What was THE determining factor for why you chose your pre-school?

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to decide between several pre-schools in the Rockville/Gaithersburg/N.Potomac area and they all seem pretty good. I hate to make the final selection based entirely on cost, and I really don't know whether I am asking the right questions. I could really use some advice on what I should be looking for ultimately when making a decision and why you chose your school. Thanks - Clueless First Time Mom

[Anonymous]

Make sure you observe a class and see how the teacher(s) interact with the kids. If it doesn't feel like a good fit for your kid keep looking. Other things to consider while visiting are class size, education/training/experience of the teachers, and the all important-do the kids look happy?

Personally I made location a top factor, but I happen to live near multiple schools so I still had a choice.

We're at a play based preschool that uses the creative curriculum. I'd never heard of this stuff before my oldest started but I really like that they place such a high value on keeping things developmentally appropriate and build on the kids interests to help them learn, instead of doing a letter a week or whatever. They'll learn the academics when they are ready, preschool should expose them to it; but focus on social development and fostering a love of learning/discovery.

[Anonymous]

The determining factor was that I really liked the teachers there and felt like things just "clicked." That's the same way I felt about his day care and we were very happy with that for several years. Secondary to that was overall educational philosophy. But there are many preschools around whose curriculum I liked (and I'm in your area). Third was that I want him to go to K-6 at this school as well.

Things to think about:

1) overall curriculum/approach - play based, Montessori, academic?
2) disciplinary policies
3) extracurriculars like languages, music, outdoor time
4) field trips
5) quality of before and after care if you work full time
6) whether preschool focuses on developmentally appropriate activities. My son's former day care, for example, has homework in the 3s and 4s. That's a total turn off for me and one reason I moved him.
7) location

[Anonymous]

Location and cost were what drew me towards the school and knowing it was a decent one sealed the deal.

[Anonymous]

I would ask about staff turnover. If it's high, I'd go somewhere else. DC is really struggling with the staff turnover at her daycare.

[Anonymous]

Dear clueless first time mom, As I started my resaerch for schools I wrote on a paper "what I was looking for "in a school . Later after seeing several schools my paper changed to "what I did not want about the school". I can talk from experiences that no matter where you go you will experience some issues that you wish they were not present. I was looking for a school which has a mixture of ethnicities ( teachers and students), is not a religion based school but has some structure to it,the playground is not close to lots of traffic or car exhust, does not have rude front office personel, and teachers speak english without problems,and is not montesory.The school I finally chose and my son is still going to is Goddarad at Kingfarm in Rockville. My son is 5 now and is in ground hogs class. I sometimes stay at class and listen to lectures. It is amazing to me how these two teachers manage the class in such a professional manner. I strongly recommened you to go and see the school for yourself.

[Anonymous]

1. Turnover among staff - were they happy and would there be continuity of care for my child.
2. Hours - did they have early dropoff and late pickup (2 parent working family, so this is highly important). Did they close everytime the schools did, or did they follow federal closings or something modified inbetween.
3. Convenience of location
4. Curriculum - play-based was important to me, but others might feel the same way about Montessori or a more academically rigorous program
5. "Extras" - what were they, how much did they cost or were they included in the fees.
6. Cost

In about that order of importance.

[Anonymous]

I chose based on the structure/freedom of circle time (I didn't want something that was overly structured or academic) and the quality/nurturing/warmth of the teacher-student interactions. The school where we ended up just felt right.

[Anonymous]

DS's preschool shared a hallway of a community center where I took a yoga class. Every time I walked by and glanced in the classrooms, all the kids were happily busy. Great vibe. It's the only preschool we applied to.

[Anonymous]

To me, security is the #1 deciding factor. I want a preschool where everybody is background checked (not just the teachers, the entire staff including maintenance/cleaning staff), where doors are locked when kids are in the building (you need to be buzzed in and there is someone at the entrance of the building who asks what you are doing there), and where the playground is surrounded by a fence/gates. #2 deciding factor is the student/teacher ratio, the lower the ratio, the better. #3 is licensing and accreditation: it has to be licensed and if it is also accredited that is even better.

[Anonymous]

My comfort level and instinctive feeling of trust for the caregivers, and it felt "right". Also, just sensing what environment will be best for my daughter. Found a huge difference between places, noise level, size of space, neatness, how the kids looked, etc.

[Anonymous]

felt comfortable with the teachers, kind of clicked
they seemed to really like my son
proximity played into my final decision too....logistics do matter!

[Anonymous]

Rockville/North Potomac/Gaithersburg parent here. I'm not sure if you are looking at Academy Child Development or Children's Manor Montessori but if so I would cross them off your list. Academy was horrible and CMM had a long list of violations from their inspection report.

[Anonymous]

Initially, I chose the Goddard School at King Farm in Rockville for my two kids for two reasons: (1) proximity to home and (2) the beautiful facilities. But ultimately what has kept me at this school include (1) the longevity of the staff, (2) foreign language instructions – Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, (3) weekly music instructions, and (4) solid preparation for elementary school. The Goddard School emphasizes play-based learning so the kids get plenty of creative playtime yet still learn the fundamentals that prepare them for kindergarten. My daughter’s pre-kindergarten teacher at the Goddard School King Farm was amazing and has a gift for science – she knows how to make learning fun and hands-on. To this day, my first grader can remember science based facts and principles she learned in her class.

[Anonymous]

Former elementary teacher here. I chose DD's preschool based on:
Observed strong rapport and relationships between teachers and children
Teachers talked to children in real conversations (no shouting, babying)
Artwork reflected individuals' creativity (not all displayed looks the same)
Gorgeous outdoor space
Lots of light in the rooms
Other moms/families seemed like us