School started, as we all know … this year I have a sophomore who thinks she needs me, but really doesn't. Its fine though, I love that I know her world still... I love that she tells me every word said in her group at lunch and every assignment that she has to do. I mean I really don't care about the meaningless things ('so and so wouldn't let me sit in the shade today') but I absolutely love that she wants me to be in the loop and try to help her through her situations. I also love that she tries to deal with each situation on her own before crying to me about it. This year I also have a 7th grader who doesn't need me and doesn't even act like he needs me. It literally feels like an interrogation every single day after school to find out how his day was.
I was thinking that I can brag about my kids … I mean I really love all the positive things they are doing... but I'm sure I'll need something to write about in the Christmas letter so I'm going to hold myself back. But you know what I'm going to brag about? The schools... yes you read that right. It isn't often that I get the chance to praise schools as a whole (I mean the two my kids are at) so I'm going to do it... I have spent the better part of 10 years struggling to be happy with the situations that my kids are in and although I know it is only October I am truly happy and forever grateful for the places my kids are.
I'm going to start with the middle school, because lets be honest … not many people like middle schools -- I mean, when I was a student there I hated it, when Brooke was there I didn't love it, I assume if you are a staff member at a middle school there is a certain amount of a love/hate situation going on. Tyler is VERY good at throwing everyone for a loop -- Not really on purpose. This all started last year when he was put in a more challenging class and his teacher was saying 'Tyler doesn't belong in my class, Tyler should be teaching it.' It took a while but finally they got him in a class he should be in. So aside from making huge accommodations for Tyler most of his teachers have opened up a side to Tyler that all of us having been waiting for. They are spending lots of time with kids, getting them out of their shells to find out what they know, what they don't … where they can help them. I know there are many kids at the middle school that are trying to figure out where they belong and maybe along that journey are making choices that are not good ones. I'm happy that I'm not brainstorming with the school ways to get my kid back on track but I'm equally amazed that they have taken the time to work with those kids as well as the ones on the straight pathway. So... to all you internet trolls out there … I couldn't be happier with Moore Middle School...
I'm going to finish with the high school... I remember being in high school... at the time my main focus was to do everything I could to get out of there as soon as I could … AND that is exactly what I did... so forgive me if there were programs like the ones I'm going to describe and I was too focused to see them, but I also really just think things have changed … or Pomona is a needle in a haystack. The sheer amount of positive vibes that emulates from Pomona is astounding. And these are all programs that my kids are not even apart of (remember, I'm saving those posts for Christmas). Last year at a boys basketball game against the across town rival Pomona put in one of their 'Unified' players and the whole gym (student body, players, coaches, parents) cheered with tears in their eyes as the boy scored his first basket. As in the modern era -- someone videoed the play and sent it in to 9News, it was featured on the local news which isn't really the point. The point is that every person in the gym that night was pulling for the boy with down syndrome to be the star. The acceptance and opportunities I see for all of the students including the programs designed for disabled warms my heart and gives me hope for this world. Just the other day Pomona was again featured on 9News because one of the clubs organized a '10-10 I care day' which just says you do something nice for someone 10 times through the day... I mean how great is it when someone recognizes your efforts? I know that it doesn't happen nearly enough! Brooke said everyone from the counselors to the students to the admin staff were getting little notes, cups of coffee and all kinds of things through out the day. In reality the things being taught are things that are above and beyond the tested curriculum, they are real life lessons that people should know. And I feel is missed far too often.
So kudos going out to the schools today … and to the teachers/coaches that care and go the extra mile more often than not. I could not be happier...
