Excursion Excitement building

Missy is very excited about her school excursion next week. Not just a day excursion but a three day, two night excursion to Sydney with 44 other kids from Year 3 and 4 in her mainstream school.

Planning started for this excursion in Term 1 ,with our school being more than helpful and willing to ensure the Missy has a fully inclusive experience. There was never really a question of whether Missy will be going on the excursion, Missy and us just expected that she would be part of anything her classmates are doing. Our School has certainly accommodated this expectation with enthusiasm.
School planning to date has included two aides being available on the excursion, a trailer to accompany the bus to carry Missy's powerchair and other equipment, all venues accessible, toilet facilities available at appropriate times, activities can be accommodating (including rock climbing),beach wheelchair booked, meals are suitable, and sleeping arrangements.
Of course with all this planning comes the thought of what if she gets homesick, so I started checking the mood and confidence about the excursion, asking "maybe one of us need to come to make sure you don't get up to any mischief" this meet with the forearms making a cross for "NO DEAL", so at the moment she is full of confidence and can't wait to be part of the bus trip, sight seeing, giggling and most importantly just hanging with your mates 24hours a day.
Big week to come, I will keep you posted...

Cross Country Course Conquered

This week saw our school hold it's Cross Country Carnival,in a local national park. This was our first experience as Missy has now turned 8. The school didn't bother asking if Missy would like to go, they knew the answer to that.... she will be there!!!! The question was how could Missy have an inclusion experience when her mates would be running across and down hills over the banks of dams and up a hill called heartbreak hill.
I suggested maybe she would like to be the photographer for the carnival, well that met with a luke warm response, and we concluded that will have to see the course.
Upon arriving, she was quick to get in class lines and head off to walk the course... hey!!! better take your anchor man.....DAD. I didn't want to look as I'm a bit parniod about tipping the chair and stayed behind with H-Ho.

Well.... they made it back in one piece from the look and see, not without Dad swinging off the back of the chair to stabilise it. They was times she had fears about driving but she persisted knowing Dad was there.

Anyway hoping now that she had seen the course, she would take up the option of taking the photos...well this time it met with a ..you have to be joking mum, I'm racing.
So off to the starting line she went, poised for the start, edging on the line, the 8 and 9 yrs girls were off. Within 200 metres they were out of sight heading down the hill, it didn't deter Missy she just keep driving with all of us in tow, Mum, Dad, H-Ho and Miss H.
We made it to the bottom of the hill - what a relief! now up the next hill. Missy steps up to 4th gear and H-Ho strides out with her and well, Mum is huffing and puffing, falling further behind. As we head up the hill the older kids who started later are making their way pass Missy offering words of encouragement thru their breathlessness "Keep going Missy" You are doing really well" "Way to go" and like all the kids crossing the finish line Missy and Heidi were cheered by their mates for conquering the course.
Oh! the joys it brought Missy to complete the course and just being part of what everyone else does, she expects nothing less and deserves nothing less.

Mainstream schooling

Missy attends a local regional mainstream school and will head into Year 3 this year. We chose the mainstream route after attending many Family Advocacy workshops and shared in the stories of others who achieved inclusive lives for their children. A fully inclusive life was our dream for Missy, so we set about gathering support, educating ourselves and most importantly talking with other parents.

We wanted Missy to be part of our local community, that starts with peer groups at Day care, Pre-School and mainstream school, not attending a segregated special school where peers groups are restricted.

We chose our school carefully and haven't looked back, it is lead by an enthusiastic principal who supports our vision that Missy belongs in a mainstream setting. Missy is supported full time by a teachers aide while at school, but not just any teachers aide - Miss H who we brought to the school with us. Miss H has worked with Missy for 6 years and is now part of the family. Missy has many wonderful friends at school who greet her each morning, they have expectations that Missy will be included in everything and everyone learns each day to think "how can we do this activity" so Missy can do it. Miss H and class teachers along the way have role modelled this and the kids are straight onto the challenges.

Kids with special needs attending mainstream schools bring out inclusive and empathy qualities in kids. It's has to lead to better communities and inclusive workplaces.

Where were all the kids with disabilities when I was at school? I see it now as missed opportunities to enrich my life.