One thing that is constant is change

After just 3 months in the ED special education class in Poway Unified School District at Painted Rock we are looking for other schooling options for Calvin.
The IEP team has submitted an application to two non-public schools: Springall ACademy and San Diego Center for Children. There is a district employee who looks at the children and then decides where they thing the best fit would be in terms of a non public school. I am going to visit these two schools and I will also visit a couple of other schools so that I have a better idea of what is out there that might suit Calvin's needs.

It is really weird to me that the school is offering to pay for private schooling for Calvin (at a cost of $30K/year) after such a short trial in the ED class. The only guesses I have are: either they are really scared I am about to sue them or they are really on top of things and see that he is not making good progress in his current class and want to expedite the process of getting him moving in the right direction. That or they just want to get rid of him. After all, even though it costs a ton of $ to send him away it is not their $ they are spending. . .

Anyway, whatever the case may be, we are on another journey to find placement for Calvin. Back in november we visited all of the special needs classes the district has that might work for him. OF those we saw the ED class was really the only feasible option and though I think he has been doing better there in terms of getting work done, he is not really making great improvements in behavior. So now our options are 1. leave him in this placement or 2. find another school.

I have mixed feelings about this venture. First, I am grateful we don't have to sue the district or pay $$$ to hire an educational advocate to take the next step. However, I am sad to see Calvin move further and further from the general education route and "regular" kids. It is also a difficult decision because I don't have any experience with any of these schools and feel such great pressure to do what would be best while I feel I am not equipped to do so.

When he moved to the ED class we were told that the usual discipline rules don't apply and that when Calvin escalates we won't be called and told to come get him. However, he has been suspended 5 days since starting the ED class so they are changing the rules a bit. I feel like their attitude has changed from, "we can work through this" to "we can't deal with this." With such an attitude Calvin is sure to fail so for this reason I feel added pressure to take him out of Painted Rock.

These special education schools had more highly trained support staff who are used to dealing with difficult kids. I hope we can find someplace where Calvin will thrive. He is such a smart and wonderful boy underneath his anger, tantrums and coping problems. He has such potential if we can help him find himself and develop his talents. I pray every day that as parents we will find the key to unlock his amazing potential. I am hopeful with each change that we make that we have found that magic jelleybean and then I am devastated when I see that there was no magic after all. Unfortunately there will not be a quick and easy solution, but I keep hoping that over time we will find success for him.

I also don't know if in hoping he will pass through these troubles if I am asking for a miracle or if it is a reasonalbe goal to help him work towards a more normal life. Either way, I cling to that hope as only a mother can and live one day at a time.