Thinking We Made the Right Decision

For LMNOB’s school choice this year.

I just got off the phone with Local Neighborhood School’s principal.

HE called ME.

That is already a vast improvement over Too Good To Be True Charter School from last year.

Granted, I did e-mail the school secretary re: registration, but still…last year I virtually had to pull TGTBTCS administrator’s teeth to respond to my concerns.

Hello,

My name is HAM, and my daughter, LMNOB, needs to be registered for school at Local Neighborhood School as it is our designated neighborhood school.

LMNOB is going to be in 1st grade this year. As you can see in my e-mail below (from earlier this summer) we have some special concerns.

We went to the new Too Good To Be True Charter School last year, and while LMNOB had a terrific learning experience and a wonderful teacher, the school was not a fit for us, especially as their lack of ethics became apparent, and LMNOB’s newly discovered special needs (described below) arose.

While I was initially concerned about the major transition of a new school this year and then next (with the New Closer Neighborhood School opening), the sheer number of daily transitions should we have gone with an out of district school held the potential for a lot of stress for both LMNOB and our family. Additionally, the ability for LMNOB to form relationships with children in our area who will also move to New Closer Neighborhood School will soften the blow of the larger transition. With one of Local Neighborhood School’s bus stops being right outside the door of our daycare provider’s home (where LMNOB is currently at during the day, as is her younger brother), I am feeling much more at ease about her care during the gap between school letting out and me arriving home from work.

I’ve cc’d LMNOB’s OT from Local Hospital, in the event that we need to develop a plan re: her educational experience. I have heard that you have an OT on staff who is acquainted with Sensory Integration Dysfunction, and think that perhaps it is best that we coordinate services to give LMNOB the very best educational opportunities she deserves. In addition to the sensory issues, LMNOB is very bright, having scored in the 99th percentile as a kindergarten student in each area covered by the Iowa Test of Basic Skills – the standardized testing instrument used by TGTBTCS last year.

Can you please tell me what documentation I will need to fill out and/or provide to get LMNOB enrolled at Local Neighborhood School?

Thank you!

LNS Principal was awesomely aware of SID issues (he credited the OT on staff at LNS), more than accommodating, and on the EXACT! SAME! PAGE! as me regarding LMNOB’s academic and emotional welfare at school. We will be having a meeting sometime the week of the 20th with all of LMNOB’s “team.”

Kind, understanding, responsive educators.

What more could a mother want?