***Sigh***

It was the first day since spring break that I felt calm at work.  Yesterday was the last day of school for students.  After a sprint to the end we are finally done.  It seems that D's are passing grades.  She worked really hard and was able to bring up her Italian grade to a B.  We both told her how proud we were of her and she seemed to be very pleased with herself too.

Yesterday I had a conversation with the guidance counselor and found that yes MAC would have the grades to pass to 8th grade.  It wasn't pretty and it really was a fight at the end but next year is going to be different.  We realized that starting with 3 E's 2 weeks ago and never having received a call from any of the teachers that the 504 plan that was in place since the beginning of the year did NOT work.

I will have a meeting with all of MAC's teachers next year.  I told the guidance counselor how disappointed I was that when I had spoken with both the social studies teacher and the department chair of language arts they had both acted as if it was my fault for not checking black board and parentconnect earlier.  The social studies teacher told me that he had had weekly conferences with MAC herself and he had told her what she needed to turn in and that he had given her several chances to redo failed tests.

I am looking into finding an advocate for us.  A friend from church had the name and number of someone who works for  Anne Arundel County Public Schools and knows the system.  I said that I felt as if we had done the right things, took her to see a private therapist, started her on medication, took away her recess, sent her to a different school and then started going on all the field trips, and that if we weren't able to get the school's help none of it would matter.  She said it was time to get an advocate.
 
I called the number and left a message yesterday.  They got back to me last night.  I spoke with a Dr. this morning and was told that they charge a $150 per hour and are out of net-work providers.  We're going to have to try to find the money, I think we really need the help!