The New School Principal

A week ago (May 25th) I mentioned that I would have to go register Ricki at the special education school I am planning to send her to next year. And one day early last week we did that. This was the first time I had met the principal (I had been there once to scout-out the school, but she had been absent that day). And despite my prejudices against special education, I must admit I was impressed.
First, she spoke to Ricki, not to me. She treated her like a real person, and there was not even a hint of condescending tone in her voice. She explained some points to her, and then took her alone to see some classes, while I did the job of filling in the paperwork.
However, as nice as she was with Ricki, when she was talking to me at the end of the meeting, Ricki interrupted. When Ricki ignored my request to wait her turn the principal nicely, yet firmly, told Ricki that “manners comes first”. She was not wishy-washy at all in discipline.
As we were leaving she asked if I surely didn’t find it hard to switch Ricki from integration to special education. I explained that per se, that was NOT the case, that I have no need for the “medal” as “mother that her daughter is integrated”. “However,” I said, “I am concerned and determined that her new placement should be a quality one.” And she even handled that gracefully...saying she hopes that the school will meet her needs. I just hope that she will be as committed as she sounds, and not that she is non-chalant because she realizes that I have no where else to send her...

PS After I wrote this post, Ricki was talking to me about the visit to the semianry (new school), and mentioned that the principal had told her that there were "lots of prizes and candy". I hope Ricki read into a "prizes" statement about the candy, or misunderstood, or......