DD12 starting new clinical day school tomorrow!

[Mickeyhead12]

So we still haven't had an evaluation completed (she's too anxious) and the tutoring just wasn't getting anywhere so... DD is going to start at a clinical day school tomorrow. There are 2 classrooms- the one she's in has 7 students with the possibility of 9 total. There is a full time clinician, they have group counseling (girls' group) for 45 minutes a day and she doesn't have to participate- she can just listen. The best thing was at the PPT today when the regular school staff kept going on and on about her academic levels (fine) and ability and catching her up to her grade level classmates- the clinical staff said their first priority is to get her into the building and comfortable. They are going to make her feel safe and then they can figure out where she is academically and work forward. That made me feel so much better- somebody gets it! She can't learn if she doesn't feel safe!

I'm really hoping this goes well and helps!

 

[Mickeyhead12]

She has done an awesome job and the staff are great with her. I've missed 2 days of work because she needed me to stay and make her feel secure. Yesterday I stayed and then ran out to do errands twice- leaving her there. Today she went on a bowling field trip (my mom drove her because she's afraid to ride the van) and we waited outside in the car so she was inside with the kids and teachers. Then my mom drove her back to school and my mom and I went home for lunch. DD went to the gymnastics place for PE class. So mostly she was alone at school today with us nearby. Hopefully next week she can get more independent and I can go back to work. At this point I am doing whatever it takes to get her comfortable there so it will be successful.

Her IEP says she has to go from 8-11 but can choose to stay all day. She wants to go all day and stayed both days.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Sounds like she's feeling comfortable there, thanks for the update

 

[OldBrownShoe]

The best thing was at the PPT today when the regular school staff kept going on and on about her academic levels (fine) and ability and catching her up to her grade level classmates- the clinical staff said their first priority is to get her into the building and comfortable. They are going to make her feel safe and then they can figure out where she is academically and work forward. That made me feel so much better- somebody gets it!

I'm new here and don't know entirely what's going, though it sounds like anxiety is the main issue. I just wanted to say that the above quote really stuck out at me. I'm in training to be a teacher right now and there is so much of an emphasis on academics (yes, I know that's the point of school) to the loss of what I think is the children's emotional well-being. I hate this high-pressure approach to education. Middle school is hard enough with all the social issues going on, kids don't need a school system based entirely on test scores.

I'm so glad to hear that this school exists! It sounds like it'll be good for your DD. I was a gifted kid but performed poorly in school because of depression and anxiety (diagnosed as major depression and ADD, but I think the attention problem was just a symptom). I had a terrible time in school, especially middle school. I was anxious all the time, to the point that I would self-harm in class to ease my nerves. Guess what? It's hard to focus when you are anxious! You have to take care of that before academics. I wish your DD the best and I hope it really helps her!