Oh Boy......School ALL day!

 One thing that was becoming worse and worse with Koleman was his sensitivity to senses. He would meltdown when things would be too chaotic or loud. He hated to be out in the bright sun. If something smelled even a little different he couldn't handle it and would usually run outside. Another thing that was beginning to be more apparent to me was his fine motor skills. Throughout his kindergarten year I thought him not wanting to color, write, or cut was because he simply did not want to. I was absolutely clueless! No wonder those were things that he wasn't very fond of, he couldn't do very well and he would get frustrated!
 As the school year was coming closer, embarrassing as this is to admit, I thought us talking to the school counselor and the principal at the beginning of the year was an IEP (individualized education plan). Well I found out the hard way that he didn't have one at all for his kindergarten year!
 I chose an amazing teacher for Koleman for first grade. I found out that she would be having a baby right after school started, but I still wanted him to have her. Addie had her and I loved her and after praying and praying, I knew she would be perfect for Koley. So as school was approaching, I was getting really nervous. He was going to be in school all day. His teacher would be on maternity leave soon after he started, and he needed an IEP. I was very overwhelmed and wanted to know that he would be ok.
 I was told to call the school district psychologist and have him be approved for an IEP. When I called and talked to him about it, he was extremely rude and said they don't just do IEP's for anyone. That they have to have a special need for one. Even after I told him what Koleman was diagnosed with and that I had all the paper work from Primary Children's Hospital where he was diagnosed, which is a well known children's hospital in Salt Lake City. He then proceeded to ask me if I even knew what an IEP was! I was so upset. Who was this guy? I couldn't believe how rude he was. Then I was really worried that I wouldn't be able to get the help that Koleman would need. I called my brother who graduated from the University Of Pittsburgh with his masters in Special Education, and asked him what to do. He told me I needed an advocate and that he would be willing to help me understand the laws in Utah for these situations. In the meantime, I just called our principal and said I needed an IEP for him. She said she would get with the district and they would work it out.
 School started, and still no IEP. I was so upset. Koleman was only able to be with his regular teacher for a few weeks before she went on maternity leave. So he had A LOT of changes. The first few weeks after Mrs. Corpaci (his teacher) had gone on maternity leave, I got at least a couple of phone calls a week from the school telling me they needed me to come to the school to help calm Koleman down. It was really really hard on me and especially hard on poor little Koleman. I worried so much I couldn't sleep. I just didn't know what to do to help. I would always think it would just be so nice if I could just be at the school all day, not right with Koleman, but there if they needed me, and also for my peace of mind.

In the mean time of all of this, Kevin (my husband) got laid off from work, and we were extremely worried about how to make ends meet. We were at a loss about what to do. We knelt down and said a prayer on a Wednesday of this particular week. On that Friday I had a room-parent tea at the school where the room-parent meets with the teachers to discuss what they the things they need us to do. Anyways, I picked up the kids at school and was just going to run them home and head back to the school for the tea. When we got home Koleman started having a meltdown because he had forgotten a book at school. I told him we would hurry and run grab the book before I had to go to my meeting. I ran into the school to get the book. When I was walking down the hall to his classroom, Mrs.Phillips (who works at the school) passed me and said, "Hey aren't you Koleman's mom?" I told her I was and she proceeded to tell me that they had a job that they would really like me to consider taking. She asked if I had a minute to talk with her and Mrs. North (our principal). Of course I did!! I hurried and called Kevin to come get the kids, and then I went and met with them. They told me they would like me to be a kindergarten aide for these little intervention kindergarten classes they created for kids that are behind. Then they told me the days and hours and it was unreal because they fit PERFECTLY into my school schedule (I had just started back in school to get my elementary education degree)!!!! How meant to be!!!! I would be at the school a lot of the day so if Koleman needed me they could just come find me, and I would also get a little income to help with our bills!!
 Koleman started to adjust to having Mrs.Corpaci gone. His substitute, Mrs.Weatherford was absolutely darling with him and really did her best to help him. He really struggled with lunch, recess, and P.E. It was way too loud and chaotic for him. I wanted him to do as much as he possibly could. I didn't want him to just get out of everything. It is such a fine line. I don't want to put him in situations that are way too much for him to take, but I also want him to grow and progress and not have to not face things that are difficult for him. EVERYONE has challenges, and they are all different! The best thing is for us to face them as best we can so that we can grow and become the best we can be! I want that for Koleman. I want him to be able to jump some of these hurdles as best he can, because I know by doing so he will have a happier and fuller life. So I didn't want him to be forced to participate in these different things at school, but I wanted him to be pushed as far as he could go without it being too much. He started doing pretty well. He would do as much as he could until he couldn't take it anymore.
 Every month our school has a special assembly called the "Hero Hunt". Each month there is a different characteristic that every teacher watches to see who demonstrates it the most in their classrooms. For example, responsibility, friendship, love, courage, etc. Then the teacher will write a thing about why they chose the student they did. They will then hold an assembly and award these students and read those. Koleman was chosen by Mrs. Weatherford for courage. Teachers are supposed to somehow contact the parents to let them know that their child was chosen, but since she was a substitute, she didn't know that. I got a text from my sister in law asking if I was there because Koleman just got the hero hunt award! I was SICK!!! Luckily, my good friend videoed it for me so at least I was able to see it. To watch it click here.
 Koleman was progressing and doing well. His teacher and the Special Education teacher were working hard to help him meet his IEP goals. He had a sticker chart to motivate him to do the things that were more difficult for him. His darling teacher also made a special little area that he could go to and work on activities he loved or read a book. He had to earn that as well.
 He and Kaysen were still the best little buddies and Kaysen was always there to look out for him. He had the cutest little class and they were all so protective and kind to Koleman. How fortunate we were!!
 He was doing well in school for the most part. He was having less meltdowns. He was working harder on his writing and fine motor skills with an occupational therapist.
 Towards the last little bit of his first grade year, things started changing  a little at home. Things that were happening were definitely starting to affect him ................