Free Wind Over Marshdale by Tracy Krauss

silly name. Do you think it’s a silly name?”
    â€œNo, of course not. It’s pretty, like poetry. Just like your teacher said.”
    Whisper nodded. “I think so, too.”
    â€œUm…so did you make any friends yet?” Ryder prodded. “Who do you play with at recess?”
    Whisper thought for a minute. “I forget. I saw a little gopher, though. He was running along the fence and I tried to chase him. Then he just popped right under and I couldn’t see him anymore.”
    Ryder could just picture it in his mind. Whisper was more likely to get sidetracked with Mother Nature than with trying to make friends with people. Maybe it was just as well. She was sensitive, and he didn’t want to see her get her feelings hurt.
    Just then, a bicycle came whizzing by, nearly sideswiping Whisper as the wheels crunched past on the gravel. “Get off the road, Indian!” the freckle-faced rider called over his shoulder.
    Ryder grabbed Whisper by the arm and pulled her aside as a second bicycle spun past. “Yeah! Go back to the reserve!” The two young males, both about twelve, polished off their insults with a string of war whoops which echoed back through the open prairie. They turned a corner and rode out of sight.
    â€œCome on,” Ryder said gruffly, taking Whisper by the hand. It was starting. “We’d better get home.”

 
    Chapter Six
    Â 
    Rhoda strolled into Rachel’s classroom just as she was putting the last of her files away. “So? Surviving?”
    â€œIt’s hard to tell,” Rachel replied with a laugh. “Kindergarten, fine. Special ed? Not so much.”
    â€œThis system takes some getting used to,” Rhoda agreed. “Alternating between kindergarten one day and special ed the next can get confusing at times. Small schools…we do what we need to do.”
    In small rural towns like Marshdale, the kindergarten students only went to school every other day. It was a long bus ride for some of them, and they stayed for the entire day as opposed to only half days like in some other places. Rachel’s “off” days were devoted to kids with special needs, and although she had training in the area, she’d never really had to focus on it much before now.
    â€œI feel a little bit overwhelmed. There’s an awful lot of paperwork to be done. Assessments, referrals, not to mention all the reading up I need to do on these kids.”
    â€œDefinitely not my favorite part of the job,” Rhoda agreed. “I almost feel guilty for dumping it on you.”
    â€œI didn’t mean to imply you left things in disarray. Everything seems to be in order. I just need time to sort through it all.”
    Rhoda chuckled. “I said ‘almost guilty.’ I’m really enjoying grade five. Most of them can actually read and they don’t need help in the bathroom!”
    â€œLucky you!” Rachel laughed.
    â€œAnything I can help you with?” Rhoda asked. “I can spare a few minutes right now if you like.”
    â€œReally? I don’t want to be a bother.”
    â€œNo bother. I remember what it was like. Let me guess. The big three?”
    â€œThe big three?” Rachel repeated.
    â€œSure. Laura Wilson, Robbie Nordick, and Brandi Lane. Besides those three there’s nothing too drastic. A little reading remediation here and there, maybe, but…”
    â€œActually, you’re absolutely right.”
    â€œOf course I am,” Rhoda grinned.
    â€œOf course,” Rachel smiled back. “Okay, shoot.”
    â€œOkay. Let’s start with Laura. Down syndrome, sweet as pie—just keep her worker focused on life skills, integrate her into the classroom as much as possible, and that’s about it. She’s doing pretty well with the alphabet and last year she learned to spell her own name. Just keep on with the program. On kindergarten days I found she’s actually