Quite a year

Updating and re-entering as I've switched to moderated comments to avoid spammers on the comments... not really interested in comments in opportunities to meet Miss Lovey from Sierra Leone, or the latest in viagra treatments...

It has been quite a year for me and the family. Frankly, there has been so much going on, that the ability to blog and talk about issues has escaped me - and honestly, I've missed that.

First off, in an effort to not constantly delve into Gwenn's numerous medical issues, I now have started a CB site for Gwenn. It is allowing me to track her daily progress and issues, and to share with folks who are interested about her progress. If you would like access to the site, just send me an email and I will share the information with you.

Next, imagine the year as a piece of pie. Now take 90% of the pie away - that is the part of our lives ruled by Gwenn's multiple medical issues. The remaining 10% is all of the other things that are going on.

Last years au pair, Kristin, left in early August. The girls were sad to see her go. We had an up and down year together, but I was so proud of her in the end - she grew up considerably, had some personal goals that she reached, and did it all while managing with the girls. They miss her and have already asked when she is coming back.

Our new au pair arrived, CL. We had been very excited about her coming, as she was from China like the girls, and they were so excited to have Chinese food, learn Chinese words, and have someone from China in the house. It wound up being horrible. Basically, she had lied about her experiences - she didn't have experience working with special needs children, hadn't been volunteering in her local social welfare institute (orphanage), and when she said she had been driving for years, didn't even know how to turn the wheel of the car to get the car to respond. The end result of the lies was that she was out of control and verbally abusive to my children, including an incident where she shook Lucy. Issue after issue, and just shy of 3 weeks of being with us, I ended her stay with us. I have been told she was deported. I hope that in fact she was, as she is gone. I hate to think what she could wind up doing to kids if she is not being watched.

So, then we had a few weeks where Grandma came to help out, and we got another new au pair - one transitioning from her family in GA. It's been a bumpy transition, and while I like her a lot, I'm not sure she has the skills that are needed to do the job. While I have tried to coach her, it's not been smooth and I know that I can't go through a full year like this. We talk almost daily and I hope that together we can reach a decision in the next few days.

Currently, I'm sick with a kidney infection. I feel like crud which doesn't help things. I have enough work to do that it's not even funny. I've got FCC work, OES work, Gwenn medical work, appointments to make, forms to fill out, forms to hand in, safety deposit boxes to get materials out of, trust to update, and more than I can list. I'm hoping 2 weeks at the holidays may help.

That's it for now. I will post the girls new school pics tomorrow -they turned out great on the first go - something that has never occured before!

Love Without Boundaries

It's been a while, but I wanted to share the amazing things that Love Without Boundaries has been doing. I've talked of their work helping children in orphanages, but this feature on Amy Eldridge is the result of winning one of the awards given for Cookie Magazine - their Smart Cookie of the Year award!

Haircut, pt 2

New cut... sorry the pic isn't better. Kids are all asleep and no one else home to take the picture!

Haircut

Well, last night was my haircut. I have been waiting for this for a LONG time, and I could not wait to get my hair to a decent length again. Well, it's grown so much in the past year that with a slightly shorter cut than usual, I was able to donate my hair to Locks of Love. And, thanks to the incredibly thick Skildum hair, instead of one ponytail, it was three that I was able to give! I'm so glad to have my hair back where I like it, but honestly, a few months of bushy hair (my daughters tell me it's just like Hermione Granger...) it's worth it.

Gwenn sings

Gwenn joined the school choir this spring - here she is singing at the MLK Jr. event just a week ago! She loved it, and since it's the only school club I can get her to do, we'll keep it up!

When it rains, it pours...

One of the things that I love to think about is all of the great, funky medical bits I'm exposed to with my children. The latest is a diagnosis of torticollis with my daughter, Gwenn. Here is what a website has to say about torticollis:

What is torticollis?
Torticollis is a twisted and tilted neck. When your
child has torticollis, he cannot move his neck very much, and holds his head to
one side. His chin might point up a little bit. Torticollis can appear
temporarily and go away again, but it can also be present at birth
(congenital).
There are several different types of torticollis:

Temporary torticollis (selecting only the one that Miss G has...)
For most children, torticollis goes away after a day or two. All your child
may need is some rest, and perhaps a towel wrapped around his neck to keep him
still. This temporary problem sometimes happens when your child’s lymph
nodes are hot and swollen (inflamed) after he has had an ear infection or a
cold. Torticollis can also develop if your child hurts his head or neck
and the joints between the bones in the neck swell and become sore.

Gwenn is now sporting a very styling cervical collar, worn backwards because she is so little that even the small one from the office was too big for her. Lucky girl! I'll try to get a picture with the collar tonight!

Mypods and Boomsticks

You know, I love the Simpsons. After the most recent episode, I love them even more. Not sure what my favorite part is except potentially about Steve investing all his money in Microsoft stock... Enjoy!

Thanksgiving

Election season is over. My candidate was elected, and it's back to the daily grind of work, doctor appointments, school meetings, house keeping and other super exciting things like that . Not that I'm complaining. It's easier to focus on these things knowing that I'll have someone in the White House for the next 4 years that will hopefully work to make the last eight years worth slogging through.

I'm especially looking forward to seeing what happens with health care changes. Granted, not much can be done right now when we are incurring a billion dollars a day in costs for a war that we should never have been involved in, and when we are spending trillions to bail out banks and mortgage companies with failed policies. But - once we have dealt with some of the unfinished business (can I call it dirty laundry?) - I look forward to seeing what will happen.

As a parent of a child with moderate to significant needs, a chill goes down my back when I think about where I would be if it were not for the outstanding medical coverage my employer offers. I don't have co-payments for medical visits, medication or specialists. Those three ER trips a few weeks back? No co-payment. The visit by the on-call doctor at 3am last month? No charge. I am so thankful, and aware of it at this Thanksgiving time, of what a blessing I have in my employment and medical benefits. And for all of the parents who have children with similar or more impacted children with needs, I will pray for them this thanksgiving - and be truly thankful for what I have.

Gwenn is now two months in with the PEG feeding tube, and will go in for surgery to remove it next month and have a mic-key button placed in it's place. That should make all of us happier. However, she is on her fourth round of antibiotics, and frankly I'm hoping that this ongoing infection is gone prior to the surgery - I don't want it delayed.

We have also made progress with the doctors, although not what I would like. We met with Dr. H, a geneticist who is helping us try to solve the mystery of Gwenn. Agreeing that there are far too many things going on for it not to have a common cause, they are going to help us. Initially they will look into metabolic, genetic and chromosomal deficiencies in hopes of finding something. I continue to go through a fairly complete list of 800+ genetic and metabolic disorders one by one in hopes of finding something, probably obscure, that sounds like what we deal with - and could allow us to finally identify the little demon we fight.

Thankfully Gwenn's sisters are amazingly patient with her. As she has recently changed medication, that patience has been called on. Ella is amazing, and has really stepped up. Lucy plugs along with everything, although I have to work hard to ensure that she does not try to emulate those habits of Gwenn's which we are trying to neutralize. She is such a little parrot, that while it helps with speech and motor skills, the social skills may be slipping a bit.

I've found that I have been lacking for time recently, and I'm hoping that I will get some back to spend doing some much needed game playing, cuddling and reading with the girls over the weekend. I'll also be in touch with some friends who have been in my thoughts recently.

To Lorna - you are an amazing woman. You deal with so much more than I could ever imagine, and never run out of patience or a sense of humor. You are my "patient mom" role model. Many of my friends know Lorna, and dealing with a child with a terminal illness (without a timeline) is a stressful piece of work - and yet Lorna not only maximizes every day, she still understands that despite a frightening diagnosis that there is so much life to live, and that doctors are often wrong. Know that we here in Seattle are constantly praying for all of you, and that Gwenn tells me that she too "hates mito"...

To my friend S - who I will leave anonymous for now. You are a pillar of strength. You are a fantastic parent, and will continue to be a fantstic parent as a single parent. I'm here when you need me.

So many others to be thankful for - D&H, Sandy & Jim, Sundie, Sharon, Libby, Karin, my mom and so many more. While I don't get time to think about it while I'm running myself ragged, I really do have it so good. Thanks for all you all do for support...

That's it from me for tonight. Remember on the eve of Thanksgiving during these turbulent times, that we need to focus on what we do have and the many blessing that we do have. One of my favorite songs that the Hopeful Gospel Quartet sings is the song "Count Your Blessings" - which goes something like this:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God has done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will suprise you what God has done....

Obama Rocks the White House

Tell me it isn't so!!!!!!!

Simply the most brilliant piece of viral marketing for pass-on that I have seen in years. I have so few other words - but I'm trying to send to everyone right now... get the message??? If you don't have it from me - don't worry - you will soon....

Waaaassssssup? Change …

The new....

and the old....

Busy

You know, there are times when it just gets so busy, that you can't think about doing much of anything. That is definately where I've been the last few weeks.

As a note regarding business, before we go anywhere else, I want to thank Cheryl again for the gift of the post-it organizer that she gave to me almost six months ago. I think without that, I would not see my desk for all the notes and thoughts that would be piled on it. Instead I have the coolest organizer (I'll add a pic later) that is indespensible... Thanks!

So. First off, there have been many changes around the house. I had planned on more updates quite frankly, but the economy has me freaked out (well - I think that is just about all of us in the country) so I'm not doing so much. But, some long-awaited items are now dealt with.

Frst, here are the pictures of the baseboards that are now installed. I have to say - after four years without baseboards - they look even better than I had imagined. The new doors still rock, but the baseboards make me feel so good! Dorky huh?

This is just a small piece - they are in all over upstairs now - and hopefully next spring I can replace the other doors in the house, and the baseboards downstairs as well. I dream about that day. (God, but it's the truth... instead of dreaming of foreign men, I dream about men with or without beer bellies who fix up my house and do handyman work...)

I have found a great handyman who works with another that I had already used (actually neither have beer bellies, but I guess that is just a bonus). The other big piece that they did is almost as exciting. If you have ever been in my garage you will know that it was an electrical mess. There was one outlet for everything, and frankly I had doubted if it was legal wiring. Well, G (the secret handyman whose identify I won't reveal for fear of having too much business and never seeing him again) was able to add 5 lights, and 7 electical sockets in the garage. I tell you, it was pretty cool. I now have my own electrical tester unit - and have now discovered most outlets in the house are not wired correctly. Note to self to install the new fire detectors this weekend. If something goes wrong it will be from the crappy electric work I paid for when I moved in. Here is the garage:

In addition, this week the last of the big projects was done - a new side fence with gate to replace the moldy oldy that was falling apart. Mom - these pictures are for you. Doesn't it look nice?

This past week I travelled to CO on business, and was able to meet up with my newest neice, Hayden. She is pretty damn cute, I have to say. Now the next order of business is to get my brother to marry the mother sometime here in the future, after we get him a better job with a future and a decent paycheck... I'm still watching out for you, bro... Here are those pics of Miss Hayden Peterson:

I travelled to MN early this month for my 20th college reunion. Really. It was great - I felt OLD (stunning) - and while classmates were talking about getting their kids ready for college, I was able to find one or two other classmates who I could talk about potty training with.

A special thanks goes out to Karen L. for finally returning my copy of "The Mind Parasites" which I purchased on a trip to the Soviet Union my junior year. She agreed that it was a good book, but didn't want to be one of those people who don't return books. Thanks so much, and I've already started to read it again.

At the reunion we were able to watch the football game (we lost - not much has changed in 20 years), drink heavily with friends (no photo evidence), and visit with the kids of friends. Here are some pics from the weekend:

Before more updates on Gwenn, I thought this picture would be great. This is Libby's son - Jordan. Now mind you - Libby and I have plotted on how we could get these two kids together when they are old enough that parents want their kids to get together. Well, it is a conversation that really does not have to happen. Gwenn is to Jordan like a moth is to flame. Thankfully, this flame is gentle and patient with Gwenn. Once she had her Jordan memory sparked, she was drawn to him and we definately needed more time with all the kids together. Once yearly trips are far too short. Maybe next summer we'll go to MN for two weeks instead of WY. Maybe not...

Gwenn has now gained 16 pounds since May. As you can see from the pictures, it's nice not to have her with the ng-tube on her face any more. The PEG tube that is in has been tough - she has had a few infections, has granulation tissue growing (trust me, it's gross), and a sore tummy. Plus this week, her PEG tube sprung a leak. Believe it or not, but the GI doc is having me fix the tube hole with Gorilla Tape (the tape version of Gorilla Glue).

Gwenn has also started riding at a theraputic riding stable. The big one around town has a 3+ year wait, so we found one that isn't so crazy. So far, it's been fantastic.

Last, we are all getting ready for Halloween. Lucy's friends, Kira and Kate, had their 3rd birthday last weekend and it was a Halloween theme to get us in to the mood. Here are some pictures from that...

This is just a small sampling of what is going on. We are making great progress on the teen tour to China next summer, where the teens from FCC-NW will spend 17 days volunteering throughout three different cities in China. We have many families considering, and it sounds like it's going to be fantastic.

Lucy got her hair cut for the first time... not much, since I'm trying to grow out the bangs, but enough to even her out. Very grown up. Then had to have a LONG talk to make sure she would not try to do this on her own. Not sure if she got it. We'll see...

Well, that is about it for now. I'm sure there will be more. Keep bugging me.. I have to go and break up the pouting match that is going on right now, as the girls destroy my living room (it was clean about 20 minutes ago)... good night.

Korea aims to end foreign adoptions

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/world/asia/09adopt.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin

Korea Aims to End Stigma of Adoption and Stop 'Exporting' Babies
By NORIMITSU ONISHI

SEOUL, South Korea - Daunted by the stigma surrounding adoption here, ChoJoong-bae and Kim In-soon delayed expanding their family for years. When they finally did six years ago, Mr. Cho chose to tell his elderly parentsthat the child was the result of an affair, rather than admit she was adopted.

"My parents later died believing that I'd had an affair," said Mr. Cho, 48,a civil engineer who has since adopted a second daughter.

Now, with South Korea becoming more accepting of adoptive families, Mr. Choand Ms. Kim feel they can be more open, with relatives and non-relatives alike. Ms. Kim, 49, attributed the change partly to the growth of other non-traditional families, like those headed by single parents or including foreign spouses.

"We feel attitudes have changed," she said.

Just how much, though, is the critical question as the South Korean government is pushing aggressively to increase adoptions by South Koreans and decrease what officials consider the shameful act of sending babies overseas for adoption. Since the 1950s, tens of thousands of South Korean children have been adopted by foreigners, mostly Americans, because of South Koreans' traditional emphasis on family bloodlines and reluctance to adopt. But last year, for the first time, more babies here were adopted by SouthKoreans than foreigners, as the government announced recently with great fanfare: 1,388 local adoptions compared with 1,264 foreign ones. What is more, South Korea - which still is one of the top countries from which Americans adopt - has set a goal of eliminating foreign adoptions altogether by 2012.

"South Korea is the world's 12th largest economy and is now almost an advanced country, so we would like to rid ourselves of the international stigma or disgrace of being a baby-exporting country," Kim Dong-won, who oversees adoptions at the Ministry of Health, said in an interview. "It's embarrassing."

To bolster domestic adoptions, the government last year began offering $90 monthly allowances per child for those who adopt children up to 12 years old, as well as more generous health benefits for the children. Even greater health benefits are now given to adopted disabled children.

The government also made it easier for South Koreans to adopt. Single people can now qualify, as well as older ones. Until last year, prospective adoptive parents could be no more than 50 years older than the child; now the age gap has been increased to 60 years. In addition, the government has made foreign adoptions more difficult by imposing a five-month waiting period before children can even be considered for overseas adoption. It also increased payments to foster parents to try to keep children inside South Korea longer and increase their chances of being adopted domestically.The government's goal has received much media attention and popular support here. But adoption agencies and some adoptive parents and experts say the government's new policies are concerned less with the children's welfare than with saving face. Increasing the age gap and allowing singles to adopt have lowered the standards for domestic adoptions in a way that could be detrimental to the children, they say, even as the government has created unnecessary obstacles to foreign ones.

"The government is hung up on numbers and on South Korea's image," said Lee Mira, who oversees domestic adoptions at Social Welfare Society, a private, nonprofit organization that is the second largest adoption agency in South Korea. "When North Korea taunts South Korea by saying we're selling Korean babies to foreigners, it hurts the pride of South Korea."

Since 1958, when South Korea began keeping track of adoptions, 230,635 children have been adopted. About 30 percent were adopted by South Koreans, while 70 percent found homes overseas. Two-thirds of all foreign adoptees ended up in the United States.

While orphans made up a majority of adopted children in the two decades following the Korean War, children born to unwed mothers have accounted for the largest numbers since then.

South Koreans who did adopt tended to hide their children's origins from the children and others.

In recent years, adoption agencies have conducted campaigns - some featuring movie and TV stars - urging adoptive parents to tell people about how their families were formed in the hopes that more openness would lead to less prejudice. The government's efforts got a boost when some celebrities adopted and went public with the news.

Still, many adoptive parents choose not to share how their families were formed, according to adoption agencies, with some engaging in elaborate ruses to pass off the children as their biological sons or daughters. A middle-aged couple now living in a suburb of Seoul learned long ago that the husband was sterile. But he was reluctant to consider adopting, unwilling to accept his condition and afraid of the lingering prejudice against adopted children. In a Confucian society that still values bloodlines, where many people keep detailed records of their ancestors, he was worried that adopted children might face difficulties in their careers or with marriage prospects.

So when the couple decided to adopt three years ago, they chose to fake a pregnancy, as many adoptive parents here do. The couple moved, and the husband, now 43 and a real estate agent, switched jobs.

The wife, an employee at a telecommunications company, began wearing maternity clothes over a special pillow, made by a company recommended by the couple's adoption agency.

All was going well until a colleague the woman had confided in spilled the secret to a supervisor.

"I was so hurt and embarrassed by that experience," she said. "I would like to adopt a second child, if only to go through the experience in a proper manner this time."

Given the bias against adoptions, some couples who are initially open become more guarded as their children grow older.

Yoo Hae-yon, 48, has told relatives and neighbors that his two sons, now 4 years old and 18 months, were adopted. But he has since become worried that the boys will suffer in a society where television shows typically portray adopted children negatively, as schemers who end up damaging families. "My sons haven't been teased yet, but that will be a possibility in elementary school," Mr. Yoo said. "So once they start school, we won't disclose their adoptions. And in junior high school or later on, we'll let them decide."

Holt International, a private American adoption agency that has long been South Korea's leading agency, welcomed the government's new financial incentives for families but said that trying to curb foreign adoptions would risk hurting the children least likely to be adopted by South Koreans: older ones; the disabled, who still face severe discrimination; and boys, who, once preferred by South Koreans, are now considered by many to be less devoted to their parents than daughters.

"The changes could end up postponing the adoption process of those children," said Lee Jin-hee, who oversees domestic adoptions at Holt here. And Huh Nam-soon, dean of the social welfare department at Hallym University outside Seoul, said changing the standards for domestic adoptions could cause serious problems in the future.

"How many of those adopted children will end up in orphanages because of broken adoptions?" she said.

Ms. Huh, who has researched the history of South Korean children adopted by Americans, said that, in general, they had found good homes in the United States, even though some struggled with their identities.

Mr. Kim, the Health Ministry official, acknowledged that the history ofAmerican adoption had been largely positive. But he said that the government believed that South Korean children would be happier if adopted by South Koreans and that it would stick to its goal of phasing out foreign adoptions in four years.

Agencies and adoptive parents said the goal was unrealistic, if only because very few disabled children had been adopted here. Last year, only 40 disabled children were adopted domestically, while 500 went abroad.

"We wouldn't feel confident adopting a disabled child since we even felt overwhelmed adopting a healthy one," said Kim Chang-shik, 37, who, with his wife, Yoon Yeo-rim, 38, adopted a daughter four years ago, after the birth of their biological son. "I don't know whether it's because I'm Korean, but I'm grateful that foreigners are willing to adopt children who can't find homes here."

China eases restrictions on illegally adopted children

A new policy guideline eases the law on most illegally adopted children in China.

The legal rights of these children are currently not guaranteed such as permanent residence of a city, schooling and inheritance.

The guideline was jointly issued by five ministries on Sept 5, but made public on Monday.

It allows people to register their illegally adopted children without fear of punishment.

Ji Gang, director of the China Center of Adoption Affairs, said the number of illegal adoptions has been increasing rapidly in recent years.

"In less developed areas, the number of unregistered adoptions can be two or three times more than registered ones," he said.

"In big cities where people have a better knowledge of the law, the number of unregistered adoptions is fewer."

Shanghai, for example, between 1992 and 2000, had more than 7,000 registered adoptions and about 4,000 unregistered ones.

Ji said China has more than 20,000 registered adoptions every year.

To adopt a child legally in China, a person must be more than 30 years old, healthy, childless and with a good and steady income.

Those seeking registration under the new guideline will be exempt from these requirements except in the case where a single male parent is not more than 40 years older than the girl he has adopted.

If this is not the case, the man will be persuaded to surrender the child to a children's welfare institute.

The guideline also requires anyone who finds abandoned babies to hand them over to police in the first instance.

If the police fail to find their biological parents, the children will be handed over to local children's welfare institutions.

If people who find such babies meet the necessary requirements and want to adopt them, they will be given first priority.

"It means you can not take an abandoned baby home and then apply for adoption. They must be handed over to the authorities first," Ji said.

He said the guideline will help in the fight against trafficking of infants and children.

Updates

So, it's been a busy, crazy week.

Gwenn is doing better. She got a PEG tube put in that will last for 12 weeks until a mic-key can be put in. She came home with an infection, so we are working hard to ensure that she takes her antibiotics, gets her rest, and takes care of herself. She is back at school for half days, and I hope by Thursday she will be able to go full days. She continues to remain way too busy, with time each week for Speech, feeding therapy, riding therapy, and plain old therapy - as well as OT monthly. Eeek.

Ella and I had a great date night last week. We need to continue it, since we did not get everything done that we wanted to - but we had a great night. She is now sporting some new, styling outfits for school - and I have to order more from MiniBoden for her as well. She is loving 1st grade and is already complaining that she won't get homework until November. She is too cute...

Lucy is Lucy, and has again given herself a major head injury. I was upstairs working when I heard that familar, hollow "thunk" of a breaking mellon. I was half way down the stairs before the screaming started. Apparently, she fell while dancing/jumping around, and hit her head on a handle on the TV cabinet. It gave her quite the goose egg, and bruising around her eyes. I watched her and no concussion, thankfully, but I'm seriously considering just letting her wear a helmet until she has completely grown into her head. She is so much better, and does look like a toddler instead of a bobblehead, but it's tough.

Kristin is doing great, and is integrating into the home. Gwenn tells me she loves her, although she is still missing Viivi something fierce. Kristin will re-take her drivers test this week, which is good since I need to insure her so she can start driving at will...

And me, I'm just tired and ready for a week long sleep. I think Rip Van Winkle had it figured out, and a long sleep needs to be in my future...

Mitochondrial Awareness Week

The week of September 21-27 is the Mitochondrial Awareness Week. Mito is a disease that strikes thousands of families, but so few people know about it. I was completely unaware of it, until the 8 year old daughter of a close friend was diagnosed with it just over 6 months ago. It is a devastating disease that robs those who have it of energy. Please watch the videos, and learn more about mito by visiting http://www.umdf.org/

Thanks!

Who needs morphine - we have a Gameboy....

Surgery went well yesterday, although the doctors needed to put a mic-key g-tube in, instead of a BARD button as we had hoped. That means for the next 12 weeks there will be a long tube coming out of the tummy, and then it will be replaced with the mic-key button. On the other hand, we won't have to worry about it getting pulled out or any gymnastics mishaps. The first few hours were pretty rough, and while morphine did help, the Gameboy offered just as much comfort and distraction.

If all continues to go well, we'll be home later today and back to school by Monday. Pray for a speedy recovery, no infections and continued willingness to let people look at, and poke at, her tummy...

Back to School

We finally have had our first day of school on Monday. Gwenn is starting 4th grade, Ella starting 1st grade, and Lucy had her first day of big girl Preschool. The first day went well for everyone, including Lucy who was a very brave girl and didn't cry, when so many other 3 year olds were sobbing!

Medical Updates...

So tomorrow I'll be offline most of the day as we go through Upper GI testing prior to the g-tube (a BARD button) surgery next Wednesday. Hopefully she will get the barium drink that tastes like soda instead of the one that is like milk of magnesia (which she won't drink). Cross your fingers, and I'll post more soon...

My daughter deserves more than an occasional education

Yup - that is me in the far left, sitting next to Melodie and me trying not to look at the photographer... The meeting was long, but remarkably controlled. Thank goodness we are not Seattle school district.

Thanks to the Seattle Times for the great photo that went along with the article on the strike and meeting...

============

My comments at the meeting last night:

My name is Lara Peterson, and I'm the parent of a preschooler, a 1st grader and a 3rd grader at Spiritridge Elementary.

Thank you to the many speakers who have focused the attention on the issues with the Curriculum Web. My concerns continue to focus on the web, but are specific to being the parent of a special education student. With the massive cuts in special education that already occured last spring we have already hit a point where my child will only be educated 4 days a week - since that is all the budget that is allowed for our school. On the 5th day of each week my daughter will be babysat by a teacher all day.

Since my daughter is not at grade level in any subject, her only opportunity to continue to learn outside of the resource room is a sympathetic teacher who understands her potential and adjusts the curriculum to meet her needs. However, if changes are not made any teacher who adjusts curriculum to meet my daughters needs could be reprimanded or fired. That is not okay. I realize that the school districts lanaguage has been updated to allow for "occasional" deviation from the standardized curriculum. My response to you is:

My daughter deserves more than an occasional education.

My daughter deserves and is due daily teaching and education, that meets her needs and allows her to learn and participate in the school.

Thank you for steps made to date, but it's not enough. You need to continue your discussions with the union in order to meet the needs of ALL Bellevue School District students, not just those in the middle for whom the curriculum was created. And if you think this applies to only IEP students, this also would be the case if you have a 504 student, ELL/ESL student, or even a gifted and talented student.

I want to encourage this school board to continue negotiations with the union and the mediator, in order to bring this strike to a resolution. As a single parent, this extended summer holiday is NOT idea - but I believe that we need to continue to discuss this until we have a resolution that everyone can live with. I would rather deal with this now than have it simmer for another 2-3 years. And yes, I prefer a three year contract so we don't have to deal with this for a while.

Let's do the right thing and keep great teachers here in Bellevue, and ensure that ALL students are taught. I truly believe that my child will be more impacted by NOT having changes made to the curriculum than there will be by this strike continuing. Thank you very much.