As we prepare for this school year to end I can’t help but be SUPER proud of my amazing little girl! Emma has truly shown our family that the impossible is possible and God has the final say!
Rewind to last year when we met with Emma’s IEP Team, the meeting was horrible (not because of her, but because of people who had their “hands in the pot” and didn’t have a clue what was going on), we took a tour of the Kindergarten classes and while our district makes all the accommodations for children with Special Needs something didn’t sit right with me, it was like I felt like Emma would get “lost in the sauce.” I found Emma’s school a while back but the price tag was simply frightening!
One random day while at work, I contacted them and had a conversation with one of the administrators. She encouraged me to complete an application and they would work out the rest…so I prayed and did an application. I also completed the financial aid application. I came home and shared with Darrick what I did, he looked at me like I was crazy but he said he supported the decision and we will wait and see what they say.
A couple of weeks later they sent me an acceptance letter while I was at work and I cried…while Thanking God! A day or so later I received the financial award letter and I cried again because from $17,000 price tag to $143 a month. Some may say that’s great and they can pay that in their sleep, but for us, it was a struggle! However, when God blesses you with something he puts the necessary people and assistance in the right place at the right time! About a month later, Darrick and I went on a tour and at the end of the tour the Administrator asked if we had any questions and I burst into tears, uncontrollable tears…she asked was everything okay and I said I was just grateful because this “school situation” was something I had been wrestling with and I finally have peace! I know God led this whole decision!!
As we prepare to send Emma to 1st grade, I can’t help but THANK GOD for her school and the “secret recipe” they have for teaching kids with special needs! Emma is now on her way to reading, telling time, doing adding and subtracting, typing, she even did a report on an animal! Her teacher is absolutely amazing and I wish I could keep her for the next year but I understand we can’t!
To all families, no matter if your child has special needs or not, you should check out alternative methods for going to school. The public school isn’t always the best decision for your child! And then again you can be like us, one child will be in public school and the other will be in private school. Not how we planned it at all but we have to do what’s best for each child and sometimes that may not be the same thing!
I also recommend finding a school that bests fits your needs. For Emma finding a school for children with special-needs was EVERYTHING to us! She was able to be herself and thrive in an environment that specializes in children like her!
