Will Was Accepted!

We received AWESOME news yesterday, Will has been accepted into the Parish School. It's a school for children with learning differences off I-10 and the Beltway. They work with families to find an individual education plan for each child to be successful. They integrate speech and OT therapy into the day and the classroom ratios are very small. 10 kids total.

This has been a very long, nerve racking process. The application required extensive medical, health and educational history from his doctors, current teachers and therapists as well as completion of a 4 hour cognitive evaluation. After that, we were asked to come to the school and have Will work with the principal to assess which level they believe he would fit best. After that, Will was invited to work two days (back to back) in that classroom level.

We did the classroom visit last week and he did amazing! He apparently charmed everyone. We were able to observe him in the classroom for an hour on the last day. They have a one way window for observation into the classroom. It was so fun to watch him be a success. He was actively answering questions on circle, raising his hand and doing projects.

The classroom visit was also one of the hardest things I have ever done --- dropping him off at the school with total strangers who don't know him or us. Watching him walk off without me. Oh man, I just sat in my car in cried for a bit.

They were tears of sadness and happiness... I really never thought we would get here. Nearly five years old and being able to go to kindergarten. When he was diagnosed I couldn't see him past the age of five and now here we are living in all of its splendor - he has a baby sister, a school plan and he is HAPPY. I just want to bottle up this time of his life, of our lives, and live in it for as long as we can. (Ok, maybe I would fast forward a few months till when Quinn is sleeping better at night).

One of the requirements was to bring a bag or backpack with you. We decided to get him a backpack, a Longhorn one of course... We gave it to him the night before his first testing day and he was thrilled.

 

He has gotten so big! Nearly 4 feet tall and 52 pounds.