The Day-to-Day Grind.....

We continue the daily struggle of getting Babygirl to school.  We win about half the time. I honestly can't look at her and say she isn't in too much pain for school.  We are taking away electronics when she's home.  We are pushing her to do more school work at home (she is WAY ahead of her classmates in English - she's read nearly all of To Kill a Mockingbird and they are still on the third chapter.  This is one of those seasons where it just feels like we are grinding away for survival.

We recently got an interim report card.  It was incredibly depressing.  She is passing her core courses with B's and C's - English, Global Studies, Math and Science.   Her gym and technology teachers both note that her "attendance is affecting grades".  And her AIS Math and English classes both have "Fail" listed as her grade.

This sort of thing makes my blood boil, smoke come out of my ears and bad words out of my mouth.  The kid as an IEP (Individual Education Plan) that is SUPPOSED to protect her from all of that fallout.  Gym is supposed to give her written assignments to do when she is out.  Technology is supposed to assess whether she 'gets' the point of the project if she can't finish it and grade on understanding rather that attendance.  And AIS is her academic support class!  If a kid is failing THAT, aren't they failing HER?  I made a bajillion phone calls last week but have had not time since to push it all through.  It is just ugly.  And depressing.

She goes to high school next year.  She has the school's academic catalog and is eagerly perusing arts electives.  She wants to take guitar and theater.  She's looking for something bigger than herself to be a part of in school.  I'm thrilled that she's looking, stunned that she still has that hope within her when I just want to throw up my hands at the school and just say, "Screw it all!  It's hopeless and you morons are never going to get it!" 

I cannot lose faith.  As long as Babygirl has bright-eyed plans for a better year next year, I'll keep pushing both her and the school.

DeeDee