Not Quite Hitting the Ground Running...

More like stumbling and flailing. Not very gracefully, we are entering the fall term. Just days before the First Day of School, and I have not heard yet from Isaac's new teacher at Alameda, despite phone calls and emails, and O is still school-less.

And am I stressed? Have I fallen head-first into Parental Panic? Hell no. I am eating a grilled cheese sandwich and getting ready to take the kids swimming. Why?

Because I have done what I can for now. If necessary, I will head over to Alameda tomorrow, kids in tow, and tour the school, show up in still student-less classes and try to find out who claims the boy. I will smile, shake hands, make introductions. If PPS really wants to be a brick wall about this, pushing and pushing will only wear me out. So dammit, I am going to enjoy these last few days, and stock up on wine from Trader Joe's in preparation.

3 hours later...

So maybe I am not being that lazy. That is the problem with panic - it attacks. So on the way to swimming, I had an attack. Made a rash of phone calls, and now am in possession of Isaac's info for Alameda. And made an appointment to visit a school for Olivia next week.

Advice to all of the other parents out there? Be a pain in the ass. Be the squeaky wheel. I tried for two years to be the "good parent", and look where it got me? Pioneer. So now I am a massive pain in the ass when I want, and it has been far more effective. It sucks, but what option do I have?

So Isaac's new teacher is Mr. Kroswek. Love that he has male teacher - I hope he is as tough and structured as the tiny little girls teaching Isaac's class at Pioneer. Those chicks could wrestle a bear, even the one 8 months pregnant. I made sure that he was in touch with the Pioneer transition team (he is), and has a copy of Isaac's IEP (will review it first with Pioneer team). The great part of the Pioneer experience is there is no illusion. Trouble got him in, good behavior got him out (OMG, sounds like a prison).

And Olivia is going to visit Peninsula School in North Portland, described by Ms. Holly as a program very similar to the one at Edwards. Will provide update after. Teacher is Emily Cox. What I note from her description of their day, she really encourages independence, which we sorely need.

Whew. Feeling better. Gonna open a beer.