Switching Schools Mid-Year
We decided to leave a well sought out charter school mid-year for my 7th grader. While it was an easy decision for myself, it wasn’t for my husband. I knew from 6th grade that he needed something different, but it was hard to accept emotionally and financially.
Brady was diagnosed with a chromosome deletion when he was 2 years old, and then later around 11, he was diagnosed with Autism and severe ADHD. So, to say regular classes were a struggle was an understatement. Seeing things now, I honestly do not know how he got by in his regular classes.
We noticed things going poorly once he moved to middle school. Kids were being mean; he was having panic attacks at least 2 times a week. I would have to leave work to go and pick him up at least once a week. It was always in his general ed classes or PE. Let’s face it, every school has mean kids and Brady was terrified. We tried our best to tell him to ignore it and move on because he would find mean, unkind people everywhere in life but being the empath that he was … he just couldn’t move past it. Also, that is one of the things about Autism, he cannot let things go like when people break the rules. So, things that happened weeks ago to him, he would relive and be upset over for a long time. He was constantly worrying about what would happen to him even when it had been days or weeks when things were fine.
The education part of school was also worrisome. He literally could not remember what homework, test or project was due in his regular classes and in middle school … it is a different world. They try to teach the kids independence, and Brady was not a child that could handle that. His SPED classes were amazing; I could not have asked for better teachers and how they helped my son educationally and emotionally. If he could only have had SPED classes all the time, the school would have been perfect.
Come December, we realized that Brady was suffering emotionally and mentally. He was cranky and did not want to talk to us after school and being the parent that had to handled all this primarily, I was spent. I begged my husband to please just look at the private schools that were equipped to handle exceptional learners and he finally agreed. While St. Michael’s is an absolutely wonderful school, we knew it was not quite the right fit for Brady, so I went to open house at St. Thérèse. I immediately knew that was where Brady needed to be. After fighting with Brady, he agreed to spend a day at St. Thérèse. He really enjoyed it, although he did not really understand why he was going to spend a day, he had fun and enjoyed the lunch!
During the Christmas break we broke the news to Brady. It did not go well to say the least. He had been at his current charter school since he was 4; it was our home. Both he and I were heartbroken; he did not understand why he had to move. I was also so sad to leave the school, the teachers and staff felt like family to us for so many years. He was miserable over the break and would fight with us daily about moving schools. I was honestly worried he would get to St. Thérèse and flee from campus.
I wished it had worked out, but in the end, we must do what is best for our child. The school is amazing, and we were so blessed that he was there for so long.
We talked daily about what he needs as a student, and we explained to him that his current school was just not able to allow him to succeed in the way that he needed to … which was by no means his fault or their fault.
After daily talks and prayers, he was finally able to feel comfortable with the decision that he would just try St. Thérèse out and see how it goes. Brady was literally a different kid after a week; he was smiling when I dropped him off and smiling when I picked him up. One day he was singing and smiling in the carpool line, and I asked why he was so happy. He said to go to school!!! There have been a few learning bumps on the way because it was programs he was not used to, Overall, this change has been just what Brady needed. He is finally able to learn in his way and excel in his studies! We are so proud of him for trying something new and being open, which is not easy for Autistic kids. St. Thérèse is an amazing school for exceptional learners, and we are so blessed that Brady feels like that is his new home!
