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TinkerBelz · 08-16-2004, 02:42 PM

My DD started 7th grade last Thursday and I went and bought the customary $40+ of school supplies. When they are in Elementary School they tell you what you need. You can go to either Walmart or Staples and there are lists.

I picked up all this "stuff" for her and then she comes home with STACKS of papers from each class, telling us what we must go and BUY for her. That's not too terribly bad, but annoying to say the least.

So these teachers are requiring a notebook, binder and folder for each class. She has 5 classes before lunch and they tell her that she will not have time to go to her locker between classes as they are overfull and didn't have enough lockers and her locker is literally 2 hallways away. She is to carry 5 notebooks, binders and folders as well as 5 books???? For about 4+ hrs.

Then she has gym this semister and they announce that they don't have enough lockers there either so they are to either share a locker with a fellow classmate or just keep their stinky gym clothes in their locker. She has 3 mintues to change her clothes and get into line.

Then here's my next gripe (sorry for the unload but I'm just terribly upset and almost depressed about this), she's no skinny stick kid, like a lot of girls her age. She's a curvy kind of girl. She's a 5'8" 13 year old who wears a size 18. Most of those girls are still wearing "girls sizes". She sadly inherited the same metabolic disorder that I did. I can't even imagine the horror she must be going through, having to change IN FRONT of those other skinny girls. Girls are sometimes the MOST cruel at this age.

Then I find out that in 2 classes she has to keep all her papers and keep records of her own grades in a book and figure out her average grade for the class. Of which she will be graded. I don't even know how to do that. She'll be graded on her notes. She in LD, her notes are lacking to say the least.

Maybe I'm just out of the loop as to what's going on in schools these days. My DD is dyslexic and in the LD program at school. She has trouble putting pieces of things together to make a whole. Does that make sense? Like in reading, she'll read it and not comprehend it all because she can't put all the pieces of this story together.

I'm just so upset up this. As you can tell it has not been a great morning for me. I know I shouldn't express my disappointment of the school in front of her and I NEVER mentioned the gym thing, cause I'm not sure it's all dawned on her and I just don't want to see her face. I know she'll declare that she's not going to school. At 13 everything is a tragedy (well it's a tragedy to me at 38).

Well, if you read this far then you a real trouper. Is anyone else having these anxieties about school?? I need some SERIOUS pixie dust blown my way.

Yvonne

statelady01 · 08-16-2004, 02:56 PM

Lots of

coming your way!!!!

dzlovesdisney · 08-16-2004, 03:01 PM

That's so hard. Sounds like the school isn't really catering to the kids' schedules much! Also, and this is the worst I'm sure, you want to protect your child from other children, and it's nearly impossible to let the chips fall where they may.

I wish I had some advice for you, all I can say is that I am thinking of you and your DD, and I am sending a truckload of pixie dust your way.

**Colexis Mom** · 08-16-2004, 03:10 PM

Sending your DD lots of pixie Yvonne

loobyoxlip · 08-16-2004, 03:19 PM

Oh my gosh, it breaks my heart just reading this. I really hope things go OK for her in gym class. Do they have to take gym? In our school we had our choice of gym, swimming, band or choir.

to her. Sounds like the school isn't doing a very good job of making the school load easier on kids. Sorry to hear that.

TinkerBelz · 08-16-2004, 03:29 PM

I think I may just be REALLY emotional today - you know it happens to us women sometimes. LOL

I just wanted to cry reading everyone's support. It was EXACTLY what I've needed!!!

They only have to take Gym for one semester for the 7th and 8th grade. Then in high school, they can take what's called "Summer Gym". They have to show up at 7:00am but can come dressed and then leave after gym for 2 hrs - and it's only so many times a week. Then they don't even have to do gym in the school year. I hear you have to take a communal shower in high school, she'd be mortified, heck, I'd be mortified! LOL She's not a morning person but said she'd get up at 5:00am if she had to for Summer Gym. LOL

Again, thanks for all the loving support. I can really feel it and the pixie dust through the "lines".

Oh, btw, the metabolic disorder I and my daughter have is PCOS, the same that Jennifer has - the reason it took me 9 yrs to conceive as well. I couldn't have been MORE delighted to hear of Jennifer's baby boy!!

Yvonne

**Fortissimo** · 08-16-2004, 03:35 PM

Yvonne, I sent you a PM with some suggestions.

In the mean time

my2girls · 08-16-2004, 03:35 PM

Lot's of

coming your way. My heart goes out to you and your daughter. Hopefully, everything will work out. Please keep us posted on the school days.

Kristine

buzzspal2 · 08-16-2004, 03:53 PM

Yvonne,
Tons of pixie dust is on the way for and your daughter.

OffKilter_Lynn · 08-16-2004, 04:51 PM

Sorry things started off rough for your daughter - it's a tough age to be without all the added burdens.

Here's hoping that a whole lot of pixie dust will find its way to you soon!

vsonnier · 08-16-2004, 05:52 PM

It is absolutely ridiculous for them to expect your daughter to carry all those books around, change in front of everyone else and keep track of all her papers. I would make an appointment to talk to her teachers and the principal. Since she has a learning disability, surely she has modification requirments that would allow her to not be graded based on keeping up with her own grades - thats the teachers job! I can understand what your daughter is going through with changing in the locker room. I was not the skinniest girl in junior high and was always HUMILATED to change in front of others. Surely there are stalls that your daughter can change in in the locker room? I would address this concern with the school. I do not blame you at all for being upset. Sending a ton of

for both of you!

wdwlovers · 08-16-2004, 07:44 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Since she has a learning disability, surely she has modification requirments that would allow her to not be graded based on keeping up with her own grades - thats the teachers job!

[/ QUOTE ]
That's what I thought too. Sorry to hear the school year has started out so poorly. Lots of pixie dust to you and your DD!!

snoozy · 08-16-2004, 09:07 PM

Junior High sucks, for parents and the kids, been there, done that, no more. Its a horrible age for girls and boys. Socially it can be a nightmare, as my family found out the hard way with DS, and the nightmare began in gym class. Of course the schools don't make it any easier. Poor DS had a terrible time. We ended up pulling him out at the last semester of 8th grade. We did home school with him. I mean it though if your DD has any problems don't hesitate to pull her out and do home school or charter school. Their self esteem is to important. We regret not pulling DS out sooner.

DS and DD also had the English teacher from hell in Junior High. 2/3 rds of their grade was dependent on homework. So exactly who was the teacher?

What really bothered me about the teachers requesting all that stuff was I felt bad for the kids who's parents couldn't afford it or just didn't care. Like being poor or having bad parents isn't bad enough these kids got punished by the teachers for not having the materials they requested. One year I bought some stuff for one of my son's classmates because his mom couldn't afford it and he was so upset and embarrassed because the teachers were in his face about it and didn't care that his mom could not afford the stuff. I actually complained to the principal about that although I'm not so sure it did any good.

Oh and just wait it gets better in High School, they have to have a binder for every class, calculators ($$$ not cheap) plus all the extra stuff.

I work for our local continuation high school, which is for 16 to 18 yr olds who are behind in credit. Alot of teachers are on a power trip and like to make it sound like you don't have many choices, they love ignorant parents. Educate your self on your rights as a parent. You as the parent have an enormous amount of power. And the fact that your DD is in an LD program means you have even more rights The schools are suppose to inform you on this every year at the beginning of school. Get to know them so if, no not if, when, because I can almost gaurentee there will be a problem that arises with your DD, you need know what your talking about, and they won't be able to intimidate you. Teachers and administrators are really good at intimidating parents but, only if that parent doesn't no their rights.

This goes for all you parents out there if something is not right and you know it, do something about it don't let the schools tell you otherwise and they will, but if you know your rights and your child's rights you will be able to stand up to them.

Are we having fun yet!

TinkerBelz · 08-16-2004, 09:29 PM

Just a mini update. Last Friday I went to the school and asked them why they dropped my daughter's choir. She's been in it for years. Plus they had not put her in advanced art which is actually the field she is looking into as a career. Where she lacks in a straight A report card, she excels in the Arts.

I went in on Friday and talked to her counselor who is a LOVELY woman and she fixed it all and printed out a new schedule for Kassie. Kassie goes to Choir today and the Gym teacher comes and pulls her out of Choir saying she's supposed to be in Gym. AGGGGGGGGG

She was crushed. I called the school and was able to get ahold of the counselor and express my concerns about all the things I shared earlier (I'm sure she thinks I'm a nut case...LOL). She kept saying "I'm sure they didn't tell her to carry all her books to all classes all morning". I told her, go and read the 7th grade course outlines. It says it on almost if not ALL of them. She also said that the LD teacher assigned to Kassie has 90 other students and that's why she hasn't gotten to Kassie. We'll I'll be getting to HER tomorrow. LOL I'm going to call her and set up an appointment and get some stuff "modified" on her IEP. I wish she could have kept the lady from last year as she was FANTASTIC and really "knows" my daughter and her capabilities.

Kassie's IQ is completely normal and they feel she'll be fully capable of college. She wants to go as well. She'll just have to work extra hard.

Then I was getting my nails done tonight and there was one of the women in the LD program who used to work with my daughter in the 4th grade and told her all that was going on and she was so disgusted and told me the new LD teacher should have made contact with Kassie by now, 90 students or not. Even if it were in small groups, just to introduce herself and tell them how it will be going this year.

She told me the only way to protect my child is to be the PUSHY parent and if I'm NOT satisifed with the responses from the school than go OVER them. She said "You care more about your child than any other adult there and you have to protect her".

So, I will start with some phone calls tomorrow. Kassie and I will go through each grade tonight to make sure I'm clear on what they actually told her in class that she has to bring.

Also, on Thursday night, if I haven't gotten complete satisfaction, I'm going to take her ENTIRE stack of books, notebooks and binders and let the principal see how heavy it all is and ask them if they are going to pay for my daughter's chiropractic bills. LOL Ok, maybe I won't be that dramatic and then again.....you never know!!

As for homeschooling. I homeschooled Kassie through 1st grade but when I saw the difficulty she was having with reading I knew it was beyond my scope of expertise. Not that I should expect the world from the public schools, but I know they are "supposed" to be trained to teach my child.

Yvonne