As some know, we are currently looking at therapeutic schools for Courtney to attend. Without diving too deep into the lagistics of how we got to this point, I will just say there is an advocate and lawyer involved. As a special education teacher, I feared this part of the job. The part where we as a school team decided we can no longer meet the child’s needs. The part where a parent has decided to use legal support to fight the district. Here I am, not as a teacher but as Courtney’s mom. And let me tell you, it is as awful as I feared. I will leave it at that.

Searching for a school that she could possibly be attending for the next 10 years is daunting. What are we actually looking for in a school? What makes it the right school for Courtney? Such difficult questions to answer. The district has sent out her information to 11 different therapeutic schools. 6 schools had no space. 1 school observed her and then we never heard any more from them. We visited 4 other. 2 of which we didn’t like at all and 1 that said they couldn’t meet her needs in the classroom that had a spot available. That leaves us with 1. We visited that one and we really liked it. Courtney even smiled during the tour. She LOVED the sensory room. She didn’t want to leave the room!

Now we wait. Do they have a spot for her? Do they feel they can meet her needs? I want you to think about the hardest thing you ever had to wait for…yes, that’s about how this wait feels. I may even put it right up there with waiting to find out who is going to be elected as the next president! Ok, that may be stretching it but let’s just add that wait to the stress of this week too! (By the way, go out and vote!)

I’m not sure how I will handle anything but a call that says they are accepting her into the program. If this program is a no, I’m not sure what is next.

So…we wait. I will attempt to channel all the positive thoughts I can channel this week. I will take any positive vibes people can send our way.

While we wait, I will leave you with a cool moment we had this weekend. Courtney was trying to verbally request a video she wanted on youtube. I couldn’t tell at all what word she was trying to say. She was getting frustrated and she finally pointed out the bedroom door and said in a demanding tone, “talker”. Again, it was an approximation but I knew exactly what she was saying this time. She wanted her talker so she can tell me what video she wanted since I obviously wasn’t understanding her verbal language. I was so proud! And…she got her video finally.

(Picture of Courtney enjoying a sensory bin on Halloween at her current school.)