GT Testing FAIL - For Me, That Is

Our public school system screens all second graders to identify children that might have special needs for gifted and talented instruction. The following year, students that are identified are invited to apply to attend one of our county's gifted and talented centers for the fourth and fifth grade years, and those who apply are then further tested. Last year Trout was one of those identified during the screening process, we applied for the center back in October, and this year she undergoes testing.

Last night, she wasn't feeling well, she didn't eat much and was rather weepy and clingy, and we suspected she was coming down with something. Her glands are swollen and she just looks unwell. She was also complaining about not getting enough of Daddy's attention, so last night he stayed up with her for a little while, giving her juice and vitamins and all those things he thinks makes a sick kid feel better. She probably went to bed about 9:30 - not late late, but later than usual.

This morning, she still wasn't feeling well, not sick sick but unwell, no fever or other obvious sign of sickness other than swollen glands and looking a bit paler than usual, so I let her stay home from school, with the caveat that she had to spend the whole day in bed - sick days aren't fun. She didn't argue, and went back to sleep when I left the room, which is unusual for her. She's a morning person, and she usually gets right up to read or watch tv or play. I got Little Man and Sunny off to their respective schools in different towns, and I got back home around 9:30. She was still in her bed, but sitting up listening to music and reading. I gave her some breakfast, and then went about my chores.

At about 10:30 the phone rang, and it was the school. I apologized for not calling, telling them that Trout was sick, but the secretary interrupted me and asked if I'd forgotten about the te.. and I interrupted her with a shriek of "OMG, the TESTING!"

The GT testing was from 9-11:30 this morning. Crap.

The secretary asked if I could get her there at all and implied that they'd try to get her testing in, and I said yeah, she's unwell but not egregiously so, so we did the 5 minute drill, I got her out of bed, dressed, gave her a huge cup of milk because she had only eaten one bite of her breakfast, and blasted out the door with Nemo in tow to get her to school by 10:45. It turns out they are having some other kind of state testing today, so they will make up the GT testing next week, and they sent her in for the state testing. The principal was standing there when we got there and started giving Trout a hard time about being "busted" that she wasn't really sick. That kind of pissed me off because they weren't giving me the credit for realizing when my kid really wasn't feeling well. Trout's glands are huge, and that's not something that a kid can fake. I even told her to feel them, but she didn't do it. I also kind of feel that they had me rush to school under false pretenses, that they knew they wouldn't do the GT testing for her at that late time, but they wanted her there for the state testing. She's one of their top students and it's a small school, and they need her for their own results. I made sure they'd let her keep her milk and drink it during the testing, and told her to call if she wanted to come back home and go back to bed and I'd come right in and get her. Part of me, the vindictive, asshole part, half hopes she gets worse tomorrow and ends up with strep, so the school will see she was actually sick, not screwing around, but like I said, that's the asshole part of me. I don't want Trout to be sick.

Either way, though, I had forgotten to look at my calendar last night where I had prominently written GT testing on it, or I would have made her go to bed last night at 8. Maybe with a bit more sleep and a good hearty breakfast this morning, she would have been feeling better today, and would have felt up to going in for the testing. I don't know. What I do know is that I feel like crap right now, and my glands aren't swollen.

Comments

[angi]

I'm sure you are not surprised to hear this...but I was planning a similar post over at Midwest Parents for Monday. It seems this is my year for forgetting things too!

It happens to the best of us (because we are the BEST, right?), try not to be too hard on yourself. And, I think it SUCKS that they would pull her in for her good test scores, but it does not surprise me a bit.

[hokgardner]

I think all principals are crazy. We're having major issues with our school's principal right now. Hope Trout feels better soon.

Ella is home sick today. She voluntarily took a nap yesterday after school and didn't protest missing rock climbing practice - that's when I knew she really didn't feel well. She's got a low-grade fever and a headache. She's flat on the sofa.

[BananaBlueberry]

So sorry you AND trout had to go through that!

She'll do great :)

[zanezook]

Our district has a hissy every time a kid misses WASL (Washington Assessment Yada yada). The schools have so much riding on the results, that they want EVERY smart kid there to bring up their scores. Don't kid yourself, the school admins, the district admins, etc...'s priorities are NOT always aligned with ours (parent's)!

Too bad that your principal is sooo insensitive.