eSpecially Ben

Charlotte Parent posted this story about changes to the special education program in Charlotte:  CMS Makes Changes to the Exceptional Children Program

Hoping your new year is starting out well. Our kids are back to school, cold weather is settling in and anyone under 18 is wishing for a snow storm. Here's something I wrote for CharlotteFive:  Dear parents, stop with the self-judgment and embrace the feelings of inadequacy. And the poop.

What a year it's been! When you last checked in, I was involved in a battle with the school system. Almost one year later, I published this on CharlotteFive . And here's a few good photos of the big guy: If you want to follow me, I am on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . Thank you and happy holidays!

It has been a crazy three weeks. Here are a few highlights from adventures in advocating: CharlotteFive Story WSOC-TV News Story FOX46 News Story Sign Petition here  - over 1300 signatures online and on paper

Charlotte Mecklenburg School parents and students are writing letters to the school board to show their support of keeping special education at Randolph Middle School.  Here are excerpts from a few of these letters: From a current parent of two children in the regular education program at Randolph: "Middle School is a tough time for kids as they are forming character traits that will carry with them into high school. The peer buddy program is a program of honor at Randolph. IB and Horizons students apply for this program to have the opportunity to support the SAC classrooms and students if accepted. Being a peer buddy at Randolph is a respected position. I work with some of the peer buddies weekly at the Lost & Found and I see these middle school students encouraging their SAC buddies to do a good job on their tasks, talk about their weekend fun, and talk about sports/birthdays/shopping/ hairstyles.  The peer buddies model good social relationships with the SAC studen

Right before winter break, I got word that our school district, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, was phasing out the special education classes at Randolph Middle School, Ben's middle school (grades 6, 7 and 8). Phasing out means that rising 6th graders would not have the opportunity to attend Ben's school next year. As the current students in the special education classes transition to high school, the program would be closed. Unfortunately, the school district made these changes without talking to the parents whose children are in the program or those who may have been interested in the school's program for next year. It does not appear that anyone at the school was consulted. The decision was made for next year without consulting those who would be affected. Within the past week, we have received tremendous support from many different groups of people - parents of regular education students, parents of special education students, teachers, administration and school boar

My husband, Ryan, and I met in college in 1991, although we did not date until a few years later. Our first years of marriage were spent renovating an 80 year old home in a precarious "arts district". And when I say renovate, I mean we did all the work and lived in two rooms in the house for five years. We both had full-time jobs too. We had no kitchen or central heat or air conditioning for at least two years. To say the stress of it all was horrendous is not giving you an accurate description. There were some good times, but it was difficult for me to live in carpentry filth, disorganized mess with uncompleted projects for that long. It took counseling to get us through it all. Although I would never put myself in that same position again, renovating the house ourselves allowed me to stay home with our children...which in so many ways turned out to be what we dearly needed when Ben arrived. Ryan and I were married 5 years when I gave birth to Ben in July of 2003. My p