continued thoughts on educating the children

So anyhow, I have been at a loss about what to do with the children next year.

I'm feeling extreme pressure about Sierra's growth in the coming year. This is her last year before kindergarten and I feel I have to give her every chance to excel. However that is going to have to include the state services for her speech and the special education side of the public school system. I am not thrilled with the options that I have heard about; because if I send her to public preschool so that she can get the speech therapy, her education and environment will suffer. This area of the state is not renown for its schools! ;)

However financially continuing to pay for private therapy and school are not an option.... so my search had begun.

With Weston, I'm not thrilled with the idea of sending him to school from 8am-3pm. I think he would self combust. In addition to those long hours, his homework is very time consuming. By the time it's completed, I am dismayed that he has no time to be a kid. So I am looking for options for him as well.

I have been wrestling with the idea of homeschooling, but i need A LOT of support to feel successful in that venture and I need accountability to do an excellent job.

Well yesterday all of this thought came together. I was talking with the speech therapist about my ideas and learned that they have some students that receive their speech therapy there and it is paid through the state and the special ed program!

How? Their mothers homeschool them through the charter public school, called CAVA!! Since the school has no brick and mortar location, the state refers these students to existing speech therapists, and one of them is Lucid, the apraxia specialist!!!!

This makes it possible for Sierra to continue at the specialist on the state's dime!!!!

So I came home and looked into the school and guess what I found!? The CAVA charter school has adopted the K12 curriculum that Bill Bennett helped develop, that I really like!!! Click here for the webpage, if you want to see more.

I called the number and got an incredibly helpful women who explained the system to me. If I decide to enroll the children, they will be in the public school system. I will be their "learning coach" and they will school at home. They will be assigned a teacher who does the planning, grading, attendance, and report cards. She/He will be available by phone or email whenever I need help. If Weston or Sierra needs help and I am not able to teach them, she will arrange a meeting at the library to go over the lesson with them.

In addition to all of this support, the state gives me all the curriculum, art supplies, science materials, musical equipment, etc and possibly even a computer for the children's educational needs. Everything is delivered to my door!

Sierra would be arranged into the Special Education system, would be tested through the state and her IEP (instructional education plan) would be organized and she would be able to utilize California's special ed system, but I would have a say where she would get her services, and could choose a specialist! YES!

However, she is not five before December 2nd, so she cannot be enrolled in kindergarten. I thought all this thought and effort had been dashed on the rocks. Until this blessed women told me, "You can enroll her in kindergarten the day after her fifth birthday." December 16th she could start CAVA at home with me and begin the special education journey from the safety of our home and our continual care and planning of her therapy and education-- FOR FREE!

So ya, I'm a little stoked by this option. I am a little afraid too, because homeschooling these monkeys is a HUGE commitment, but that is what I'm here to do. Oh, the joys and fears of motherhood!

So we'll see....