The Memorygirl Matrix

teapot2

ClootiesMum wrote: »

teapot - are you north or south of Edinburgh?

Hi ClootiesMum - just to be awkward am East of Edinburgh :rotfl:
{East Lothian}

Teapot

Memory_Girl

Well - the dreaded letter finally came from the HT of the school. I am really not sure where to go from here. Through everything I have supported this school ...................... and now it would seem they would welcome my youngest to join in the new year( and take his fees) - but would throw my DS1 to the wolves, a boy they have educated since he was 3.

I feel I have been used to keep the school running until the HT kids had passed through into the adolescent programme and now they can't be bothered finishing what they have started, or honouring promises made to my boy that he would be able to finish his schooling.



"Dear XXXX,
We are writing to update you on the school situation since our move to XXXX and the decisions which have been made for the future.
So, as XXXXX has now come to be the permanent home for the foreseeable future the decision has been taken to change the educational provision made. The Elementary Class will close in the summer term due to there being insufficient numbers of Montessori children to take up places and a definite decision having been made to not take in students who have not been in a Children`s House. This is a decision which has not been taken lightly but is essential for the Children`s House to really be allowed to develop fully.
This has been a very difficult decision for us to make when we consider your situation, but we have been left with no alternative. For DS2 there is a wonderful experience ahead but we realise that DS1 will still have one year left of Elementary.
The remainder of this school year will be very important for him, and we shall do all we can to thoroughly prepare him for the future : you know, he has gained so many skills and strengths since he joined us aged three, and his presence has been delightful.
We would also like to thank you for all the hard work and loyalty which you have shown to our school. You have been much appreciated.
We are happy to discuss with you any aspects of the future term
Head Teacher"
The one thing I am absolutely sure of is that he would not thrive in any of the local schools and I am gutted that I have scrimped and saved and done without to get him a Elementary Education for him to be denied the very last year - one of the two most important years.

I can't let him down - and he is absolutely heartbroken, the two of us have been in tears all day and that has to stop.

Somehow I have to make provision for him to complete this last year - but at the moment I really can't see how.

Memorygirl

ezzie1uk

any one struggling with the DLA form can book an appointment with CAB who usually have someone who 'gets' the wording/terms to be used inthe DLA forms

cerebra -just goggle it- have a great web site and have a booklet about how to fill in the forms

doesnt help with the emotion of actually doing them tho dont forget to photo copy the finished form, it helps for the next time

teapot2

Also just wanted to say hello and thanks to all for the posts re parents, dementia and strokes etc. Its the anniversary of my Dads funeral today so I never feel the same about Halloween. He had a big stroke which affected his ability to walk and care for himself. He didn't lose his speech but his ability to say what he wanted was very affected so he often cried with the frustration. He lived in a little local hospital for the last five years of his life as my mum couldn't care for him physically tho she visited almost every day. He had been a veryquiet, funny but private man and manners were important but the stroke seemed to strip away some of that socialisation which led to some very strange situations which just didn't seem like him. Maybe it was just as well as he would have hated being cared for by other people because of the inevitable loss of dignity and privacy. My mum had dementia in the end and I watched her die after she contracted septacemia [sp?] which I found really harrowing. Anyway am feeling a bit wobbly this weekend, its not my favourite month as I seem to have lost a lot of people in October so am going to go and cut the grass. Roll on November - Teapot x

fantasia322

Awww Mg I'm gutted for both you and DS1. How can they be so heartless, especially if you had been promised that this would continue. It sounds to me as though the HT (by the mindset discouraged other parents from enrolling their children) She must have known in advance that the intention was not to continue.

Did yesterdays brainstorming session, comeup with anything.
This HT obviously has no compassion for the children in her care if she is not prepared to honour a promise she made to a child.
I'd be seething to say the least.
I have no idea what to suggest, Am soooooooo very sorry. (((hugs))) to you asd DS1.

greenbee

Memory_Girl wrote: »

Well - the dreaded letter finally came from the HT of the school. I am really not sure where to go from here. Through everything I have supported this school ...................... and now it would seem they would welcome my youngest to join in the new year( and take his fees) - but would throw my DS1 to the wolves, a boy they have educated since he was 3.

I feel I have been used to keep the school running until the HT kids had passed through into the adolescent programme and now they can't be bothered finishing what they have started, or honouring promises made to my boy that he would be able to finish his schooling.

....
I can't let him down - and he is absolutely heartbroken, the two of us have been in tears all day and that has to stop.

Somehow I have to make provision for him to complete this last year - but at the moment I really can't see how.

So sorry to hear this MG. Presumably this decision had to be made by a governing body or committee of some kind, and wasn't a unilateral decision by the HT?

How many children are impacted by this? I would think that the first thing to be done is to get them all together to discuss options. The fact that the HT is preventing you from recruiting the additional children needed to make the class viable is clearly an issue - what if you could get the children who didn't come with you as part of the move to return next year? Or children who have been in Montessori education elsewhere.

In addition, if this class is closed, does that mean that gradually the older classes will be closed as there will be no children to move up into them?

TBH it sounds as if you would be better off if the HT left, as then you could replace her...

clairewop

AWw sorry to hear that MG

Well been a busy bee, been sorting and de cluttering my bedroom, I have 8 bags for the charity shop (stuff I was going to ebay but just don't have time,

All toiletries have been sorted, anything that I've had years have been binned, new stuff I had for xmas last year has been put in the bathroom and bath bombs etc have gone next door (only have a shower now) Next door was chuffed to bits

Just need to hoover my bedroom now and do loads of washing then there's another room ready for decorating

I'm loving the way my home is starting to look, and I'm finding the bathroom and kitchen easier to clean now there is no clutter and less time Plus the towels are being washed dried and straight into the bathroom instead of washed dried put upstairs brought down again

Just waiting for dinner to finish cooking then Nathan and myself are going to do some cooking Cakes etc to do a halloween tea

Memory_Girl

I think this has been a plan for some time - have watched over the last 3 years as the roll has fallen from 35 to the 7 we currently have in the class.

Its not the education that's the problem - the teachers have been fabulous, but the leadership has been decidedly ropey. Parents also tended to have a run in with HTH and then decide to leave. My choice was to have my son in what I consider to be the very best educational model for his particular temperament - and to ignore the wally that was her husband. As children left they weren't replaced as she decided only to bring children in that had been in a Monessori environment through a Childrens House programme (few and far between really)

Of the ones left - her two will be going up into the erd-kinder programe to join her eldest, one girl is joining her sister at boarding school, two spanish children are returning there and my DS1 and one other boy are the ones left hanging. No too long ago there was an Elelmentary group of 20+ - it's such a shame.

Been talking to the HT of one of the local schools and he is saying that I would be better off moving continent to find aplace for DS1 - as they would eat him alive at his school. So I am online looking at schools in USA, Italy and India - NOt really what I was planning to do with a toddler in tow - LOL.

Memorygirl

PS Ignore my pathetic ramblings - All you Mums know what its like to see your kids in pain and at the moment I would do anything to make him happy. I will find a solution - as soon as I stop panicing and start thinking clearly

MatyMoo

MG You know these are not pathetic ramblings!

You have an upset child and, like almost any mother I know, you are trying to find a way to fix things and make it better.

I know that one way or another you will find a way to fix this even if you end up home schooling him yourself.

Give him a hug from me and tell him they aint getting any of my Morrisons voucher now.

clairewop

I wouldn't say they were pathetic ramblings either You are looking out for your son.