Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 13:52:04 -0400
From: Rita Marley-McKenzie
Subject: RE: Dan’s post on NCLB
Dan, I was touched by your heart-felt post on NCLB. After so many struggles with my son in the public school system and IEP’s not being followed, I ended up making the decision to remove him from public school and begin paying for private education. He had gotten to the point where he was crawling under the desks at school, clawing at his skin, trying to force himself to throw up in the mornings so he wouldn’t have to go, etc.. In fourth grade, he came home one day to tell me his teacher called him stupid. That was the final straw.
He had learning difficulties, and every professional I took him to tried to label him ADHD. That’s what his “diagnosis” on his evaluation said in order to approve him for IEP services (which took so long to get completed that he failed a grade in the meantime). He became so stressed and anxious, that he actually began displaying all the symptoms of pediatric bipolar. And yet, still, all the professionals would say was
ADHD. I became so frustrated with the school, MH professionals, and even our primay care doctor that I sought the help of a neurologist. It was discovered that he actually had a sleep disorder that was causing him to be tired during the day. This created the situation where he was not learning optimally (and manifesting all the behaviors mentioned above). By this time though, he had so many “gaps” in his education, catching up was almost an impossible task. (Thanks to NCLB!)
At our wits end, we sent him to a private boarding school, and he gained two-years worth of learning in only one year. (Which proves he isn’t “stupid”). Since we mortgaged the next 20 years for that one year of school, we were unable to afford to send him the following year. We were so blessed to find Donna Bianco, who took him in as a private student while she built her new school in Pittsboro. My son is just finishing his second year with her (at Our Neighborhood School), and he has absolutely blossomed. He now loves school, loves to read, and his favorite subject is math! My son’s education is tailored specifically to his learning style, and he is excelling. Each and every student at ONS is treated as an individual and respected as a person.
Thank you, Donna, for taking in my “unteachable” son and turning him into a strong, independent thinker and lifelong learner. He has now become a role-model for the other students at the school and has found confidence in himself and his abilities.
I encourage other parents who are struggling with the school system to give Donna a call, too. She really makes private education affordable for working parents. We are able to work off half of the tuition costs by volunteering in the school and attached pizzeria. It really is such a small price to pay for the peace of mind you get back. My son finishes his work before leaving school and rarely has projects to complete at home. This has made home-life so much easier for us. Instead of spending 3 hours trying to get him to complete one math worksheet, we are able to enjoy conversations over dinner and talk about what he learned at school. He even picks up books and reads them for FUN, now!!
Parents, please go by the school (Thompson Street in Pittsboro) and see what the school has to offer. Email me with questions, too. The other ONS parents will be more than happy to answer questions as well. My
son’s story is not an isolated one.
Here’s a link to the website as well: www.ourneighborhoodschool.com
Donna can be reached at 601-6718 or 545-0900
Thanks for reading,
Rita Marley-McKenzie
Proud mother of a wonderful, intelligent son at ONS
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