School Field Trip

Just a quick recap, b/c I have a few things to write about tonight; E had a school field trip last week.  Field trips always take a lot of planning (and a bunch of worrying on my part).  Wondering how well/long E will get around, will she eat well (she needs to be sitting comfortably to use her hands well), can she keep up, etc.

E's school team (including myself) have been preparing for this trip for months.  Wondering what kind of bus she would ride was one of them (there is a possibility of not using a SpEd bus if we could get a 5-pt harness for E's seat).  I have no problem with the SpEd bus--and, as far as I know, neither do any of the other kids.  I guess second graders could use the bus as a subject for teasing, but as far as I know, that really doesn't happen to Elena.  What I do worry about is the use of school resources--I want the school to take transportation that works for the group, not just an extra bus b/c of my child.  To date, this has never been an issue--but I'm always looking for options to keep costs down for the school if I can help it.

Here's what the team decided:

They would take two buses, one large SpEd bus and one regular bus.  E would bring her wheelchair.  No one thought she would need it, but all of us thought if it was possible to bring along it would be better to have it just in case.  I spoke to E about it, and she agreed, as long as it would be her choice if and when to use it.  Elena would ride in her carseat (it's her regular bus seat).  My big concern was the bus ride; we take off E's shoes and braces and give her foot support for long drives (over 30 minutes) b/c her feet lose sensation when dangling for that long in her braces.  The school PT fashioned a foam cushion to support her feet, and it worked beautifully for her.  Elena "jumped off the bus and was ready to go" once the class reached their destination, which was a 1-hr bus ride away.

My other concern was E staying with the group if they had a guide.  We all agreed that she would get a few minutes head-start.  Her teacher did this on only two occasions; the first one, the kids caught up to her--and the second one, they never did!

Elena was pretty tired that evening, but this has been the BEST field trip report to date.  This gives both Elena and I confidence about keeping up with her peers, even in a new environment.

I can't thank the school team enough for making this such a huge success!