Is your kid in pre-school?

[Anonymous]

Bar-T has a preschool program from 9-3, with before and after care from 6:30am to 6:30pm. There is a school at Thurgood Marshall and at Lakewood ES in Rockville. We’ve had two kids in the program and have been very happy with it.

[Anonymous]

Chesterbrook is approx: $1400 for full time/max hours

[Anonymous]

We've kept our kids at their daycare, which offers a NAEYC-accredited preschool program once kids turn three. Hours are 7:30 to 6:30, though our kids are typically there 8:30 - 5:30 (I work close by). It's play-based, but the kids end up well-prepared for K.

[Anonymous]

Our child went to Georgetown Hill at Darnestown. The classes go a max from 7:30AM to 6PM, or you can adjust based on your schedule. Georgetown Hill at North Potomac is also fabulous according to several families we know, and we also know two teachers who work there. Our child was adequately prepared for kinder this year and the staff at the schools are incredible. Also check out Franklin Montessori on Darnestown Road in Gaithersburg. Several families I know rave about the school.

Tour Chesterbrook thoroughly before commiting, and check the yelp reviews and other online reviews. Most feedback is that it is more of a daycare than a school. I have three friends who had children there and pulled them out (all at various times ranging from 2015-present). It's incredibly convenient to families living in the Kentlands, but there's a reason that most Kentlands families don't send their kids there. It's a great deal pricewise, but I've heard the academics are not strong, there's a big staff turnover, and its a bit disorganized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child went to Georgetown Hill at Darnestown. The classes go a max from 7:30AM to 6PM, or you can adjust based on your schedule. Georgetown Hill at North Potomac is also fabulous according to several families we know, and we also know two teachers who work there. Our child was adequately prepared for kinder this year and the staff at the schools are incredible. Also check out Franklin Montessori on Darnestown Road in Gaithersburg. Several families I know rave about the school.

Tour Chesterbrook thoroughly before commiting, and check the yelp reviews and other online reviews. Most feedback is that it is more of a daycare than a school. I have three friends who had children there and pulled them out (all at various times ranging from 2015-present). It's incredibly convenient to families living in the Kentlands, but there's a reason that most Kentlands families don't send their kids there. It's a great deal pricewise, but I've heard the academics are not strong, there's a big staff turnover, and its a bit disorganized.

OP here. Thanks for the feedback. I’ll look into some of the other places listed and Georgetown Hill.

[Anonymous]

Have you considered switching daycares as opposed to going to a preschool? Our kids were in daycare until K and they and the kids in their pre-K classes were always on target and ready for elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've kept our kids at their daycare, which offers a NAEYC-accredited preschool program once kids turn three. Hours are 7:30 to 6:30, though our kids are typically there 8:30 - 5:30 (I work close by). It's play-based, but the kids end up well-prepared for K.

Which daycare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in Gaithersburg too and send our daughter to full day preschool. There are plenty of options: Goddard School, Montessori schools, Chesterbrook, etc. Public option doesn’t start until PK4.

In MCPS, PreK is income-based. There are a few PEP programs for non-special ed peers, but it's not a full daily preschool program. Unless theres something brand new I dont know about, there's no universal public PreK. Yet.

+1 Unless you qualify for Head Start, there's no public option until kids turn 5 (unless you have a very old 4 and take a test for early admission to kindergarten).

Even Head Start is not full day, though.

There are a few schools piloting full day head start but it's for low income students

[Anonymous]

Our 4 year old attends St. Martin's Pre-K program. Drop off is between 7:30-8:00am and school gets out at 2:45pm. There is an aftercare option as well. Tuition and after care is $1,000 per month. We have been very happy with the school and the pre-k teachers are fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, put her in Montessori- children manor Montessori has multiple locations and you can do full day 7:30-6 . Other Montessori schools I know of are Butler Montessori and Franklin.

There should be plenty of options that allow for before and after care.

Stay away from Franklin.

[Anonymous]

Attended the open house for Chesterbrook and loved it!

[Anonymous]

PepperTreein Germantown. They have something called Universal preschool for 4 year olds - It isa mix of head start/low income kids and other kids. It costs $750/month for the non low income kids and they follow the countys school closing etc and is from 9-3pm. They provide lunch and breakfast (it comes from mcps since they are affiliated). They also have a daycare there and the children who need afterschool stay in the same class and another teacher comes in at 3pm and stays until 6pm when the center officially closes. I am not sure how much it costs for the after care part.

But my child thrived in their school. They do not have a good website and I heard of it word of mouth from another parent from our previous preschool.

They are near the DSW/Bed Bath Beyond in the same building as Social Services in Germantown (where the old Germantown library use to be)

[Anonymous]

PP here - Pepper Tree also has before care since they have the day care along with the universal preschool.