This is mostly a school related update.  But, some exciting things are going on with the boys schooling and I wanted to share!  First off, I am having a fabulous experience with the RVA.  I love the administration, the other parents, and all the support and resources that are available to me.  Johnny is doing so well and flourishing with all the great stuff we are learning.  The first quarter is drawing to a close, and he currently has all A's.  It's been a little challenging keeping up with all the appts. we've had lately, but if we can keep up now, we can keep up anytime!  We've just had to be doing some school on the weekends when we're running around alot during the week.

We had our first virtual field trip on Friday to NASA space center in Houston.  It was really cool!  We had a 'tour guide' who took the kids on a tour of the astronaut habitat on the ISS.  We could see her, she could see us and we could interact with her.  The kids were able to ask questions and all.  David was awesome!  He sat in the front row and asked some VERY GOOD questions.  Johnny got to participate in a dizzying experiment to give an idea what space motion sickness feels like.  That was the one thing David didn't volunteer for.    Anyway, it was really cool.  I'm looking forward to the other ones this year.

Now, here's what's new.  I went to my first PAC meeting (parent advisory council) and learned more about a brand new section of the RVA called "The Verticy Academy".  It's a partnership of Calvert school and the Jemicy school.  Jemicy is a well-known school in Maryland (I think) for college-bound students with language based learning disabilities like dyslexia.  They have partnered with Calvert to present a new home-based program called Verticy.  They use the Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory approach to teaching LLD students.  It's a top notch program and there are currently less than 40 students nationwide.  It looks now like David will be one of them!  We have completed the pre-screening process and are now in the process of taking placement tests in order to customize his curriculum.  So he will also be in the RVA as of next week, and be going through this fabulous program alongside of Johnny.  David will technically be doing Grade 4, though, so their material will be somewhat different plus David's will include all the Jemicy school adjustments to provide for his level of ability with language writing/reading/spelling/organization. 

Alongside of all this, we are meeting with the administrator and the special ed director at the elementary school on Wednesday to set up some services for David throughout the week in support of what he's doing through Verticy.  I hope to have some tutoring maybe twice a week and possibly even some occupational therapy as well!  David is really excited about all these developments, and I hope that the added structure and accountability and feedback will really enable him to flourish as well.

I am so thankful that we have this opportunity at no cost to us.  And, I've been getting info from a friend whose son has been in special ed all along due to a major seizure disorder.....she gave me glowing reports about the special ed director and the actual teacher, who is on worship team at her church!  I feel so good about it! 

SO, that's what's going on.  'whew'.  On the physical side, David has had a really good week.  His anxiety has subsided a good deal.  We are still working on the epigastric pain, he has a procedure on Monday.  We will do this and maybe one more procedure to rule out anything fixable going on.  He's been going to weekly cognitive behavioral therapy and enjoying that.  I feel like we are on the upswing. 

Matt is completely wrapped up in the dinner theater now.  It's crunch time.  Check out the camp website to see the new poster.  It's called "The Light Before Christmas".  Be in prayer as it is definitely an outreach event with a pretty heavy underlying theme.  (light vs. darkness) 

Now, we are having neighbors for dinner tonight and speaking of crunch time.......  I have alot to cook, alot to clean, and should probably get a shower sometime here soon!

Hi Tarah - glad to hear David is feeling better. The Verticy program sounds almost too good to be true - I'll be interested to hear how everything goes as you start into it.

Greetings I am around the neighbourhood and greeting my fellow bravejournal friends. Wishing you a wonderful evening dearheart



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