Last night I dreamed about these two schools: Springall and SD Center for Children. I am thinking about them so much and trying to figure out which would be best for Calvin or if there is something that I will find at another school. I am going to tour 2 more schools next week and I think at that point I will be ready to make a decision as to where we should send Calvin.
We have already decided that we will send him to a non-public school. It makes me sad to have him leave Painted Rock. I love having him at the same school as Clare and I love having him close to home. I like that he can participate in chorus there. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent as we visit these other schools that Painted Rock does not have the support Calvin needs. There is a reason these other schools exist -- it is to help kids like Calvin! And, I think they are fairly successful at it. At Calvin's elementary school, he is in a special education classroom with staff trained to work with Calvin but when he escalates they have nobody to turn to for help. At these other schools they have the classroom teachers + lots of extra staff to take a kid out and work with them one on one or pull them into another room where they can have a break as needed. Nobody is annoyed or mad when a child melts down. It is expected that they will and the staff feels it is their job to help the child in the moment but also to teach the skills necessary to improve function in the future. This is a 100% change from the reaction of the painted rock staff who are frustrated, upset and feel they do not have time to help someone so difficult. It is not their job. I understand that. And that is why we will be making a change.
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