Out with the Old, In with the the New

#1: Glasses - Brenna got her first pair of glasses in August 2012. They came with a 2 year warranty, which we used, a lot. Sunday night they broke again, and we decided it was time for some new frames.

   

#2: Preschool - Brenna started half-day preschool right after she turned 3. Because of her cerebral palsy she was accepted into a special education program and placed in an inclusion classroom (meaning she was with traditional general education students as well as other students like her who required some sort of extra assistance).

They set goals for her each year and hold an annual review meeting to discuss completion of the previous year's goals and new goals for the coming year. Her annual meeting was scheduled for October. I got a call a few weeks ago informing me that Brenna's teachers and therapists indicated that she had mastered all her goals from the previous year, and that they didn't have any new goals for her.

Good news because it means everyone working with Brenna did what they were supposed to do in preparing her to succeed in the school environment and get ready for Kindergarten. Bad news though, because it means Brenna no longer qualifies for special education services, and therefore, can no longer attend her preschool.

I was surprised that they could just dismiss her in the middle of the school year. I was very sad at the thought of her leaving teachers who love her and know her and help her. I cried a lot that day. But we were able to find another (private) preschool program in the area with an opening. She'll start there next Tuesday (Nov. 4th). She has been going to school every day in the afternoon, but now she'll be doing T/Th all day instead. This new preschool has a heavy focus on physical activity (it's at the same location where Ashlyn takes gymnastics), which I hope will be really good for Brenna, since physical ability is her biggest weakness.

So yesterday was her last day at Carver. I was very sad as I drove over to pick her up and attend the meeting where they formally dismissed (or graduated) her from special education. It has been a wonderful school for our little girl and she has grown A LOT in every way. I am thankful for all the teachers and therapists and bus drivers and workers who have loved her and taught her.