Yup - but the small town is almost ALL young families. Housing is significantly less expensive than in the suburbs, the school district is good, and it's not too far away from a lot of areas. My dh's commute is only about 25-30 minutes - which is about what it would have been, if not more if we would have lived in the suburbs.
Oh, and the kindergarten classes are kept to a fairly small size - something like 17, I believe (I could be wrong).
I should add that my younger son burst out crying while we were talking about school the other day. He thought he was going to be in the same class as his big brother (he loves to play with the girls in that class), and was bitterly disappointed to learn that he'd be with the other 6 year olds.
I think my younger son is ready for school, ready to learn to read, but it will definitely be a transition for him.
Good luck to you -- and me.
Thanks Norway Mom!
My daughter is just devastated that ds is going to be gone all day. I told my dh that he needed to work at home the first morning of school starting because I know she is going to be a wreck! I wouldn't put it past her to try to get on the bus, in fact! She keeps insisting she is going to go to school with ds and with the twins. And bursting into tears when I gently try to tell her that she won't be in class with them. Whichever pre-school class she gets into - they are both in the same BUILDING as the boys, but obviously not in the same room. So, I try to emphasize that part. If she could write her letters, I'd send her this year (if I could - which I can't because she just turned 3!). Because otherwise she is ready.
Good luck to you too Norway Mom!
Oh I would sure fight for it ....too bad that the school is missing the big picture and when it comes to Autism and PDD, Social skills are the primary deficit.
Call the principal and make an appointment.
I figured I would wait until tomorrow as I am sure she is inundated today with calls. I know how that goes! Not to mention that they have someone's child answering the phones (I'm serious! She sounds like she is in about 5th grade or so). So, trying to leave messages hasn't been very easy. I'm guessing they are overwhelmed with calls.
Again, it may be that the mom specifically requested that the kids NOT be together and I am really suspecting that to be the case. I think she may want her kids to branch out more - particularly the quiet one. Unfortunately, my ds isn't terribly capable of doing that and some of these kids will have known each other for a long time (from pre-school)...
That's too bad. My younger son has social delays and will be starting school on Monday. We and the pre-school had informed the school that two particular children would be good choices to have in his class, but we didn't get either of them. At least he will have two other preschool classmates in his class.
6 kindergarten classes, btw? I thought you were in a small town!
Just found out that ds is NOT in class with the twins.
However, it may have been the mom's request to not have them together. Her response when we found out they weren't in the same class was that, "Well then they won't get sick of each other all day at school and they can play when they get home." Which I understand. But, since she doesn't know ds' diagnosis (perhaps I should have told her earlier!) - it doesn't help ds. He will be all day with kids he doesn't know. I was almost COUNTING on him being in class with the twins. I have a call in to the director of special ed (who is conveniently out of his office today) and will ask about recess/lunch etc. and if the classes are together then. There are six kindergarten classes.
The twins' mom told me that the child of a friend of hers ALSO didn't get in the twins class (that mom had requested it as well). Thankfully that child is not in ds' class either because he seemed kind of a bully.
Anyway, LOTS more work to do than I anticipated now for the beginning of school. I don't know how to tell ds. I told him that it was quite possible the twins would NOT be in his class all summer, but he basically said he didn't want to go to school then.
I'm just SO upset right now!
Okay, I'm calmed down now. We went to ds' school to drop off his IEP from his old school (his old school somehow never got around to mailing it!
Anyway, we saw the principal and talked to her. She assured me that ds' teacher is awesome and has worked with several kids on the spectrum. And, the twins will be right next door and those classrooms often work together on things - and they will have recess and lunch together as well. Whew!
We also met ds' teacher when we walked back to the classrooms to look around. Ds went to the bathroom while we were there (I try to encourage him to go each time we're there because that was a big issue last year about not going at school). The teacher seemed very nice, really took time with us and ds really liked her. Finally, he said to me, "You know what mama? I think I'm really going to like school!" Hurray! For the last month he has said he doesn't want to go because it's all-day and that's too tiring. Today was the first positive I've heard from him. I haven't told him the twins aren't in his class yet, though. Think I'll wait on that while we still have positive feelings about school today!
So anyway, the school did have a method to their madness. They put him in a class with a teacher experienced in dealing with kids on the spectrum AND right next door to his friends so that he will have some time to interact with them, but not get sick of them or have issues when other kids play with them. For now, I'm sort of okay with this! Thanks everyone for listening!