how hard the last 3 years have been on me. We moved to ABQ, Phil was in a horrific wreck and had to have surgery. Then Scott had a perforated colon and 2 pulmonary embolisms. He survived 2 surgeries and recovered. Then as he was getting ready for his first bike race after that event he was hit by a car and had a broken collar bone. That didn't heal right and requires surgery 6 months later.

For the last 3 years I have focused on everyone but me. That is the way I am but now I am tired, hollow, empty, lonely, and just plain exhausted. I broke last night. I cried for 3 hours. It all just came out. I cried for all that had changed - as far back as my mom being sick, losing her and my grandparents, the changes in my dad, the relationship with my sister the list goes on. It was a mouring of sorts.

I have spent today pretty much on my bed doing home work, sleeping, thinking and just being by myself.

I started looking at random blogs and saw that many people were taking the month of November to blog daily about what they are thankful for. It got me to change my way of thinking. I should not be having a pity party so I resolve for the next month I will do just that. Everyday talk about something I am thankful for. God has blessed our family in so many ways. My husband is still alive, my son is about to graduate from college, my younger son can be managed with medication and lots of teaching by those more qualified than me.

A friend whose blog I follow annonomously had this song on her blog today. And I think it is a good place for me to start.

Cathy

Saturday Morning

Well it is Saturday morning. Again. Scott and his friends are on a re-con ride getting ready for the GranFondo which is coming up in a few weeks. I am staring at a mound of laundry. But instead I think Drew and I will go get lunch and go to the library. And Skippy needs his nails cut, and the car needs washed, and I am sure I can find 10 other things to do besides the laundry. But it will be waiting for me no matter what. So I will get it started.

We are getting ready to start our next section of ancient history. We will be spending a month or so studying Ancient Egypt. I have some fun stuff planned. We are going to mummify a chicken. I will take pictures to help document this one.

CHILL has started up again. Yesterday was like the first day of school for our homeschoolers. There was such excitement in the air as everyone gathered. New students, old students, new and old moms - all with the mission of giving their kids one more outlet for learning. Drew is taking Spanish, Nutrition and Getting ready for Fort Ross. That is several posts in itself so stay tuned for our living/learning time at Ft. Ross. I am teaching ASL. I have a great group of kids. My co teacher is such a great funny lady she should be the head teacher because she can keep their attention better than me. But together we make a GREAT team. I swear if I could I would get her on Last Comic Standing. She would walk away with it all.

IF I had my way Drew and I would be spending the day at Disneyland. Too bad it is a 6 hour car trip. I wish it was closer. I would never get laundry done. I tried to convince Scott we needed to go again for Halloween but I was informed that Christmas in Florida was enough. HUMPH.

We are headed camping next weekend with our CHILL group. We are going to the sand dunes of Bodega Bay. The weather is supposed to be good. LASt camping trip of the year. We need to start thinking about where we want to go next summer so we can get it booked. People start booking campsites in February for the summer. So I need to pin Scott down on where we are going. WHAT AM I SAYING????? No one would believe I enjoy camping now. There is something totally different about camping in California.

well the laundry waits and drew is STARVING.

FTPD

C

Am I on a roll? 2 days in a row!!!!!

do you know why I love being a SAHHSM (Stay At Home Home SChool MOM)? Mornings like this one. It was kind of cold and drizzly and we woke up abut 730 or so. Scott and Drew talked for awhile and when I rolled out of bed Drew decided he wanted waffles for breakfast. Fine by me. I pulled out the waffle maker, mixed up some batter and we had home made waffles on a rainy Thursday morning. There is no rushing to get up, get dressed, get breakfast, make lunches, run out the door in different directions. We had a nice leisurely morning. School starts about 10. Done by 1 or so. Then off for an afternoon of fun.

I actually have 2 Tastefully Simple Parties booked. Hopefully a third on the horizon. If you don't live around Sacramento I can always arrange the worlds simplest catalog party. Tastefully Simple makes it easy to have a catalog party anywhere in the country and the new summer line is amazing. Questions - let me know.