After K SACC at 1/2 day schools

[Anonymous]

We are currently weighing all options for next year. Right now, we live in a tiny TH in a half-day district that we plan to sell within the next few months. I work 30 hours/week, some of which can be worked from home, but I definitely need to work a couple full days out of the house. I was hoping to be in a full-day K district next year either through purchase or rent (and there is still a possibility we will get into one of the lottery schools in Reston so neighborhood choice would be less stressful), but find myself leaning towards some neighborhoods with half-day programs (Fox Mill, Franklin Farm, etc). I put myself on the list at the two elementary schools closest to our house last fall, and know I would be in the after K SACC at our local elementary school. If we decided in May to move to one of the other half day K neighborhoods, is after-K SACC hard to get into? NOT after-school - I think I am leaning away from that since I could likely just get a local mom or teen to watch my child for an hour or so in addition to after-K a couple days a week.

So, is after-K SACC easier to get a spot in? Is it almost gauranteed placement?

Honestly, we weren't even supposed to still be in VA next year, so my head is ready to explode from having to figure out all these crazy half-day/full-day/aftercare logistics.

[Anonymous]

I think it really depends on how small/crowded the SACC at that particular school is. I was told that if you're in SACC at one school and then move, you are guaranteed a spot in SACC at the new school, but then found out that that is not always the case. If you are moving to a school with a SACC program with a really long waitlist, a spot is not guaranteed just because you were in SACC at your old school.

[Anonymous]

I'm talking about JUST after K at the half-day K schools (the program that gets those kids to the normal dismissal time for the rest of the school). I think I'm going to go a different route for regular after-school care.

I'm curious if anyone who needed after-K SACC has run up against wait lists and had to find other options to fill the afternoon time gap.

[Anonymous]

I live in Franklin Farm and my child will be going to After K SACC at Navy in Sept. I called last July to get on the waitlist and immediately got into the After-K SACC. I have no idea if there would be a waiting list by now, but to me, it does seem easier to get into After K than After School (which I was like 130 on the waiting list, but most likely will not need it).

[Anonymous]

Our son was in the after K SACC last year - we weren't wait listed at all and had an automatic in to the after school SACC (which we didn't use because he bused to the day care where his little brother is during the day and can hang with his pre-K friends).

That said, it seems pretty likely you won't have to worry about it all. The vibes I'm getting from PTA meetings is that all day K for the remaining 37 schools is almost a given. Though accompanied by pretty terrible cuts to accomodate (even larger class sizes, for example).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our son was in the after K SACC last year - we weren't wait listed at all and had an automatic in to the after school SACC (which we didn't use because he bused to the day care where his little brother is during the day and can hang with his pre-K friends).

That said, it seems pretty likely you won't have to worry about it all. The vibes I'm getting from PTA meetings is that all day K for the remaining 37 schools is almost a given. Though accompanied by pretty terrible cuts to accomodate (even larger class sizes, for example).

If they can figure out full-day K for all the rest of the schools next year, I would jump up and down for joy. I know not everyone is thrilled about it, and of course I hope they can do it without too much pain for the kids, but this would definitely make my personal life MUCH less stressful.

[Anonymous]

From friends who use SACC, after K SACC is much easier and quicker to get into. I don't know anyone who was waitlisted for it. After school SACC is an entirely different story.

[Anonymous]

Could you afford something in the Westbriar ES boundary in Vienna? They have all-day K now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could you afford something in the Westbriar ES boundary in Vienna? They have all-day K now.

Nope, can't afford anything there. We're looking in the Reston/Herndon or Fairfax/Chantilly area for a single family in the under $500K range (preferably under $400K, honestly). My husband works in Ashburn and I work in Lorton on the days I have to "go to work."