Barbara’s Bulletin #5: First Day of School

I guess I should start the story of Adam’s first day of school with the school district's first mistake: dropping us off the email list. Originally we were getting emails from the school no problem. We even took part in a welcome Zoom Meeting all the way back in June. Back in June we were told there was no plan in place yet. We got to meet the Principal and the Teachers and hear about all the possible options from virtual learning to in school learning. Then the Principal explained that we would have orientation in August either in person or via Zoom.

                So we waited for another email with details regarding orientation. We even sent an email to the Principal asking if there was a date set yet. Then the Principal called (from her own cell phone at her own house mind you!) to assure us that we would be notified via email about the orientation. I was feeling confident. The Principal was both friendly and helpful. Everything was taken care of. We would get the email and all would be well.  

                Welp, we never received the email. Once August started coming to a close, Bob and I both thought something was wrong. We contacted the Principle again and were told that we had missed the Zoom orientation but that they could email us all the information we needed. Yes I was disappointed but no it was not the end of the world.

                So we educated ourselves on the schools policies. Kindergartene’s go to school full day every day.  Masks are required at all times. No parents in the school building NO EXCEPTIONS. Touch-less features have been installed in all the bathrooms and on all the water fountains.

                To make a long story short, I assumed that since we were sent the information via email that our email address was in the system. Note to self… NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING! Mistake number two: not updating our email address in the system after being notified of the problem.

                We were getting actual mail from the school no problem, a school supply list, a mask, a bus pass. At least they had our correct address on file. I didn’t realize that we were missing more emails from the school until I started getting text messages from the school telling me to check my emails for important updates. I checked my email and Bob checked his email but there were no important updates to be found.    

                We finally got everything hammered out the day before the first day of school but by this time my faith in the school had dropped. How am I supposed to trust these people with Adam’s life if they can’t even get an email right in the system? Plus I felt rushed and terribly unprepared on my part. Then I felt bad for not calling the school sooner and asking about the emails

                The third mistake, which was really more of any annoyance was that Adam’s bus was 15 minutes late. Bob was totally against putting Adam on the bus to begin with so it was already a tense moment for our family. We faithfully stood outside 10 minutes before the predicted arrival time (since that’s what the school recommended).

                Then our landlord showed up with some workmen and everything just started to feel really hectic. It was after 9:00 and there was no way he would make it to school by the start time of 9:15 if the bus hadn’t even shown up yet. Right as we were getting Adam buckled into his car seat to drive him to school, the bus showed up. The driver barked something out at me, which I later realized was our house number, and when I asked her if she was here for Adam she just threw her hands up. Then we rushed Adam from the car to the bus. Things got crazy again when we realized that they didn’t have a helper on the bus so the driver had to rush back and help Adam with his seat belt. All of this felt more difficult than it really was because we live on a main road so our bus fiasco held up traffic. Then Bob took this opportunity to rub my face in how horrible the whole experience had just been.  

                Once it was all over and done with I gave my mom (Babs Sr.) a call and told her the whole story. Then Babs Sr. told me to expect the bus to be late coming home as well and the first week of school is just a mess for everyone. She told me about the first time she put my disabled older brother on the bus for the first time and how the bus was about a half an hour late coming home.

                As cliche as it sounds, talking to Babs Sr. really put things in perspective for me. I thought about my parents putting my brother in a Special Ed school and the amount of faith that must have taken. They had to trust that the school was going to take care of their son with no real way of knowing what was actually happening. I guess what I’m trying to say is that my problems really felt small compared to what my parents went through.

I count myself lucky that all I have to complain about are a few missed emails and one frustrating experience with a bus driver. After all I did get Adam back in one piece at the end of the day. He even brought home a certificate proclaiming that he had a great first day. For now I think I shall ask Bob to file this under Babs learns a lesson.

XOXOXO

Babs 

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Barbara’s Bulletin #6: Balance

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Barbara’s Bulletin #4: No School Blues