But Mrs. Driscoll was not alone. Next to her sat Dr. Leonard Vance, the school psychologist, and Detective Maria Flores from the Millbrook Police Department.

Ms. Alvarez didn't look at his test scores first. She looked at me. She said, “I’m going to miss him next year. Do you know what his superpower is?”

For twelve years, the Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) was my Super Bowl. I would arrive early, armed with a freshly sharpened pencil, a list of questions, and a knot in my stomach. I sat in those tiny plastic chairs, leaning forward, hanging on every word about reading levels, math facts, and "social interactions."