I’m off to check out Emerson today. It’s similar to Heatherwood as in it’s a school for kids with a mild intellectual disability. It’s also closer than Heatherwood. I could drive Beth fairly easily there. It’s be just over an hour round trip. I like the idea of having some input into Beth’s schooling life, even if it’s just driving her there and seeing what’s going on. At Heatherwood I would never be there if she went on the bus as they don’t encourage parent participation. Still, I would be commiting myself to 2 hours a day of driving and no chance of a full day job. Hopefully if it’s Emerson we decide on there would be other kids in the area, then at least there’s a chance of car pooling.
I’ve been writing a few social stories lately. I wrote one for school about when you don’t win a game. I thought maybe I could put a page on here with a couple of examples, a list of the ones I could do and see if people are interested in buying them. Our principal said she is happy to write me a testimonial and recommend them to the schools. If I do it properly it could turn into a little job.
I’ll be back on this afternoon after I’ve been to Emerson. Then the choice will be made, Emerson of Heatherwood. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to know that it wont be mainstream. I’m still nervous about the whole thing but even Beth liked the look of the Heatherwood brochure. I’ve told her that she’ll be going to a school with others like her and she didn’t say she didn’t want to go there so that’s a start. Emerson’s a prep to 12 school too which means that Beth could start transitioning this year with the kids she’d be in with next year. I’ll let you know how we go x
