School Switching Options

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update: I've emailed the teacher, lead teacher, principal, cluster instructional superintendent, and the chancellor. I've spoken to a former DCPS principal, a school psychologist, and an attorney. I have called a dozen other schools, just in case. I want to believe that we can move forward to a positive solution. But you better believe I'm getting all of my ducks lined up just in case.

Thank you all for your responses. You gave me the backbone to push for a change. Now just to wait and see if we can make that change happen.

Finally, as we said on another thread, record, record, record. You have the legal right to - put a pen on his body or something in his backpack. One party jurisdiction here, and you can consent on behalf of your son and get a sense of whether these folks are capable of shaping up.

I am so glad you posted and that people were here for you. This is why I love Jeff Steele and DCUM. For some reason we no longer trust our instincts without support, but you have gotten that support. I would just add that I think what has happened so far is enough for you to need to move your child to give him the message that you back him all the way. Listen to your gut and the other pp who said she still regrets leaving her dc in the school.

[Anonymous]

I agree--and like I said, I called a dozen schools today. The part that is keeping me awake at night is the part where I didn't trust my own gut. BUT, I also don't want to just cut and run without both making the school and greater administration aware of the serious issues. I'm not going to leave a bad situation and just hope someone else fixes it. But I'm also not going to let my sweet kid become labeled unfairly, or become a guinea pig to a new system that's failing him.

Thanks, everyone. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Is the school Logan?

[Anonymous]

^^
That's what I was thinking when she said lead teacher. Sounds like CHM at Logan. Classrooms starting the year without supplies is typical there. Seems like it would be a nice step from a Montessori preschool. Appears high ranked.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. I though CHM@Logan was supposed to excellent for PK-K, mixed thereafter. Will be carefully rethinking whether to apply for PK3 in the upcoming lottery if this is indeed the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree--and like I said, I called a dozen schools today. The part that is keeping me awake at night is the part where I didn't trust my own gut. BUT, I also don't want to just cut and run without both making the school and greater administration aware of the serious issues. I'm not going to leave a bad situation and just hope someone else fixes it. But I'm also not going to let my sweet kid become labeled unfairly, or become a guinea pig to a new system that's failing him.

Thanks, everyone. Seriously.

You are seriously and sincerely welcome. It is very noble of you (and we all need more people like you) to make sure that when you leave everyone who can change things know why you left. I left a pediatric practice with my tail between my legs and still don't say anything when it comes up in casual conversation with people I don't know for fear that they may judge me. Please don't keep yourself awake at night.

The guilt is an intrinsic part of being a loving parent, whether our acts or omissions have serious consequences or not. But you clearly are a great parent. Just don't beat yourself up too much and learn to trust your gut more. It will make you more amazing, but you are already doing all the right things. There will as your child grows be more and more things out of your control, and more and more need to use your gut instincts and your good judgement to decide what is best for your child.

Our oldest child was in a helmet for 8 months starting at 9 months because of positional plagiocephaly, where we first did not notice that her head was becoming oddly flat and her features somewhat asymmetrical until my spacial relations husband saw her head wet in the bath from the top. Then we accepted the word of our crappy pediatrician who was trying to cover up the fact that she missed it that at 9 months it was too late to fix. Finally when we went to a neurosurgeon to rule out craniosynostosis we took his word that all helmets are the same and wasted another 3 months in a Hangar helmet that kept slipping and irritating her head.

Fast forward, our dd is in 6th with beautiful symmetrical features (thank you Craniotechnologies and the DOC band!) but we had to wait with baited breath for 3 years for hearing and vision tests (not only was there bossing on her forehead, but her ear had shifted etc, so insurance covered it because it was so bad it was not cosmetic!). So hugs and love to you and your child and all parents who are struggling. This illustrates one of the best sides of DCUM and is why this community is so important to me.

[Anonymous]

Having just gotten around to reading this, I think I know which school this is. The mid September start date kind of tipped me off. Is your school fairly close to a Metro station? Is the playground an asphalt jungle, with a cemented over water fountain that is an attractive nuisance? They had 24 kids per class with mixed ages? I think my son was at the same school last year. It was a horrible fit and my son gave me the same descriptions. He went from fitting in to having a lot of trouble. We felt that it wasn't a good fit by November and pull him out in the end of February because the situation had become intolerable. Reading your Op brought it all back for me.

Our breaking point was my son having a regular meetings with a language specialist for English language learners (ELL). We were never informed by the school that this was going to occur. When we confronted the school over it, they ducked our calls and emails. My wife finally camped out at the front office where we were informed that it was for. The part that pisses me off is that we speak English at home, and while we each speak more than one language, my child's main language is English, and anyone who spends a minute with him can tell since he is very verbal. They told us that it was a mistake, and that the lessons should have been for another student.

We pulled him out and sent him to a regular DCPS school. Honestly, within a week, I knew that it was the right call. My only regret is that we didn't pull him out much sooner. Please listen to your gut. You know your child well, and you know if something is not right.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you're still around, give us an update. And if you wind up having any sage advice for other families that find themselves in a similar situation, please share. Hope you and your little one are doing great.

[Anonymous]

OP do let us know how it turns out- really felt for you and your DC reading your posts.

[Anonymous]

If OP has not revealed the name of the school it might be because her child is still there; and will need to remain there until she identified an alternative. Speculating as to the school is likely not in the best interest of her or her child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If OP has not revealed the name of the school it might be because her child is still there; and will need to remain there until she identified an alternative. Speculating as to the school is likely not in the best interest of her or her child.

+1 please stop trying to identify the school

[Anonymous]

I really hope the OP can come back and fill us in when she gets her child into a better program.

I had a child at Logan last year, and I wasn't impressed. The school is old and has decades of deferred maintenance which they are trying to catch up on. I think that the class sizes are far too large, and as such the children lack supervision. I found the principal to be completely disengaged and disinterested. I think the school is coasting on it's reputation from the time it was at Peabody.

[Anonymous]

OP UPDATE: We had a big meeting with the whole administration. I'm cautiously optimistic, and I think it's worth a couple of weeks to see if changes happen quickly. I'm glad they were receptive, but I hate that I had to threaten getting the school board involved for them to take me seriously.

We're spending a lot of time (ad nauseum, you might say) with our son, trying to help him come up with the language to describe his days, talk about what's happening, and turn this experience around for him. I've been in touch with the other parents in the class, and we're working together for more materials and more 'play' time outside of class together as well.

I've taken every suggestion you've all offered here, and it's helped greatly. We're hopeful. Like I said in a previous post, I'm willing to help make the changes and push the administration and do whatever we can to make this right--and I feel like they deserve a fair shot to make amends and change the classroom environment. But I can't deny that I've been calling other schools as well. Fingers crossed that we're in a very different situation by December--wherever that is.

THANK YOU.

[Anonymous]

Also, I'm not going to give the name of the school or confirm/deny the guesses. As many of you surmised, I'm not wanting to lambast them in a public forum while we're still working on making some changes, and while they're being receptive. If we can make this a happy place for our son, even with what's happened in the past, I'd like to move forward.

But, believe me, if changes don't happen? That's a different story.

[Anonymous]

I wish you the best of luck with them. But definitely work on a plan b and plan c.