The way they do things here is annoying....

WARNING: Rant enclosed

Some days, a girl just has to complain...

I know we're the new kids in town. I understand this. We've been down this road before. However, some things just are NOT acceptable...or wierd....or just plain illogical.

We're in the middle of trying to get our oldest son tested to see if we can get him some help in school. He's always had problems with reading, and in fifth grade, it is causing issues with Social Studies and Science...in other words, he's failing those two subjects. I met with the teacher, the school counselor, the vice-principal, and about 5 other people whose positions I have forgotten. Throughout that meeting, it was repeatedly stated that every help would be given to him, to give him the chance to succeed. Now, almost a month later, first, none of the testing has happened yet. Second, his grades have gotten worse. Third, this child came home with a 70 on a test....2 days later, I got an email from the teacher saying that he was given a chance to bring the grade up, and didn't do it. When I question said child, he was unaware of that...it seems that the teacher made that offer when my son was out of the room, and when my son said something to the teacher about it, the teacher told him, "Tough. You're too late now." HUH?!? THIS is giving my child EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED?!? Another instance of issues with this teacher...my son accidentally did some homework early, handed it in to the teacher's assistant, yet the teacher gave my son a ZERO on that piece of homework...even though the teaching assistant reminded the teacher that the work WAS done. Every contact I have had with this teacher has resulted in my feeling like this teacher thinks that WE are not doing pushing our son hard enough...I have come away feeling like the teacher thinks that if only WE did more, our son would be doing better. SOOOOO.....I called the school last night, and talked with the vice-principal. I let her know that I am NOT happy with how things are going. I am NOT happy with the way the teacher treats my son, nor how he treats me...and I am SERIOUSLY not happy with the fact that he was not given the same opportunity to bring his grade up that the rest of the class was given. I was civil. I was even understanding of the delays, but I did let her know that I want to see SOMETHING change. She promised to go talk to the teacher immediately, and also to call me back, and let me know what the plan will be. Now, we wait again.

This is killing me. I KNOW my son has problems. He has had problems since he started school. His father has always had reading difficulties, and at least 3 people in my family have learning issues, so I DO understand how it works...I also have a background in working with people with learning difficulties. I know there are compensations that CAN and SHOULD be made to help my son. I am NOT seeing any of that happening yet. He has been going steadily downhill since getting into this class....since starting in this new school. He was keeping his head above water...actually making B's and C's in the school in Montana. I do NOT believe that the work is here THAT much more difficult. However, I don't know what else we can do to help him. We do NOT have extra money for Sylvan or whatever other tutoring programs are available here. We keep him in after school every day....he gets to go out to play on the weekends, but school days are dedicated to school work. I go over EVERYTHING with him. He does GREAT it math...he's making A's in math....B's in WRITING, and D- and F in Social Studies and Science.

Okay, so we DO have 4 other children in school. Kindergarten, 2nd grade, 4th grade, and 8th grade. Everyone else is doing GREAT. The 8th grader is in band, and the band festival is this week...tonight they have their performance and sight-reading. She looks SO good in her "penguin suit!" So (sniff, sniff) grown up.... next year is HIGH SCHOOL....SO not ready for THAT! So, the band festival...tonight, at a different middle school. At 6:00 pm. I don't know how to get there, we always have something else on Friday night, and I am going to have to bring the rest of my kids along....which means that I won't be able to go into the sight-reading, because non-adults are not welcomed to that part...WHAT THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!?

This is symptomatic of the attitude of the schools here, in a HUGE military community, toward military families. They SHOULD understand that military families won't always have the cash to get a babysitter, or even have the spouse along, and that schools in other parts of the country do not necessarily do things the "bass-ackwards" way that things are done here. I am seriously contemplating taking at least one of my children out of these schools. If some changes are not made SOON, I will be discussing this with my husband, because nothing matters more than giving my son the chance to succeed....and it looks to me like the school is NOT doing that for him.

Alright...need to drop this for now....I have work to do....I DO have a job...nevermind what that *)&^% teacher thinks of me.

Irritated rant coming

I spent WAY too much time last night at the clinic on base. I got a call yesterday from the nurse at the elementary school...this is one of the things I hate most about having children in public school. It seems that the rash on the 5-year-old's face is impetigo, and that she (the nurse) would have to have a note from the doctor before the kindergartener would be allowed back in school. GRR.... NOT something I've ever had to deal with before....

So, in order to get to see a doctor, you show up at the base clinic when their "open" hours start...here, it is 16:00, or in terms that regular people understand, 4:00 pm. I left the house a little early, so we'd get there right AT 4:00....despite doing that, there was already a HUGE line ahead of us. We were triaged within about 20 minutes....and then sat there for about another 2 hours and 40 minutes before being taken back to see the doctor. All he did was look at her, and say, yes, that is impetigo, and I am going to give her an antibiotic and cream.

WHY?!? Why did it have to take so FREAKING LONG...they KNEW it was just a rash, and that was all he'd have to do. We had plans last night...2 different things. It NEVER should have taken 3 hours to get her back to see the ONE doctor they had on call. It was ridiculous. It took a total of *4* hours to get back to the house. For impetigo. My Doctor in Montana would have called in a prescription from my description over the phone....or, if I DID have to bring her in, we'd have been in and out the door in less than 1 hour.

Almost every contact with the clinic here has been horrible. No wonder there are so many openings for patients there. They chase people away with the way they treat us. I SO want to change us all to having our Primary Care Provider being a civilian....will have to look into it...