Chance's first day of intergrated school...

Today was a rather heartbreaking challenge. Chance started school today, attending school with his hearing peers in the morning, and then attending School for the Deaf in the afternoon.

We had already been to the "big school" as Chance calls it to meet the teacher and look around. I showed Chance where the bathrooms were, and he pointed out the library to me.

We knew that today would probably be challenging for Chance as he adjusted to a bigger class than he was used to and with kids who all could hear. (He does have 2 other deaf kids in his class - two of his friends that he has attended school with for 3 years now). Wishing to make this transition as smooth as possible, we tried to prepare Chance. We went over his schedule with him... that he would go to the new class in the morning, have lunch, and then go with the teacher he had last year. We told him how fun it would be and made one of his favorite breakfasts and read stories before Chance left for school.

Then this morning I got a phone call after school had been in session for about 10 minutes. It was the school informing me that Chance could not attend school because they did not have his paperwork. We had turned in Chance's paperwork last week, so I was confused. To make a long story short, the school had misplaced our paperwork and not gotten the fax that our doctor had sent over with Chance's immunizations. They found the paperwork after I told them that we had indeed turned it in last week, but they could not find the immunizations. So we had the doctor fax the record over again. They did not have a copy of the birth certificate, but we were told last week that they could call and get a copy from the district, who already had a copy on file, so we were ok. The school did not call the district though, and since they decided this morning that Chance couldn't go to class without it, the teacher over at the School for the Deaf ran over during her lunch and got a copy from the School for the Deaf, who also had one on file. (bless her!) Sigh. Needless to say, we were highly frustrated. This was Chance's first day of school and we wanted it to be a positive experience, but instead when he got there, they would not let him into class. Chance was instead taken to the kindergarten class of the School for the Deaf. He told us after school that he could not go to his class because he did not have a paper for the teacher.

The hardest part for me, is that Chance's feelings and experience became secondary in the whole process. No one even seemed to consider what this day was like for Chance. It was all straightened out, but it bothers me that Chance was not let into the classroom. He missed all of the introductions. Chance missed the first hour or so of class when all the kids are adjusting and figuring things out. And Chance will not just be able to catch on to verbal cues the way the hearing kids will. He missed things that he will not know and yet still be held accountable for. I don't think the school meant to be mean, but I don't think that they understand how hard these deaf kids have to listen and how imperative it is that they see what is going on. It is hard enough coming in late and trying to catch up if you can hear everything. It is doubly hard if you come in late and try to catch up in a new environment while working so hard to listen. When you are deaf you don't have the luxury of catching what is going on around you like do if you have regular hearing. I have watched Chance listen. It is amazing the concentration that he puts into it. Chance missed things that he will now be trying to figure out for the rest of the week. Chance did not understand what was going on. I know that mistakes happen and that the first day of school has challenges. But my son did not understand any of that. All he knew was that he was not let into class because he did not have a paper for the teacher.

So, here's to hoping that things just go up from here. Like I said before, I just hope that Chance feels a part of the school and that those around him see the great little boy that he is. I think that this is the period for awareness and that Chance and his peers are leading the way. These kids are so capable and so smart and willing to learn. We just have to make sure that they are let into the classroom for this to happen :)