5 Points

A letter to an administrator:

 

I wanted to share with you this email I got from A's mom...

I know that on Friday we talked about good cause exemptions, and you didn't agree with the exemption. I completely understand where you are coming from and respect your point of view 100%. I do always consider what is in the best interest of the student and will consider your advice as well as it was good advice.. 

Read what mom wrote... 

​When I told A that she didn’t have to retake the iread test, she cried tears of joy. I’ve never seen her so relieved. 

This.. this is why I do what I do.. this is why the good cause exemption was created (amongst other reasons).. While to some.. it's 5 points no big deal... easy peasy...to A asking her to retake IREAD for those simple 5 points was asking her to climb Mount Everest yet again... A has made SO much progress this year and is still reading at a mid second grade level on her own and that for her is still hard work.. All A wants is to be like everyone else in her class.. for reading to be easy.. 

So while it may have only been 5 points.. that exemption to A means the world. To her it is an acknowledgment of all of her hard work means something.. for her it levels the playing field im a sense.. it tells her she is good enough to be with her peers.. To her it's us as adults saying we know it's hard, you have made so much progress, keep making that progress, we are going to take a hurdle out of your way. 

I don't expect you to agree... but I hope this helps you to understand why sometimes it's not as simple as 5 points.