Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Report card day!!

Asa got his very first report card today!! Now if you are picturing a single page, folded with 4 or 5 grades on it you are wrong!! He doesn't get A,B,C,D or Fs. He doesn't even get the "satisfactory" or "needs improvement" marks. Nope, Asa's report card is....different!

It is 11 pages long! It has been compiled by no less than 5 people! Most of it is broken down into 2 sections, annual goal status and objective status. So he is graded on the smaller objectives that make up the bigger goal. It is very detailed! His grades are numbers not grades. A 4 means the goal is met. A 5 means the goal hasn't been met but will likely be met. A 6 means it isn't likely the goal will be met by the end of the IEP. That's the big goals. He can also get a 1a,1b,1c,1d,1e,2a,2b,2c,2d,2e,3 or 4. Fun, right!!! :-)

And keeping in mind that Asa has only been working on this goals since October, you can imagine his scores were low. I could go through each one for you but it's 11 pages long! If you want details just ask. It was a little hard to see the numbers broken down so much and lots of low scores. Kinda like how I felt when Cade had a C in spelling!! I know, you read my blog and see my typos, how much should I expect! Lol!! But back to Asa, it wasn't fun seeing those low grades. 

But then I read closer! I saw the notes the teachers wrote about Asa. Not the scores, not the numbers but what they thought of my baby! Things like, "We love having Asa at school!", "Asa's working hard!", "He's precious!", "We have fallen in love with Asa.", "I expect great things from him." and more about how he socializes with others in the school and how he has many friends outside the classroom! Seriously can you tell the tears well up in my eyes!!! 

In only 2 months he may not be checking off his goals at super speed but he is being cared for and taught by people who truly care about him!!! I really do love his school, his teachers and therapist! And so does he mostly!

Asa usually gets excited when we head to school. We talk about where we are going and we do the sign for school. When we pull onto the street and see the buses he gets squeally, kicks happily and starts signing! So cute! He had a different reaction today! He missed school all last week! As we turned onto the street he saw the buses and turned his head to look out his window! No kicking, no squealing! I was talking and signing school and he just stared out his window. I finally snapped my fingers so he'd turn his head towards the school. He looked and turned right back to his window!! The little booger was avoiding me and the school!!! It really cracked me up! He may not have words but he communicates just fine!!! Even after all of that he still dropped off fine and had a great day with no meltdowns!!! I love that little boy!

Oh and a funny lesson! One goal involved moving forward to get a toy while on his belly. Well Asa doesn't do this at all! He barely gets up on his arms, not hands, and doesn't pull his knees under him. Then tonight I watched as he kicked, rocked and pulled his knees in a little so that he could inch forward to get a toy!!! How exciting! An almost, sort of, booty shake army crawl for a toy!!! And he is only 3!!! 

2 comments:

Unknown said...

He may not have the a+ scores you would like to see but he is an amazing kid and has touched so many lives. I'm so glad that he is so happy at school and enjoys going that means alot! And just when you think he can't do something he said I'll show you momma! :-) love y'all!

Christina said...

I have to ditto what Lacy has said! There is no possible way to put on paper what all Asa, and you, have accomplished in his short life. I'm sure some people can't even find the words to tell you how much Asa has influenced their lives. You may never get the report card for Asa here on earth that you might want but I bet when you/he get to heaven it will be an awesome one!