Talking in Parenthesis

Bummer I missed my 100th post, I wasn't even pay attention, oh well.

Nate went back to school today. I am a little nervous about the whole thing, but he understands how important protecting his mouth is. He also said for the first time his teeth hurt a little. While usually pain is a bad thing that means they are having feeling which is good thing. And something they told us to expect if the teeth survived the implanting.

Today is the first day of the monster known as CSAP. That is our state and federally mandated standardized test. I hate it, teachers hate it and the kids hate it. The only people that like it are politicians. I have 3 taking it this year. Brit could careless, he scores advanced and they don't pay much attention to it in the IB program. Franklin is a little more concerned, they have spent the last 2 months getting ready for it. Yep that is right 2 months. And Clay is a mess. They are now threatening the kids that don't score well on the test this year with the loss of at least one elective, so they can have a double dose in whatever they did test well in. Now I agree that if a child is underperforming in any area they need to be brought up to grade level. But to base that solely on one test score is not only dumb but as far as I am concerned irresponsible. Clay has identified learning issues, and we have the Individual Learning Plan, and all that to help him. Including the modifications that he is to have for CSAP. Which he didn't get last year, and I am certain that accounted for some of his low scores. Anyways because of all this pressure he is a mess, his stomach is in knots, multi bathroom trips etc. I did talk to him this morning and let him know I am fighting for him no matter what. When they decided to use this test, they sold it to the parents with the promise that this test will never be used against our children. It was to be a measuring tool to see how the schools were performing. And now, of course without consulting the parents, they are changing things. He has a good student good grades, in the gifted and talented program and he is terrified of basically failing. Now if they used the test and the classwork and teach evaluations, etc that would never bother me. I hate seeing Clay like this.

Alli may or may not be sick again today. She has been sick so many times this year, but I don't know if that is it. Yesterday she came home in tears because I wasn't at the bus to get her. Now I am usually not at the bus, she has her older brothers to walk with her, so it is not as if she is alone. She fell asleep until dinner. When she woke up she was still upset, and anytime I questioned her she told me she missed me. I think there may be something going on at school that she isn't telling me. I called her teacher but she hasn't called me back yet. So now to I send her to school or let her stay home? I know it is only kindergarten but I am worried about setting a pattern. Jeez this Mommy thing is hard!