Schools In Wisconsin

This is just my opinion on the school systems in Wisconsin. Seen through my eyes while watching my daughters grow ,learn and develop. The toughest part was the total life change when Steph arrived in our family. All of a sudden the viola concerts and the girl scout meetings, and helping with homework came to a stand still. I was needed at home even more now. The activities didn't end for the girls, just for me. I would like to think that it broke my heart more then the girls but you would have to ask them. Sometimes I think they adjusted far better than I did. Still, life went on and Steph seemed to take to her new school routine in stride. There were plays and concerts put on by her class as well as the whole school. I remember sitting through a play where Steph was the princess in "The Princess & The Pea." I cried my eyes out. (See attached photo). They sang in the Christmas concerts put on by the school and of course the spring concert. Talk about inclusion! Flash cards came home along with practice sheets for printing her letters as she developed her fine motor skills. She was well on her way to printing her name. She was walking at the age of 5 without her walker. (Something the doctors told me she would never be able to do because of her low muscle tone.) By the age of 9 she had mastered printing her name, first and last! She was still shy but with very few behavior problems. Although gym was her favorite subject she enjoyed interacting with her peers. Steph and a classmate named Matt became best buddies. Her speech was delayed due to frequent ear infections and the loss of hearing in one ear. She was fitted with hearing aids and seemed to adapt well but one day they turned up missing. While on summer break the principal called to say the janitor found them behind a computer in the classroom. This was the first sign that made us think ok, maybe she has Downs but, she's not as innocent as she looks. Little did we know that as she grew older her experiences would grow wilder.
Maybe it was the age , or maybe just the times we lived in back then but her days at school in Wisconsin seemed to pass with ease.