Time Waster?

I know this blog is supposed to be about my boys, but today, I am going to take a pause and post about me. I have found a new way to spend my time. No, it's not Facebook (although, that is my second biggest time waster in my world, that's how I communicate with all of my MOMS club moms these days). No, it is called being a member of the ad-hoc sub-committee of my citizens advisory board. I don't even get a title. I am a non-member of the sub-committee of the citizens advisory board of my local school district.

I got this job because I was talking to a neighbor of mine at the back to school breakfast for my development. I was telling her how happy I was that oldest boy was attending the 'local' school again (he was moved to another school last year) and how our district moves the special needs kids. I wasn't even complaining. We got to talking and turns out she is a member of the citizens advisory council (they report to the school board) and she has taken on the cause of not only the boundary changes (her main cause for getting on the council), but something about the special education program really hit her. She also got another cause of the alternative high school from another neighbor.

Evidently, at the last meeting, they got to talking about special education and another member got interested, also (so, two out of the 20 members). Of course, boundary issues were also a huge issue, but so did special education. Our district is known (in a good way) for its special education programs. However, there has been some issues with the growing needs of our district for special education.

So, I have been spending my time either connecting up with other people in different programs (which I have learned a lot that we all don't really know what goes on in other segments of special education or understand the others' programs) and explaining the different programs to these two council members.

I guess it is not really a time waster...I am working for the children of the structured inclusion program and the special needs kids at large. It has been an interesting experience (in a good way). I have found we have a lot more advocates than I thought we had (we are all good advocates in our own individual right, but there are a lot of 'typical' kids' parents who really support special education (yey!). This has also been good for me this week because I have been sick, so I sit on my computer and explain to others the various programs, answer emails, provide answers, etc. I guess it really isn't a 'time waster' as much as I think it probably is. I am serving as PR person for special education and contact person for others who have children in special education.

I still would like a title, though :).