Second grade, here she comes

Tessa's principal finally called me yesterday and apologized profusely for not getting back to me sooner, saying he had taken two weeks off. I totally understand that, and I don't fault him for it at all. I just wanted to talk to him sooner because I am impatient.

I explained to him what the test results showed and also what the psychologist and the pediatrician said. I told him I wanted her to go to the second grade, but to be placed in the resource reading group. I also said I wanted her teacher to give her a bit of extra time with the work she has to do and offer additional instructions if needed. He agreed.

When I get the reports from the psychologist, I am supposed to call him so we can set up a meeting with her second grade teacher and the resource teacher. We will write up a plan of action, although we have decided not to do a formal IEP at this point.

If I see that our plan isn't being followed, I will insist on getting one then. Last year, the school had a tutoring program in the afternoons, and if they receive the funding for it again, Tessa will do that, too. Her psychologist did warn about doing too much school, so he recommended we only do tutoring once a week.

I feel comfortable with the decision to let her go on to second grade, a lot more comfortable than I did with the idea of holding her back. She is going to need help. I know that, but I know for the sake of her self esteem she needs to go on with her classmates. The principal said he thinks the medicine will help with some of her problems, and I think they will, too.

Speaking of meds, we go back to the doctor tomorrow, and I am going to ask him to lower her dose. Some days, she is really good, basically herself but calm, but it's the other days that bother me. On those, she is either flat with no emotion whatsoever, or she is prone to burst into tears with no apparent reason. I don't want that for her.

Her pediatrician told me last week we could lower the dose if I wanted, but I wanted to try it for two weeks. Now, I wish I had done it. If lowering the dose doesn't work, I am going to ask to try another drug.