2nd Quarter in the Books

It is hard to believe that the 2nd quarter of school has been completed and report cards have come home.

Once again,  Emily and Matthew's hard work has paid off resulting in both of them achieving the highest academic honor of Principal's List. 

I always find these posts a little hard to write because I don't want to come off as a bragging parent, but I also want to showcase the hard work the kid's have put into their academics. 

Emily has had to really learn to juggle academics and sports this quarter. Although she participated in soccer, those practices and games seemed to be done by 6. This was not the case for basketball. In addition to the sports factor, a few subjects have been focusing on developing new skills (especially in math) which has required more time and effort on her part. I have to say Emily found a real groove through the month of December but when Christmas break occurred followed by several weeks where there were scheduled days off and snow days, she lost her focus and the last two weeks of the quarter made that apparent. Thankfully her earlier commitment kept her overall grade average very high. 

Although the new academic quarter has started, Emily has a few weeks to get back into her "groove" before volleyball starts. Volleyball is the sport she has really wanted to play. However, she has been advised by us that she needs to prove her focus and ability to handle a full schedule are in place in order to be allowed to play. Yes, it may seem a little harsh but that is how we do it here in the Wessel home. 

Matthew also has had a great quarter. One subject we've learned that he truly loves is history. Math he has little trouble with and grasps new concepts very easily but he will tell you it is "not my favorite". The only issue we really had to deal with is his lack of wanting to do homework. Yes, this included much whining and complaining but the consequence of 15 minutes taken off his weekend Xbox play time for every time he is caught complaining has help changed that. He still doesn't "desire" to do it but he keeps those thoughts to himself. 

So here we go another quarter and half the school year is in the books. 

I would ask that you continue to pray for Emily and Matt as they continue in their studies and for Dave and I as we give them the support they need to do their personal best. 

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Hard Work Pays Off

This is the second year Emily and Matt are attending Hackensack Christian School. 

Last year went well for their first year in a new school and we were very pleased with their academic performances. We did know going into this year it would be a whole new ball game.

Matthew is now in 3rd grade (hard to believe) where the work is getting harder and more detailed. This year he has started learning "true" American History. I was somewhat concerned on how he would take to it but let me tell you he LOVES it. Every day he tells me more and more facts he is learning about the characters from history - Squanto, Miles Standish, William Penn, George Washington, etc. He loves imparting his new knowledge on me even when he isn't studying. His easiest subject but not his most favorite is math. Clearly he has his dad's mathematical mind. Matt's report card showed he is doing extremely well earning him a place on the school's "Principal's List" (their highest academic achievement list). The funniest part is that his lowest grade was in PE. What can I say he is not a "gym" kid.

Emily has now started 5th grade. This year the 4th, 5th and 6th grade teachers are teaching their strength subjects for the 3 grades and the kids are changing classes accordingly. Emily surprised us from the onset taking very easily to this system and the teacher's different teaching styles. This year we are having her work more independently. Although we help her with questions she has on homework, we do not correct her work before it is turned in allowing her teachers to see the areas in which she struggles. Dave and I do help her with studying for quizzes and tests and have helped her develop a few systems, especially in history, that help her retain large chunks of material when it comes to the  comprehensive chapter tests. We also recognize the fact that because she does struggle on the larger comprehensive tests that that grade may not be as high as her quizzes and that is okay. Our feeling is that if we see and know that she has worked hard the grade she receives will truly reflects her knowledge.....we also know when she does not put effort or time into her work and for that she does have consequences. As parents of a child with learning issues, we find that each year we are learning more about how to help Emily by being involved in some area, staying out of others but always being firm and keeping her informed on her progress. This year we are really striving to get her to understand her need to study over the course of a few days and not just the day before. We also do not allow her needs to be an excuse for not trying or lack of effort. Being in tune with her abilities allows us to be able to work with her to be successful no matter what letter grade is earned. As parents, we know when a lower grade is hard earned and when it is a lack of effort.  

Now Emily did start school sports this year and because we knew this would help her socially, we decided to be a little more lenient on our overall "grade" expectations. When she started soccer, we told her we were looking for B's. Knowing the work of 5th grade, the time for practice and games and the time left over for school work we didn't think this was unreasonable. We also thought it would help her to not put too much pressure on herself and enjoy both the sports and academics of school.

Emily's work this first marking period was amazing considering the addition of sports. She also earned a place on the Principal's List for her academic achievements. Now, we do realize that this may be only a first period achievement but we will continue to help her strive to achieve her best work. 

I don't want to say we are proud of our kid's for their grades, we are proud of them for all the work they have put in achieving those grades. Hard work does truly pay off!
As always, thanks for stopping by!

Last Day of School, Last Day of School

Wow! It is hard to believe I'm actually saying those words, "last day of school". It feels like we were only just celebrating Christmas and attending the kid's Christmas program. Truly, time does pass quickly as you get older. 

This year was a year of change when it came to school. The kids had been attending public school since preschool. Then, God laid it on our hearts to send them to Christian school and we laid it in His hands to allow it to happen financially. We knew that if this was where God wanted them He would provide. Once again, God has proven that when our lives and decisions are placed in His hands "that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28 NLT). In September 2012, the kids started attending Hackensack Christian Schools.

Now, please know that it has not been an easy year, we are not promised easy! We started the year by having to have Emily reevaluated for special education services which resulted in her official classification of "autistic". When it comes to Emily's learning challenges, I'm always very honest.  When this reevaluation was being done, I was "hoping" that with all the time, effort and early intervention done on Emily's behalf that the classification would have been different. It was a selfish moment on my part, wanting to take away the challenges that will always be there in regard to her having autism. BUT I also know that God made Emily exactly the way He wanted and that she has been and will be used mightily for His glory. Also, Emily's learning challenges has made my faith in God grow and also helped me become a true advocate for my children's needs. It has also given me the opportunity to support other parent's, especially mom's, of kids with similar learning issues. This is something I never would have thought of myself doing and of course I only am equipped because of the gift of Emily. 

I have to say this is the first year in quite a while where I have been very actively involved in Emily's progress and her day to day school assignments. This is mainly due to the fact that we are attempting to "teach" Emily how to structure her time and learning as she gets into the older grades, to be more self sufficient.  This is not because we do not want to help her, but our thinking has always been that we need to train her to be able to function in society and as much as possible without us as a safety net. After all, we will not be with her at college, job interviews, career, etc. 

Emily had a first year teacher, a wonderful man, who had not experienced dealing with a special needs student on a full time basis. Thankfully with his support, the special ed services and the school principal, Emily had an academically successful year. 

As a matter of fact, all Emily's hard work and our "monitoring" assisted in Emily being awarded a trophy for "Most Improved" in the school's 4th grade class. We are so very proud of all the effort she puts forth. Emily works hard for her grades and knowing her capabilities, strengths and weaknesses we come along side her to be the most "successful" she can be.

Emily really liked school this year too!! How do we know? She also was awarded a trophy for perfect attendance. This was a first for her. I guess she really liked being at school, with her teacher and classmates, that she didn't want to miss one day.

Matt had a few challenges this year too! Of course, if you know Matt personally, you know he has no trouble socially. Academically, Matt did very well - his biggest strength being in Math and he got to participate in the school's Spelling Bee. He also really enjoyed Bible class. We are always surprised how many details he knows when we start talking about certain Bible stories and he is constantly asking us to "Bible quiz" him during dinner. They are required to learn cursive and it is taught in 2nd grade.  Matt did struggle with this at first - we spent many nights erasing and rewriting words. Within the last month of the year, his cursive/penmanship has totally transformed. When I would review his spelling words, I would have to look twice because of how amazing they looked.
Matt did struggle a little this year with the personal habit of sucking his thumb. Thankfully, his teacher worked with us in trying to implement a plan that would help him to "refrain" from this during school time. We did get him to stop but recently he has regressed a little bit. Something to work on for next year.

Matt did receive a completion of work certificate and received an "A" average in all his subjects throughout the entire year. He did not have perfect attendance but did enjoying going to school, being with his teacher and classmates. He did tell us that he is going to try and get a trophy next year. We said, "it is a good goal to set".
Emily and Matt have been re enrolled to attend Hackensack Christian School next year. Over the summer, we would appreciate it if you would pray for Emily and Matt as we do some work to prep them for 5th and 3rd grade. Please pray for their teachers as they prepare for next year. Also, pray for Dave and I, especially me, as I continue to work on behalf of the kids, especially Emily as the workload and work get harder.

For now, their uniforms are in for their final washing of the 2012-2013 school year. We are looking forward to the summer filled with fun, friends and family vacations.
Oh and on a final note, thank you to all who have prayed our kids through this past school year and for the support you have given us in making this school year happen at HCS. We are truly  grateful!

Grandparents' Day

One thing I love about the kid's school is the way they involve the entire family into the educational process. 

Next week, the school is having Granparents' Day. Grandparents are able to come and spend the morning with the kids in the classroom, chapel and lunch. Sadly, both sets of grandparents live far away making this not an easy opportunity for them to particiapte but I still love the fact that the school wants to invlove them.

W-H-I-S-P-E-R

Last Friday, Matt participated in his first ever Spelling Bee.

We practiced a few weeks prior to the bee. Sadly, Matt got stumped in the preliminary rounds by the word whisper. We were proud of his effort but even more proud when we heard that he had no negative reaction when he was told he was "out".  As a matter of fact when he came back to the room where I was waiting with the other parents, he told me he didn't make it because the word whisper gave him trouble but "that's okay". It was like he was letting me down gently that he wasn't going to the final rounds.  

Ironically, this week's spelling words include the word whisper.  

I took this picture prior to the bee starting ..... Matt was being a little goofy while waiting, no surprise there!!

S-P-E-L-L spells "Spell"

On Friday when coming out of his classroom, Matt handed me a paper and said "here".  Most papers come in his Friday folder, so I was curious what he was handing me. I read the title on the page "2nd grade spelling bee practice word list". Matt was one of the 2nd grade students chosen to participate in the spelling bee their school hosts.

I spoke briefly with his teacher regarding his spelling ability. I have noticed that I don't need to go over his spelling words with him for his Friday tests. The weekly work he does copying them seems to saturate his brain on how the words are spelled. Recently I've noticed him trying to spell Emily's words as I review them with her for her weekly test. As a matter of fact, sometimes we will do "quiz offs" where I give them a word and if the one can't spell it, it goes to the other. Most of the time, I give Matt the "easier" words but what surprises me is for never having studied the words he tends to spell them correctly. 

During our car ride home from school, I told him what an honor it was to be asked to be in the spelling bee and explained how one works, as he has never participated in a spelling bee. Of course, being a 7 year old boy he intends to "win a trophy". I chose my words wisely as I explained that winning is not important but doing your best is what is expected. He still expects to win a trophy. Oh, the age of confidence!! 

Of course, Emily was in the car during this conversation. She had checked her folder to see if she had gotten a list or a letter regarding the spelling bee. She did not.  

This is one of the hard jobs as a mom - being excited for one child and encouraging them while another is feeling left out or dare I say inadequate. I noticed her quietness so I asked her if she was bothered by the fact she wasn't chosen. She said a quiet, "maybe". Another moment to choose my words wisely. I explained that each of us is made differently and we are sometimes better at one thing than another. I told her that where Matthew is good at spelling, she is good at art - which she quickly corrected me to "fashion designing". Yes, I agreed whole heartedly "you are an excellent fashion designer". I explained to both of them how they need to support each other in the things they do well and cheer each other on in doing their best.....that is what is important! Our conversation didn't last much longer as they changed the topic as usual to something silly.  

Although the moment was "uncomfortable", I found my ground in this mothering moment. I want to be able to express my excitement for each of my kid's individual abilities in the presence of the other child and for them to be excited for their siblings accomplishments without feeling inferior.  In order to include Emily in this, I will have her help Matt study some of his words. By helping him, I'm hoping she will feel she is assisting him in his accomplishment. So, if he does well she can be a part of the celebration and if he doesn't she can tell him how well he did in trying.

By the way, the spelling bee is on February 1st and we'll let you know how he does. In the meantime, we will be studying our w-o-r-d-s.

HCS Elementary Christmas Program

Thursday night was a special night because Emily and Matthew participated in their school's elementary Christmas program. 

This year the kid's started attending a Christian school. Most people ask us why we chose to have our kids go to private school and our answer is simple - we felt God wanted them there. Sadly, God has been removed from the school system.  What I find interesting is that I am expected to be tolerant of what has been deemed as "politically correct" and yet what I believe in most, God, has been removed from the educational arena. This in itself is a whole other post which I am not yet prepared to write. 

I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to hear my children along with their fellow schoolmates sing and speak of the true meaning of Christmas - Christ, our Savior's birth. 

Emily was thrilled that she along with the girls in her fourth grade class got to sing a portion of "Go Tell it on the Mountain." Matthew was excited that he was chosen to play Joseph while the Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classes sang "Away in a Manger" & "Silent Night".

Oh, sweet Matthew that boy is one enthusiastic performer. He sang with such happiness.  

What made this "event" even more special is that their Grandpa & Grandma Wessel came to NJ for their annual Christmas visit and made it in time to attend the program.

A friend did make a video of the program but I am unable to get it to load on my blog.
Let me just say it was excellent! Well done kids!!

Another Good Report

Last Friday, we received the kid's report cards for the 1st quarter of school. 

To say we are pleased is an understatement!! Both kids brought home report cards containing A's & B's. 

We knew the kids were adjusting to their new school but this showed that their grades have not suffered from the change. Both did very well in the new subject of Bible. Matthew is learning cursive and doing well. I think he likes the fluidity of cursive compared to the structure of printing. Emily is continuing to adjust to the change of Social Studies to true History but her grade showed no hiccup to the dramatic change. 

Academically they are doing very well. Once again, Dave and I feel confident that the decision made to send them to HCS was a true direction from God that this is where He wants them to be.  

Please continue to pray for them in the school year that they will grasp new concepts and work to the best of their abilities.  Pray for their teachers, Mr. Kline (Emily) and Ms. Brown (Matt), that God will give them direction as they teach. Pray for me as I continue to help the kids navigate through their studies.

A New Path

Yesterday we had Emily's ISP meeting. I'm pleased to say it went very well.  As you will recall, Emily started attending a private school this year and required a re-evaluation of her continued need for special education services. 

During the meeting, we went over the extensive testing that was done along with the neurology report.  Emily has been classified as autistic. Her areas of struggle continue to be the same: written, expressive and pragmatic speech - social cues and conversation. One thing we did learn from this new testing is that she also struggles with short term memory.  This makes the memorizing of material difficult especially if she is required to repeat something verbatim, even if just told to her. 

Emily, not to our surprise, showed that her strength is in visualization techniques. Without going into a long exhaustive explanation of the tests that support this all I can say is this is an area where she excels.

Of course, we will be working hand in hand with the school and Emily's teacher to provide the tools she needs to successful. 

I personally came away with a new perspective on Emily having been made aware of how her memory is very limited.  One thing we are doing now is making pictures to go along with material needing to be studied for quizzes and tests. Our first attempt with this technique is in history.  The idea behind this is that the pictures she draws will help her recall the material she needs to know.  It may take some time to get use to the technique but I am excited to see where she takes this. 

One area we do need to look into further is how to help her in the area of learning social cues and conversation in a small group.  Please pray as we research this and determine how we can best help her.

As always, we are so thankful to God that He gave us the gift of Emily.  He has led us through this journey thus far and we know that He will be with us as we continue to advocate and assist Emily in the years to come.

Once again, thank you for allowing me to share. 

History and Attitude.....Oil and Water

Recently I've been very open and honest in writing about Emily's learning issues and the current re-evaluation underway. 

Its my desire to continue down this path of honesty with all of you and the struggles we face. Why? First, so if anyone reading this is facing similar struggles they can know they are not alone. Secondly, it will give those of you who pray for us on a regular basis specifics on what you can pray for.

This week has been particularly difficult especially in the area of history. Of course, Fourth Grade history itself is an adjustment because it is true history. Up to this point, Social Studies has been about social interaction and community with tidbits of history. 

Emily has done well thus far but I noticed while studying for a quiz and test this week that she seemed not to be grasping the information. We studied every night this week going over the same questions and still it wasn't sinking in. I have to say that each day her attitude going into studying for these this week was not good. She wasn't thrilled that she had homework and had to study. Sadly, I've noticed a shift in her attitude lately. If something doesn't interest her, or isn't her "thing" she is tending to "check out".  Each time we studied I told her that she needed to put effort into it and needed to change her attitude.  I admit I also told her that if she received a poor grade she would have consequences....not because of the grade but because of the attitude with which she has approached studying this week.  Friday, when I came to get her from school, she was apprehensive when she told me I needed to talk with her teacher.  I knew what that meant and the teacher confirmed that Emily did get a low grade on the test. 

You see here is where the "struggle" lies. We know Emily's capabilities. We know when she likes something she is all in. A nuance of her learning issue is that when she really likes something she becomes almost obsessed with it. It becomes something she constantly talks about and her conversations always include or lead back to it. Paris would be an example of this and most recently a computer game called "Animal Jam". What we are trying to get Emily to understand is that in school there are going to be subjects you like and subjects you don't and the subjects you may not like or find  "boring" you still have to try and not just give up.  

We don't allow Emily to use her learning issues or the fact that she has an IEP be an excuse to not try or give up. As a matter of fact, only this year was Emily even aware of what an IEP is and that she has one. Considerations and adjustments are made to assist her in the classroom but she also needs to be present in the classroom and pay attention when she is given specific instructions. 

Personally, we know areas and concepts where she struggles and may struggle in the future but we've explained to her that there is a difference between trying hard and getting a low grade and getting a low grade due to lack of effort or interest.  

In the end, this weekend Emily has not been allowed to play "Animal Jam" due to her history test and also an issue on a math test. Because this is something she loves so much, we hope that she will understand that a bad attitude not only can lead to a bad grade but to real consequences.

We tell both kids that right now school is their job. Yes, we want our kids to have fun and be well rounded but education is vital and they need to be dialed in. 

Having a child with learning issues still requires us to be a parents and part of parenting is discipline and holding them accountable for their actions.  Disciple is not a cruel act it is an act of love. I've said it before, Emily is a gift given to us by God and it is our "job" to train her in the way she should go and there are times that that training includes the uncomfortableness of discipline.  

Please pray for Emily as she is struggling with the "attitude" of a preteen, pray for us to lead her correctly through this very confusing time as she is experiencing these moments of attitude. Also, pray that we will be able to help her through the areas she finds "boring" and still have her understand the importance of doing your best. 

As always, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share!

Are these in English?

This week the individual reports from Emily's IEP re-evaluation have started to come in the mail.   

Reading these reports are almost like reading another language. Most of the time as I read them I am like "huh?" but I always muddle through in order to see what I can glean.  

How different this is from Emily's first evaluation and the "diagnosis" of high functioning autism was made when she was 5.  I chose not to do any research on autism or read articles about it.  My main reason being that I knew I could make this into a bigger thing than it is. You know what I mean. How many times have we had an ache or a pain and decided to innocently look it up on the internet and by the time we are done we believe we have a life threatening disease. Knowledge is good but it can also lead us in a totally wrong direction. I also didn't do this because I knew God had blessed us with Emily exactly how she was and I didn't want to try and find "reasons" why this happened to her. God made her exactly the way He intended her to be for His glory. 

Five years later times have changed. My purpose for interpreting these reports is to not only try and confirm their findings with what we experience with Emily at home but also to prepare for what we want to make sure she receives for assistance in her new IEP/ISP. 

Of course the reports are filled with tests administered, rankings, averages, etc. and to be honest it can be a little disheartening to see on paper how your child struggles but it also shows me how great God is. 

Emily has received such excellent assistance to date and even though she struggles she tries so hard to do her best and her grades have continually showed it.

A main area of struggle for Emily is her expressive speech but I have to tell you it doesn't defeat her.  As a matter of fact in her English class, they have been learning the steps to writing.  Do you know that she has decided to write a book, "McKenna and the Haunted House"? This is a girl who has difficulty forming structured sentences verbally and in written for yet she wants to write a book. Clearly she doesn't know or care what the reports say. 

As I read these reports, I get the academia of them, the ranking but I know the spirit of my daughter and I know that although things can be hard to express for her and maybe socially she can't always hold a conversation the people that do get to know her are going to have a loyal and loving and oh so creative friend.

Last week I had the opportunity to speak with the Region V Speech/Language Consultant for the school after she observed Emily in gym class. She had told me how Emily was doing some beautiful pirouettes and how she has such a connection with how her body moved in the motion.  The consultant also mentioned how she has heard of Emily's drawings and interest in design. Then she said something to me that has stayed with me and is my new thinking. She expressed how Emily is a twice exceptional child. What I took from her explanation is that Emily is an exception due to her learning disability but she is also an exception due to her creative side - twice exceptional.  She also advised to pour our efforts into those areas Emily excels so she can have confidence and fulfillment in those and that will carry over into the areas she struggles. It was one of the most positive conversations I've had with a learning specialist and I'm thankful for all the insight she gave me.

More reports will come, more will need to be deciphered but in the end when we come together to put a program into place for Emily I know the most important person is going before us and that is God. I know He will provided for Emily in a way that will bring Him the most glory. I also know that He will be with Dave and me, the principal and her teacher as we all desire the best for Emily.  

A Good Report

Its been a little over a month that the kids have been attending their new school and so far they have adjusted quite well. Although Emily and Matthew are enjoying their new classmates and  teachers, they have expressed that they miss their friends & teachers at Washington School.  

On Friday, we received an academic progress report for the kids. I'm happy to report that academically they have adjusted well.  Matt and Emily are currently achieving the same grades they were in their previous school.  This is a relief considering all the "new" things they have encountered: class size, classmates, teachers, curriculum, etc. 

Emily's favorite class is Art - not really surprised, she loves to create.  Matt loves Bible and is doing an amazing job in learning cursive.  I thought cursive would be a battle as he doesn't really like writing all that much but he has taken to the fluidity of it.  He was so excited to learn how to write his name in cursive. One area he has expressed a lot of interest in is music. Matthew wants to play guitar and is interested in learning piano - this is something we are considering as lessons can be given through the school's music conservatory.  

Please continue to pray for them as the year continues that they will continue to adjust and enjoy their new school. 

A Piece of the Puzzle

I previously mentioned that Emily was going through a re-evaluation in regard to her IEP now that she is enrolled in a new school. 

Today we had an appointment with the Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrician. He is a very nice man. Emily was very nervous even though I kept reassuring her "this doctor doesn't give shots" and he was just going to ask her questions and talk with her.

I was up first giving Emily's developmental history from the time we had our first concerns through all the services she's received over the last 6 years.  Mind you I have not had to give a history regarding Emily for 6 years....funny how much you can recall when needed.  

After my meeting with him, Emily had her turn.....I had "homework" and had to fill out another behavioral form while I waited for them to finish. Emily thought it hilarious I had "homework". 

We quickly met all together for him to get some physical vitals (height, weight, BP, etc.) on Emily and then he had me into the office while Emily waited in the waiting room.

He told me she is sweet and endearing and that he would classify her within the autistic spectrum.  Emily's main struggles are within her pragmatic and conversational speech and lacks social skills and cues. Now I know some of you are saying "what, that's not Emily!" But I am telling you that although hearing that was like a punch in my stomach that is Emily.  

Emily get's stuck within her own thoughts of what she finds important and interesting and when talking with people she makes statements but does not really look to engage in conversation regarding what she is talking about. If you can get a word in don't change the topic.....she will bring it right back to what she is interested in. You can see how for an adult this may seem sweet that she is so emphatic about what she likes but peers may find it weird and awkward. Emily has difficulty in starting and holding conversations for even short periods of time. She also still has trouble where she isn't always clear in what she is saying....either omitting words or entire concepts.  I could give you examples but that would make this post way too long. 

Yes, Emily has come a long way from where she was but there is still work to be done. 

As a parent, my initial reaction to this classification was one of sadness.....mainly because of the social struggles Emily will endure in her future.  BUT in that same moment I was reminded of how God has provided for Emily these last 6 years.  She has made remarkable progress and thankfully she has been unaware of how she is "different" from other kids. But my heart still aches in concern, thinking of how kids in her age range can be cruel, and my momma bear instinct want to defend her from all hurt.  

I am reminded though that Emily is a gift to us from God and one that we have given back to Him.  It is our privilege as her parents to guide her and stand in the gap for her. We KNOW that God has an awesome plan for her life and it is our obligation and privilege to help her on her journey.

Now, all this being said we are still awaiting the complete findings from all of the evaluations (speech, psychological, etc.) that have been performed over the last several weeks.  Our meeting to review the findings and recommendations will be on November 8th.  At that time, we will know exactly what Emily will need to move from this point forward.

I also want to say that God truly works for our good. We decided to send the kids to HCS this year feeling led by God that this was what He desired from us and for them.  This re-evaluation was a result of that school change and I'm happy that we will have a current evaluation of Emily's needs right here and now. My heart although a little bruised from today is also being tightly held by my Savior who is telling me "I've got this, just give her to me".  

A New Horizon

As you all know, Emily and Matt started a new school this year. For Emily, it means a change in special ed "providers" for lack of a better word.  

The morning of September 21st, I met with two Bergen County Special Services workers, the school principal and Emily's current teacher to go over her case. It was strange having to go back in time and recall why and how we started Emily in the special services arena.

By the end of the meeting, it was determined that Emily would have a full re-evaluation determining if her current classification should be changed.  In the last week and a half, several "testings" and assessments have occurred during school hours. Tomorrow is her last in school assessment and then on Wednesday the 10th she has an appointment with the services pediatric neurologist. 

On November 8th, we will be meeting to hear the findings from their tests and assessments and see what services will be provided to her.

Although my first reaction was "oh no, not back to the beginning again", I'm actually pleased that this is happening.  By doing this, we will know exactly where Emily stands today, what areas she has conquered and where she still needs assistance. 

We will let you know what is determined but in the mean time if you could just please pray that those reviewing all these tests and assessments will be led to give her exactly what she needs to be the best Emily she can be.  

First "Week" of School

The reviews are in and the kids are both loving their new school.  

Dave and I knew God was leading us to send them to HCS and He has provided for us to do so but you never know how your child will react to a new school.  

Thankfully, the building is not that "new" to them as they have attended summer camp there the two previous summers and we also did attend that church when the kids were very, very young.  What also made it "easier" is that both Emily and Matt have kids in each of their classes who they currently attend church with at Bible Baptist.  

Emily loves her new class which is smaller and according to her "so much quieter". She really likes her new teacher, Mr. Kline, and is very excited about the year.  She gives school a thumbs up.

Emily is missed at her old school.  The girl she calls her "best friend" from Washington School called my cell phone wondering why Emily hasn't been at school.  I had to tell her that she is going to a new school but Emily still wants to "hang out" (we are passed the play date term) with her.  Her friend was happy to hear about future plans & I told her Emily would call her to set something up soon (she was still in school at the time of the call).  Emily was so glad to hear that her friend called and missed her.  

Matt said, "I would give it 500 thumbs up but I don't have that many fingers".  He loves his new classmates and teacher but confessed that he does miss his old teachers and friends at Washington School. I did ask him who from his new class he would want over for a play date and he said "all of them" - that's a good sign!

All in all it has been a smooth transition. The kids have adjusted well to the new wake up and pick up times, their new classmates, teachers and curriculum.  Next week, we will see how they acclimate to the homework schedule when it is in full swing.  We are considering this week a success!!  

Another 1st for the History Books

Today was the day! First day of school!  Its hard to believe that Emily is in Fourth Grade and Matthew is in Second. 

The kids both woke up with their alarms and hit the ground running - well, Matt had to do several stretches first.  I had told both of them before going to bed that when they woke up they needed to eat breakfast, get dressed and make their lunches - no DS, no TV, no Wii (summer is over).  

Emily was done with breakfast before Matthew even started. Matt and I decided his lunch options while he was eating breakfast. When he was done, he turned to me and said "now what?" I told him "get dressed" to which he relied "oh, right!" He was dressed very quickly even with socks and shoes.  Emily got her lunch together after getting dressed. It was a little strange because Matt was actually ready before Emily - that is a rarity. Both kids were ready to go out the door with their backpacks at 7:30. I can't believe I actually had to tell them to slow down and relax.

Of course, we had to take our first day of school pictures.  Sadly, the weather here was a little gloomy and gray so we took the annual photos indoors in front of the fireplace.

All smiles!!

Matthew is such a schmoozer!  While packing his lunch, he decided that he wanted to take one of the cookies we baked yesterday to Mrs. Horn, the school Principal. As soon as we walked in the school doors, he was searching her out. He found her and presented her with his "gift". He also told me that he shared another cookie with his new teacher, Miss Brown. This really didn't surprise me as Matthew shared a lot of his snack with his teacher last year. Both he and Emily love to give. A trait I hope they continue the rest of their lives.

When I picked the kids up from school, they were both very happy. Emily told me all about the time line they will be doing and was asking her teacher, Mr. Kline, when they would be starting it.  She was asking for homework already - crazy girl!  

Matt wanted to show me the pull down map he has in his classroom and the behavior sticks. You get four each day and can lose them for bad behavior.  He also showed me the responsibility chart and his "job".  I couldn't seem to get them to leave which isn't a bad thing.

I did find out that Emily, during recess, did have a moment of being upset but thankfully an older friend who knows her from church and now attends the school came over to see if she was alright. I am so happy she was there for her.

Tonight we headed out for our annual "back to school" dinner.  Dave has a work function this evening so the kids and I went to Friendly's to celebrate - after all you get a meal and a treat all in one place.  

We came home where Matt did a quick page and a half of homework (cursive writing here we come) and now both kids are getting some technology time before some quiet time and reading.  

It was a great first day and we are all looking forward to the year to come!!!

   

The Eve Before School

What do you do on the "eve" before school starts?

First, you declare the night before that tomorrow is "Trial Tuesday", send the kids to bed by 9 and set alarms for 7 a.m. The kids are attending a new school this year and their start time is 8:10.  Last year their start time was 8:40. We are also attempting to have the kids wake up to their own alarm clocks.  Matt's went off earlier than 7. Emily was out of bed like a bolt.  Matt was out of his bed and laying  on his floor - that is still out of bed!!

Second, head to the doctor to get yearly checkups. After all, you need to have those documents in hand when you step into school.

Third, grocery shopping. When you've been away on vacation the week before school starts you come home to an empty fridge.  Supplies for school lunches are a must.  I have to say I am looking forward to doing the food shopping alone again. Plus I KNOW the bill will be much less seeing little hands won't be adding items to the cart. :)

Fourth, have the kids clean their rooms while you get the house in order. Once again, being on vacation the week before gets you a little behind on housework.  Plus, the kids need clean spaces to chill and do home work now that school is back in session. The many unnecessary papers are tossed to make room for the year of paper that will fill our home. 

Fifth, make a treat to eat now and pack in the lunch boxes. 

The kids were happy to help in the making of some "lazy cake cookies".  Emily melted the butter while Matt cracked the eggs and beat them. Both of them helped in putting in the mini chocolate chips and mini m&m's. They enjoyed licking the bowl clean and were very happy to sample the finished product. 

Sixth, continue with a little more clean up and get uniforms ready. Emily already had her uniform out and ready early this morning. Matt, well, I pulled  his out for him.

Seventh, get in as much Wii as you possibly can because you know that after today it will only be a weekend occurrence and an "achieved" privilege on a weekday. 

Eighth, you get all the items for your lunch tomorrow pulled and put together in the fridge for lunch box transfer in the morning.  

Finally, you get in you pj's and watch some TV until you are told "time for bed".

It has been a very full and busy "eve" before school. Now we just have to pray that sleep comes easily for both kids. Tomorrow starts a whole new adventure - 4th grade for Emily and 2nd grade for Matt. 

Its Official

The school supplies have all been purchased and put in the kid's new backpacks.

There is a big change for the kids on the horizon. Last spring, Dave and I felt that God was leading us to have the kid's attend Christian school. After a presentation made by Hackensack Christian Schools  at our church, I was able to talk to the principal to discuss Emily's IEP and learning issues. She assured me that the school has in place assistance for kid's with learning needs.  I was able to go to an Open House and meet with the principal again where we discussed Emily's specific needs and the kids learning styles.   

Emily has made amazing strides over the last few years and currently the only extra service she receives is speech therapy (for expressive language) while all other assistance is in classroom and outlined in her IEP. It is because of her progress we felt that taking her out of the public school system was an option. 

During their winter break, the kids were able to go sit in and observe/participate with their current class and attend chapel. They both liked the school.  It is where they have gone to camp and of course we attended that church when the kids were very young prior to our going to BBC. Emily loved how quiet the class room was.

Before the school year ended, the kids were tested, we had our interview and the kids were accepted into the school.  

We've stepped out in faith, relying on God to provide in order for the kids to be able to attend this school and continue to do so. We know that if God desires for them to be there He will provide. 

The kids are excited and so are we. Their first day is Wednesday, September 5th. Please pray for them as they adjust to their new school, new curriculum and new friends.