“I know he’s loved. I know he’s taken care of. I know that his goals are a priority. I know his education is a priority” - Christine Jones
Kalmin Weenas has accomplished more in a few months than mom Christine Jones ever imagined possible.
Christine Jones is a dedicated mother to her son, Kalmin, and a graduate student working towards her degree in Speech and Language Pathology. She discovered UCP while completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Florida and decided to enroll Kalmin, where he attended for two years.
After that time, the family made a move to Seminole County and Kalmin was enrolled in a new school. However, Christine noticed that after Kalmin was no longer attending UCP, it felt like he was regressing in previously-acquired milestones. This was the beginning of a long battle for Christine to get Kalmin the education that he deserved.
“My son hated school, he feared it. I don’t know what they did to him there. I spent 25 hours a week, in emails, holding people accountable for people who weren’t doing their job. Just making sure that the school did their job,” explained Jones. One night, unsettled and restless over the situation, Christine Jones heard the voice of Kalmin’s previous pre-K teacher at UCP, Meghan Rojas, chanting, “UCP! UCP! UCP!”
Christine built a close friendship with Meghan through volunteering in her classroom. That next morning Christine reached out to Meghan and the battle came to an end. That call took place on a Tuesday and Kalmin began attending UCP once again by Friday of the same week.
Meghan Rojas is currently a Staffing Specialist at UCP and we are thankful for her unwavering dedication for creating life-long change in the lives of children.
The commute to the UCP campus is more than worth it for Kalmin and his family. “We always jam on the way and talk about his day. The other day when I picked him up from school, we were jamming out to music, and he reached over, and he turned the music down. He put his hand on my arm and said, ‘Mommy, I so love school,’” happily shared Jones.
Kalmin will continue attending UCP and work towards his functional goals, despite any challenges. “I had to let you know that, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for saving our lives, you've made Kalmin’s future brighter, and you’ve made my days so much easier. I couldn't be more grateful or thankful for that,” expressed Jones.
Team members at UCP Charter Schools believe every child should have equal access to an education that empowers them academically and socially. We welcome children with and without disabilities to an environment that is inclusive and provides opportunities to learn, play, and grow together. For more information on UCP Charter Schools, go to: https://www.ucpcharter.org/