Letter to the Superintendent
I delivered this letter to the Superintendent of Schools at the Board of Education office in our town this afternoon. I've removed names and some other details. ————————— Dear [name of Superintendent of Schools], My name is Kristina Chew and I am the mother of Charles Fisher, who is 12 years old and attends [public middle … Read more
On a Pastoral Note
If you just went by what I've been posting here I guess I come across in part as a mother who writes a whole lot of emails and other correspondence to the school district, goes all emotional at meetings with said school district, dashes around to drop her son off at school and then to … Read more
A Farewell to His iPod
Charlie had Monday off from school for Yom Kippur and got up really early. (He was the alarm clock to get Jim on the 6.52am train.) He conked out, woke up again and got himself dressed, said "yes" to getting bagels, asked to go swimming. Our YMCA pool was almost empty, though we did see … Read more
Rainy Sunday Together
Not much to report from Sunday except that—despite the previous day's bike accident, despite more school district shenanigans than you can shake a stick at (not only did we get a stack of Incident Reports over a week after the fact but I came across the words "four-man protective hold"*[see comment]–yes I have some emails … Read more
Rainy Sunday Together
Not much to report from Sunday except that—despite the previous day's bike accident, despite more school district shenanigans than you can shake a stick at (not only did we get a stack of Incident Reports over a week after the fact but I came across the words "four-man protective hold"*[see comment]–yes I have some emails … Read more
The Lag
So I got home from a morning run to find that both of my boys and their bikes were gone on a biking/bagels expedition. A high-spirited phone call from Jim confirmed this (though the call ended abruptly as a dog was sighted, and Charlie got off his bike). Jim called once more to check about … Read more
The Lag
So I got home from a morning run to find that both of my boys and their bikes were gone on a biking/bagels expedition. A high-spirited phone call from Jim confirmed this (though the call ended abruptly as a dog was sighted, and Charlie got off his bike). Jim called once more to check about … Read more
It really takes a village
First, thank you. For the support and the suggestions, all of which we've been contemplating. We do want to have another IEP meeting as soon as possible—-we know we have to get Charlie into some other setting. I was undone by my emotions. The result of the meeting was the request for an out-of-district placement … Read more
Post-IEP
We asked for an out of district placement and that a Functional Behavioral Assessment be done by an independent evaluator. Charlie's records are being sent to a large autism center and we will be visiting it. And I got completely emotional and was……….difficult. It just all came out, whatever I've felt since I first burst … Read more
Pre-IEP
It's a good life Jim and I live with our most excellent boy Charlie, and going in to fight the good fight's all part of it. As is a fast morning trot through the middle school parking lot to drop off Charlie. As is a late afternoon bike ride (fast-paced, too). As is Vietnamese food … Read more
