Report Cards.

Jane: Well we haven't actually received Jane's report card yet, they don't trust the middle school kids to bring them home, so they mail them. However despite a rocky start to the school year, Jane ended very strong. Our beautiful girl started the year with an experiment called "Not turning in any assignments in English".

It didn't go so well.

After an extremely difficult first trimester of having no life except school and homework, she realized that if you work, you can actually see your friends socially. This was a turning point for her. Now in all fairness, Jane was in resource room most of her school career, with an IEP allowing for assignment extensions. So it really was foreign for her, this whole idea that the teacher really did expect stuff turned in, when she told the class it was due.

Jane was also going through this extremely slow and messy process of being put back on an IEP. After much testing, it was confirmed (six weeks before Summer vacation) that she does have a learning disability. She struggles with reading fluency and comprehension and she also struggles with basic math skills.

Now amazingly, Jane was blessed with a math teacher that recognized her struggles and gave her extra time to finish quizzes and tests along with extra instructions when needed. Because of this incredible teacher, Jane was the only student in her class to get an A on the second trimester pre-algebra final. She was carrying an A the whole of the last trimester, so I expect she did well overall. She will also stay in mainstream math with extra help. I'm so proud of the effort she's put into school and am thrilled that her IEP is in place for not only eighth grade but when she starts High School the following year.

Kate: Kate's year was similar to Jane's in that the first of the year was kinda rocky grade wise but with the help of excellent teachers and the diagnosing of learning disability and a brand new IEP, she finished the year with a fabulous run of A's and B's in all her classes. I am so proud of Kate.

School has always been such a struggle for her. She has a really low score in what is called "Active learning", which is the process the brain uses for multi-tasking in the classroom. It looks like she's being inattentive but it's actually her just not being able to process everything as quickly as needed. It's super frustrating for her and I've had issues with teachers believing she's slacking. Very. Frustrating.

Like Jane, Kate's IEP will be in place during a critical transition, for her, Middle School. After that nightmare that was Jane, not having an IEP in sixth grade, I can't fully expressed how relieved I am to have Kate taken care of.

Ean: Well. Things are pretty much the same with Ean. If he didn't score well on something, it was because he didn't try. Every time he put forth effort, he easily breezed through the work. His biggest struggle remains to be his emotional maturity. It's hard for him to interact with other children and he gets frustrated easily when things aren't as he thinks they should be.

Best quote from Ean this year "Make sure the twins don't get Mrs. Ellis for first grade, she's MEAN! She says I get in trouble ten times a day but that's a lie!!!!!! I only get in trouble once a day.

I mean, what do you say to THAT? Bwahahaha!!!

I'm trying to focus on Ean's interactions with others. Trying to help him problem solve verbally and trying desperately to get him to use a nicer tone of voice. I know he'll get the hang of it eventually. I do hope we can find him a close friend. He desperately needs a friend.

Greg and David: Really each boy should have their own report but there's not to much to say that's different at this point. They're going to Kindergarten in the Fall. They've grown so much. Have learned letters, numbers and really have gained valuable skills for school.

They are mischievous little imps that will melt your heart in a moment. They are quick to hug, quick to kiss (me! lol) and quick to blame either Ean or each other when something goes wrong.

Greg is sure that everyone is confused at his identity, even daddy and mommy, so he always makes sure that we know who he is. David rather likes it when people are confused over who's who. :)

So we're headed to a new part of lives. Past babies, past toddlers and pre-schoolers, one a year short from high school and another a year short from middle school and boys taking elementary by storm! Watch out Wilcox! Are you ready for my three red headed boys???