Juggling Balls

P's 4th quarter Progress Report just came home. The situation is dire. At the 1st semester, he did not pass Language Arts. He is also not passing it now. Based on the progress report, I think they might decide not to pass him to 8th grade.

This would be so bad for him. If he didn't know the content, I could understand the decision. I wouldn't support it, but I would probably go along. (Confrontation. Not my strong point.) But he does know the content (except for Spanish). I keep repeating the mantra "The assessments are not an accurate reflection of his knowledge." Will this be enough to get the school to change the assessments?

After the 1st semester report card, we got a recommendation for an educational psychologist. She spent 8 hours testing P and gave us a 20+ page report, with test results and recommendations. We gave copies to all of P's teachers and the principal, and started working on the stuff we can do from our end.

The same day we got the report, we met with Gwynn Hales about D, the theft and suspension, drug use etc. Just when P needed us the most, our energy and focus moved to D (who certainly didn't appreciate it).

Could we have done more for P? How much help and support should we be giving him? At what point is helping a crutch that limits him, preventing him from the development that all need to grow?

And what about M? She's quietly being ignored. Getting good grades (but not good enough to get into Whitney Young); reading books (but not ones to challenge her mind and morals); playing sports (but not where she has to put herself in competition with anyone); getting along with her classmates, but not really having a friend. I see her sadness sometimes. How much is it being 14? How much could we prevent? What will I do when she makes choices that break my heart?

So now the focus shifts to P. We have to work out something, somehow, so he passes in June.

Or???? (I'm guessing we pull him from school. Maybe shift to Roycemore. I don't have any good ideas.)