Deciding between Bannockburn Nursery School ( BNS) and Clara Barton Children Center (CBCC)

[Anonymous]

Hi Moms,

Wondering if anyone has experience with either of these two preschools. I am trying to choose one and would appreciate more first hand family experiences
In terms of commute and price it is same only BNS runs until 2:30 while the CBCC is until 3:30 but the BNS has lunch bunch program that does not require kids sleep and they can have some activity in the afternoon while the CBCC after lunch kids sleep until 3.

I really appreciate any feedback on the programs, teachers and the overall atmosphere of these two.


Thanks,

[Anonymous]

For me the big difference was the facilities. BNS struck me as quite run-down. CB had a better set-up. Many kids from CB then went to Bannockburn for ES. When I toured BNS I asked about where the kids went to ES as I assumed most stayed in the neighborhood and was struck by how far away some of them were going (there was a display with the names of the schools). With the smaller class size that means fewer kids overall your kid will know when headed into ES. I was thinking a lot about the transition to K at the time.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for the feedback I actually noticed the sizing and more structural form you mentioned too.

[Anonymous]

Also interested in other's views on BNS. Have you toured it OP? I did and was very impressed with their indoor class space and outdoor setting. It seems to have lower teacher to student ratios than some others in the area. It's in my top three options now - trying to decide between that and Apple Montessori and perhaps Waldorf or Manor Montessori.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also interested in other's views on BNS. Have you toured it OP? I did and was very impressed with their indoor class space and outdoor setting. It seems to have lower teacher to student ratios than some others in the area. It's in my top three options now - trying to decide between that and Apple Montessori and perhaps Waldorf or Manor Montessori.

Hey wondering if you made a decision, as we basically had all of those in our top choices as well! Sadly, BNS will not work for us anymore, as our nanny is moving on and those hours just won't work for me without a nanny. I did a recent tour of Apple, and am now leaning more towards Manor Montessori.

[Anonymous]

Bumping this thread to see if anyone else has recent feedback on either of these two schools? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I’m also curious about this and am deciding between BNS and CB. It seems like BNS has had a lot of facility improvements compared to when some previous posters commented (I think they did some renovations over the pandemic). Would love any other thoughts.

[Anonymous]

These were my two top choices and imo have a very similar feel. We ended up choosing CBCC due to the better yearly and daily coverage (allowing us to drop reliance on a full or part-time nanny) and could not be happier. It's a gem of a school - super welcoming, nurturing, and has great long-time teachers. If you already have a nanny you intend to keep, however, BNS would also be a great option - they have a fantastic indoor and outdoor space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also interested in other's views on BNS. Have you toured it OP? I did and was very impressed with their indoor class space and outdoor setting. It seems to have lower teacher to student ratios than some others in the area. It's in my top three options now - trying to decide between that and Apple Montessori and perhaps Waldorf or Manor Montessori.

Hey wondering if you made a decision, as we basically had all of those in our top choices as well! Sadly, BNS will not work for us anymore, as our nanny is moving on and those hours just won't work for me without a nanny. I did a recent tour of Apple, and am now leaning more towards Manor Montessori.

Hey not sure if you'll see this, but yes, we went with CBCC and could not be happier! Love the school, teachers, and community. Manor would have been more convenient for us, but I think CBCC has better indoor and outdoor space, less teacher turnover, and just a great vibe overall.

[Anonymous]

We’re at BNS and absolutely love it, my kid is happy to go to school every day. Warm teachers, low ratios, and great outdoor space in the middle of a peaceful neighborhood - the kids spend a lot of time outdoors.