Has 3 months of the new year passed already???

I've been avoiding my own blog for the last 3 months (which is the very reason I started the blog in the first place...so I'd "keep on keeping-on" with Grace).

Over the xmas break, I revised some of my original plans for Grace. She started back at school and is loving the interactions with other kids, and its been a time for me to have my breaks as well. To be honest, I don't know how I coped working full-time and raising 4 kids at the same time for the last 12 years. Its like the Dalai Lama said - I think that sometimes we are too busy "being busy".

I'm loving being home more to talk with my kids and enjoy them. All of the kids are more settled and the consistent routines have been great for Grace. She is happy for me to drop off and pick-up from school. I have sat in all day to observe her at school (which I learnt so much from) and have organised to be in school Fridays to help with class excursions. Grace is using her PECs communication system at home now. Lots of positives!

Next term, I want to continue with more closely aligning school and home routines. With the Winter months approaching I want to seriously consider how I might introduce the GAPs diet as well. Lots to think about and plan for. It hasn't exactly gone to plan....but hey, welcome to life!

Still trying to enrol!

Been a while since I've posted...what with school coming to an end and xmas fast approaching. I am still desperately trying to get Grace enrolled at Correspondence school before the end of the year. I need to contact Cameron at the Hamilton Ministry of Education office at end of next week to see if she qualifies under the "non-enrolled" gateway. This basically means that because Ngaruawahia High is the nearest high school but they don't have the facilities or personnel to cater for her needs (so are unable to enrol her for 2012), Grace should qualify. But...as usual...still a lot of red tape to get through. I'm also looking for potential teacher-aides to help out with her learning programme. Well...hope everyone's christmas shopping is going better than mine. 24 days to go and zero presents bought! Can anyone beat that?

The phone merry-go-round!

Wow...what an exhausting day! I called The Correspondence School (TCS) today and asked if Grace would be eligible under the criteria of Geographical Isolation (she has been thrown off Gobus twice this year because she would regularly hit other students being transported). Since the school is 25 km away and we could not keep transporting her ourselves, she should fit the criteria (ie. must live over approx. 4 km away from school). Not that simple! I was put onto someone in "resourcing" at the Ministry of Education, who sent me their policy and referred me on to Regina at Multiserve (Waikato) who is the Ministry's transport agency for our area. Regina told me she only confirms how far the nearest school is from our home...and that that school was Ngaruawahia High! I told her that our local school could not cater for Grace's very high special needs (and I know since both Dawson and I work there!) Regina said that I would need to talk to TCS about that....gee thanks...back to the beginning! So guess what I'm doing tomorrow...ringing TCS to see if Grace is eligible under...blah, blah, blah! At least I've got a bit more info now (probably more than the recruitment officer I'll be talking to).  Sometimes I think they give you another number to ring just to hide the fact that they DON'T KNOW.

Shout out to whanau and friends!

Whanau - I am needing to collect large glass jars with lids (the bigger, the better). Large preserving jar size would be perfect or the large-size pasta sauce jars etc. In preparation for the GAPs diet, I need to prepare and store/freeze specific foods ahead of time. If you have any to spare, let me know.

Inspirational story of Dr Temple Grandin

Hey Kimai......wanted to post this on Gracies blog......its a trailer for the movie of Dr Temple Grandin, the worlds most famous woman with autism. Its an very inspirational story and there is a site you can watch it online.....just google......:)
Aunty Debbie


Click this link to watch the Movie Trailer: Temple Grandin

Whareponga, xmas 2009. Grace hitches a ride with Aunty Deb.

Leaving comments now easier!

Hi guys, some people have said that it's been difficult to comment on posts. Hopefully, I've now fixed that problem. You don't have to sign in - just write a comment and type in the code word on the screen (this stops spam). Hope that helps.

Enrolling at correspondence school

I called the correspondence school today and talked to the receptionist. We can enrol Grace online (21st Nov) and we will need to speak with special needs coordinators (Shirley jones and Sandra Stevens)about what a possible programme would look like; if I can access teacher AND teacher-aide hours and what the correspondence school would expect of us. We also need to contact GSE about getting an exemption under the Education Act 1989 (section 20) so we can enrol her. We've got prize giving tonight at school. It'll be a final farewell for year 13 students, which will be a bit sad because they're such a good bunch! Hopefully it will only take 2 hours - in the past it's gone on too long...oh well...roll on the holidays.