End of summer and the start of school

I ended my last post stating that we needed to be more involved in the down syndrome community after the re-determination process.

Perfect timing, the National Down Syndrome Congress had their annual convention in Phoenix and we were able to attend.  It was a great eye opening experience with a lot of information for parents and advocates of those with down syndrome.  My husband and I both agreed that it was definitely worth our time and a great experience for our entire family.  I will say briefly that the seminars about inclusion in the education system opened our eyes.  We realized we were actually doing the opposite of what many families at the conference were fighting for.  We had our son registered in the special education program in the public school system but worked it so that he would be put into the general education classroom as much as possible.

Let me back track a little.  Prior to the conference we had been trying to decide where we would place our daughter for the next school year.  An opportunity to attend another charter school had opened and we considered switching her.  While filling out paperwork at the new charter school, one of the administrators introduced himself and started talking to both kids.  He asked why we were not also registering my son.  I explained that he had special needs, specifically down syndrome.  He scoffed at me (in a nice way) and said there was no reason why my son could not also attend the school like his sister.  He further added that the school has students with IEP's and handles students with IEP's all the way through high school.  He encouraged me to submit an application for my son and even went so far as contacting the Special Education Coordinator and having her contact me personally.  Ultimately it was his encouragement and his belief that my son could do just as well in their charter school that encouraged me to also submit an application to the school where my daughter was currently enrolled as well.

As a sibling my son got admission into the same charter school as my daughter.  We then met with the school's special education coordinator and her first question was why my son wasn't already enrolled?  She was so confident that my son would do well that I was really surprised and overwhelmed by her enthusiasm.

In the meantime, we attended the convention and afterwards my husband and I reached the same conclusion.  We should do what we can to make sure our son gets a more inclusive education and ultimately that meant withdrawing him from the public school system and formally enrolling him at the same charter school his sister was attending.  My son was waitlisted at the new charter school so we ultimately only withdrew my daughter.  In the end, one of the deciding factors for us was the fact that I would be able to volunteer and be in the classroom with my son at the current school versus the new charter school, which had a closed campus - no parent volunteers allowed.

It was so exciting for my son to be attending the same school as his older sister and a huge milestone for us.  I admit it was emotional for me because I had previously resigned myself to the fact that my kids would never be at the same school and that their education tracks would be different.  Not anymore!  Of course, the learning curve for my son has been and will continue to be a steep one.  He has a lot of homework (for him) each night versus none the year before.  Plus we are working as hard as we can to keep him just a little ahead of the rest of the class in some areas to give him a chance to stay at the same level as his classmates.  It has not been easy but he is doing well.  Academically, it has been pretty challenging.  He has spelling tests of 30 words a day (only the last 5 count) but that is 5 more than he had last year.  He is reading a lot more and math has been the most difficult subject.  There is also science and history.  However, it has been great working with the first grade teacher and the special education team.   I understand now that including him in a regular class makes him strive to work harder and raises our expectations of what he can accomplish.  Obviously, as the curriculum advances, it will be more challenging for him but at least we have his sister showing him the way and she is a great example.