Orientation

Well we had a our practice run yesterday. This sint' the school where I am thinking I'll send the brats - but it is a good one and it is our current back up plan if things go horribly wrong at the other school next month.

Hannah seemed very happy and a bit excited to be in the playground. She wandered around freely and obviously wanted to 'run'. Discovered the bubblers - which she loved and can use easily. Kit found a little bo he knew who started to play hopscotch - so the twins joined in for a bit (They don't really know how to play it - except for an older boy at after school care last term who taught Kit a bit).

The kids were asked to hold hands - Hannah went up to a little girl she didn't know and held her hand - unfortunately the little girl looked at her like a weirdo and so Han looked around for someone else - and then the teacher asked to hold another little boy's hand and off they went - upstairs to the kindy rooms.

I followed the other parents to the hall for a talk and some Q and A. I have to say that I was impressed with the three key selling points that the president of the Pand C gave - we encourage our kids to be independent and courageous/risktakers. We promote acceptance of difference - and she mentioned diffeerent ethnic backgrounds and socio economic circumstances as examples. All good, I like that.

The AP mentioned that they currently had 22 kids in each of hte kindy classes plua her class was a composite - of grade 1 and kindy - 17 kids, 3 with special needs and a teachers aid too. Then she said something that made me thinkt hose kids with special needs would be put in other classes next year - so I asked whether that would continue for next years intake. She looked at me quizzically so I clarified that I was Hannah's Mum. The response I got was that she would be 'fully integrated' so I still don't really know!!! It is a reg school with no special units - one ofhte reasons we applied there - they don't really have any alternative options do they? So I don't know - and I guess as DH said they probably don't yet either - until the meet all the children, do their observations and have a clearer idea of 'real' students - those who will attend there next year.

Anyhow that is one fo the things that I find disconcerting about this place - I think they have started trying to train me to 'let go of the apron strings' and let them get on with it already. And I am not sure I like it - although I am probably crazy not to want to just relinquish her to their lovig care and expertise and be done with it.

At the end Hannah found me in the hall and came running over happily calling my name. When I asked her what she had been doing she told me using words and signs - she'd sung 'incy wincy spider' and yes she had had a good time.

Then in the afternoon she had her private ST session. It looks like we are dealing with dyspraxia when it comes to her speech - and the ST didn't say 'mild' she simply told me that it varies from mild to severe - so I'm guessing that Han might be in the 'moderate' range - otherwise she would have hastened to tell me that Han's was pretty mild wouldn't she??