Return to online school

Carus's experience with the local middle school has been VASTLY different than Adam's* and all in the first half of the year (and a lot of the issues started in the first week of school) and we have been extremely disappointed with the administrations response to our questions and concerns.

She has been asking to return to online school since September - and we started really moving forward with that in November after trying all we could do to work with the district.  All we've been able to accomplish is supporting her at home and encouraging her to give each day her all and hope for the best.  It's not really fair to hope for the best.

Carus was sad that moving to online/home school would mean she would have to give up choir, but we thought there was a chance to have her continue with that if the district would allow.  A fact the principal confirmed and then proceeded to promise Carus she would be able to do.  We were looking at K12/ORVA (Oregon Virtual Academy), which we used when she did online school before and were fairly happy with, and online school through the school district. After further deciding we wanted to limit our interaction with the district and feeling most comfortable with the fact that we've used ORVA before and know what to expect, we went that direction.

When I called the principal to let him know our decision, the second the words "we've enrolled her in K12" left my mouth his demeanor and tone of voice towards me changed. And low and behold - that promise that she could continue with choir became a flat-out no.  Carus was pissed.  She trusted the principal's promise; and I'm mad that he even made that promise. It counteracted all of our, "they might say no" cautiousness.

Then 2 days later she calls me and tells me they have pulled her from class for a dress code violation.  She was wearing an outfit that she had worn several times that year and was similar to an outfit she wore the day before.  But 2 days after they're told she's being pulled from their school (i.e. the money they get for her (and she tests high so they get some extra money) is being pulled) and they have a problem with the outfit. Surprise surprise. I told the secretaries that they were to let her return to class and not to interrupt her education again.  I then went down there to bring her a change of clothes and told them they could only give it to her during her break and it was up to her if she wanted to change.  They had someone run the clothes to her in her class 15 minutes before the end of the day.  Yeah, really important that she not disturb people with her clothing. *eye roll*

A benefit of that visit was that the office ladies looked genuinely intimidated by me, which is a nice change of my usual stammering nervousness around authority figures (they have no authority over me now, but they did at one point and my brain is slow on remembering that).  Turns out that some of that alarm on their faces was because of the tone one of them used to say "mom is arguing" when passing the phone hoping that if someone else told me 'dress code violation' I would stop yelling at them for being arbitrary and interrupting my daughter's education. (I wasn't yelling yelling, I was being firm and using a tone that expressed just how annoyed I was.) They said this in front of Carus and she took that tone as, "this stupid lady is being a huge pain in the ass."  I don't care if they think I'm a pain in the ass and if they tell each other that. I do care if they do that in front of a student, especially my student, because I think that sends the message that the parent's opinion/decisions shouldn't be respected.

Up until that incident we were going to let Carus finish the semester at public school and make the switch for the second semester thinking it would make it easiest all around.  Post incident, we said we're done with them and made the switch - she wasn't returning from the winter break - she was going to start with ORVA first day after the break.  That day was today.

I took the day off - one of the best decisions I've made in awhile - to help her get started and to go down to the school to turn in books and clean out lockers and speak with anyone we needed to speak to. And that trip down there VALIDATED the entire decision to switch in the first place - and switch NOW and not at the end of January in the second place.

When trying to figure out the date best to have her switch I spoke to one of the counselors at the school - or she might have just been the person to enroll and un-enroll students, I'm not entirely sure.  Anyhoo, she had trouble figuring out how to make copies of paperwork in Carus's file to fax to ORVA and/or send home to me for me to fax, and talking with her had me questioning just how many middle schoolers does she have to communicate with on a daily basis? ("I was like oh my gosh, I can't find it and she was all maybe this is it and I was like um, maybe but I don't know and she was like, no I really think it is and I was like it looks like it will work so I thought I would call you to tell you I think we found it." <-- am="" exaggerating.="" from="" her="" i="" led="" line="" me="" much="" not="" of="" p="" pretty="" that="" thinking.="" to="" verbatim="">
Well, we saw that lady today. And she sounded PISSED that we would dare to un-enroll Carus without giving her advance notice. I apologized for changing the date and because I did tell her I would give her notice, but when she was pissy again I said, "Well, we decided during break that we have reached our limit with this school and made the switch to benefit Carus."

Don't really think she heard what I said, but whatever.  Carus practically skipped out of the school with us. The relief she feels from not having to continue dealing with crap (from fellow students and not having administration be of actual assistance/protection) is palpable.

We came home and she logged into her online school and did math placement testing and history and orientation.  Then we spoke with her teacher and got her math testing scores (above grade level) and got the math course assigned and signed her up for a foreign language - which in district she would have had to wait to start until high school.  She's taking French - and I better try to learn along with her or her and Adam will be having all sorts of conversations about me behind my back. Ha! She then practiced playing the piano specifically because she wanted to set aside time so she could play more.  She also plans on including reading and studying for 4H into her school time.  So much accomplished today in less time than usual.

*Adam is a different person and that contributes to the majority of his ease of going through the schools.  He figures out how to make things work for him and if he ignores a lot. And some of the other issues Carus was having (mild case of stalking) he doesn't have/hasn't had to deal with it. Also, every kid/person is different and what works for one person doesn't always work for another. 

June 1st

153:366  - Mmmm watermelon



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In other news, Carus finished all of her coursework, testing, etc. today for the school year.  She is done! And done early!  She still needs to do some on her own learning stuff to be able to log attendance for state requirements, but she is still done done done.  I'm relieved just as much as she is.

In her year with K12 we've both learned a lot. I think the biggest plus she got out of this was her self confidence being built up.  She was able to see just how brilliant she is.

She would like to go back to traditional brick and mortar school next year, and because it is a new school where we won't have to deal with poor and insensitive educators, we are going to go that route. I think. I'm still freaking out over - What if we make the wrong decision and ruin her life forever! - stuff, but I know (mostly) that it's just nerves and she will be fine.

Adam is considering K12 for his next year after some issues with him getting grounded for not turning in his work/teachers losing his turned in work.  Robert and I are both fed up with one particular teacher that takes 3 weeks (WEEKS!) to post his grades to esis (where we can view assignments and grades online) BUT YET insists that we can best help her help him get his work done by monitoring esis. BEYOND frustrating.  I just wish I had started the she must sign a note saying she received your work thing a little sooner this year.  It would have saved Adam having to redo 3 assignments (assuming he didn't lie and he did do it in the first place).

Ugh, I feel like I'm ragging on teachers. I have the most utmost respect for teachers, I really do.  The kids have had some AMAZING teachers and far more good ones than bad.  I'm just frustrated with recent experiences with not so good teachers - teachers that are preoccupied by their own college coursework (don't teach honors full time to middle schoolers and go back to school for your doctorate in the same year) or teachers that pass off their job to student teachers who try out new methods of teaching the same thing each week for 3 months (seriously, why don't you confuse the children!) and that dismiss bullying with "but she picks on him too".  Those teachers.


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Reverb broads prompt time!

June 1
With what fictional character (book, movie, TV, etc.) do you most identify?  Why?
Kristen

Okay, at first I thought this one was going to be easy. I can easily feel part of a book or movie or show.  Feel that I actually know the characters, that they are my friends, but at the same time feel separate from them, and that I would just need to pick the one that I most identify with.  Then I started thinking about it and I don't really identify with them.

I feel I know them, they are friends or something, but they don't fit me exactly. Don't fit my life completely. Maybe I'm just too unique - HA!

I don't know.

Thinking of my favorite books (Outlander series - HOLLA!), movies I've seen in the past week (Letters to Juliet, Men In Black III, Bruno), or some favorite TV series currently on my docket (including, but not limited to Fringe, Bones, Doctor Who, Vampire Diaries, Big Bang Theory) and I don't see or feel myself in them - gladly for a few and unfortunately for some (I would totally run away with The Doctor).

My brain keeps coming back to the show Friends. I have no clue why because I don't feel like I identify with any of the characters - but I did/do love them. I always wish for friends like them.  Friends that close, that love each other so unconditionally and wholeheartedly.  I love all the characters, especially Phoebe.  She's my favorite, her quirkiness and acceptance for everyone. And her willingness to do and be exactly what her friends need her to do/be at any given time.

Huh.  Maybe that's why I keep going back to it, and to her. Maybe she is who I identify with, or, more truthfully, who I hope to be for my friends.  I want to be a good friend and while I know I fail often, more often than I would like, I do try.

How about you, do you identify with a fictional character?

Grand ole band

Adam is in the band this year.  It's his first year in band and he is enjoying it.  He plays the trombone.



318/365 - Even though they are the "beginners band" they aren't bad.  They sound pretty good, though they aren't playing much yet. I'm sure there will be more concerts to come.



I have video from this evening's performance, but I have to download it and review it and if it's any good I will upload it to my YouTube account so watch there for it. If I remember, I will let you know when/if I upload it.

But before the band concert there was some fun with Carus doing a science experiment for her science lessen today.

She was testing which different solutes (salt, sugar, and baking soda) dissolve in which solvents (soapy water, rubbing alcohol, cooking oil, and vinegar).

YAY! It's Friday

255/365 - Wilbur kitty.


256/365 - Late night clean-up. I went to camera club and came home to iced tea all over the counter.  I had started the iced tea maker before leaving but must not have pushed the pitcher all the way under the spout.  Unfortunately, even with all the bleach products and some soaking the grout is now pretty stained on that portion of the counter.


257/365 - Sleepy Leia puppy.


258/365 - Today was school picture day for Adam, so I made it school picture day for Carus too.


Note: Reminder for Race for the Cure in 2 days - Please read this, donate (if you can) and pass on this link: http://tinyurl.com/3jjmnlx 

Ready for school

249/365 - Ready for Carus's first day of school tomorrow. Ready for Carus's first day of school - her school books for the first day, a couple print outs/worksheets, notebooks for writing, and the online work.

Note: Reminder for Race for the Cure in 12 days - Please read, donate (if you can) and pass on this link: http://bit.ly/rukLlC 

No big whoop!

224/365 - This year Carus will be homeschooled - kinda. We have signed up with ORVA (Oregon Virtual Acedemy) with K12 which is an online public school. It is completely free to enroll, they send all the books and supplies you need (we still have to buy pens, pencils, paper, glue, scissors, etc - but we already have most of that stuff so no big whoop). And they will even provide you with a printer and computer to use, if you qualify. We do not. But again, we already have those so no big whoop. Her boxes arrived yesterday and she was most excited over the science box with the rocks and minerals in it (I was surprised it wasn't the art box with the paints and pastels, but that was a close second).

Carus has been asking to do homeschooling for a year now, begging basically. She was both bored and not challenged much last year as well as experiencing some bullying last year; frankly we were not happy with her teachers/school. Her teachers' response when I brought up the bullying was, "well, it's not just one-sided." And while I know she was picking back, because that's what kids do when they are picked on, they pick backl  It's not what I wanted to hear, nor what I should have heard. We were talking with her about how she should handle things without picking on the other person, I need her teachers to back that up with watching out for her and the other students and diffusing situations.

I'm freaking out a little over the decision to do it and I'm still a little "I've totally ruined her life" and all. But mostly, I'm excited. This programs sounds AMAZING and really do feel it is the right decision for her and will help her exceed so much.  She can move as fast or as slow as she wants/needs.


The rest of her supply photos are here.

225/365 - Can you guess what I'm watching?  Having a nice relaxing Saturday evening catching up on some of my DVR'd shows.


Doctor Who