Missing the cut-off and going to Rosemary Hills

[Anonymous]

Reposting here after no response in the preschool section:

Anyone here have a child that misses the cut off of 9/1 for next Sept 2012 and has a child that will be going to Rosemary Hills the following Sept 2013? Where are your children going to go in the mean time? Are they repeating a year at their current daycare, going to another school for jr kindergarten, etc. If so, where are they going to attend? I am trying to figure out all of this for my DS and would like for him to attend a program where he will be with other children that plan on attending Rosemary Hills and similarly miss the cut off. I just don't know whether to have him repeat another year at his daycare which we really like or move him somewhere else for one year. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I don't have any answers for you but you might get more responses on the RHPS listserv. My oldest is starting 2nd grade but I got on the listserv when I was trying to figure out Pre-K. I know some of his classmates knew one another from daycare/preschool, but I don't know which ones. I'm interested because I have a younger child who is currently in daycare downtown near my office; I hope to move him for his pre-K year since he has a winter bday and will be 5.75yo by the time K starts.

[Anonymous]

OP here-that is a great idea! Thanks so much

[Anonymous]

OP - one option you might want to look into is Wonders Childcare at Leland Community Center. They have a great NAEYC-accredited Pre-K which my daughter (May birthday so no cutoff issue) attended before starting at RHPS, and your son will definitely have kids in his class who will be going to RHPS after Pre-K (also Somerset, Bethesda ES, and Lafayette.) It's less expensive than many day care centers in Bethesda (so I would think certainly less expensive than downtown centers) and has before-care - not sure of hours - and after-care until 6. We plan to do that for my son who has a November birthday. More info at http://www.wonderschildcare.org

PP, keep in mind that Pre-K at RHPS is need-based as a part of Head Start, so depending on income you may or may not qualify.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP, and I think you misunderstood me, 13:10 - I wasn't suggesting putting my child or the OP's into pre-K at RHPS. But like the OP, I'm interested in ideas for preK for my younger child since I don't want him to essentially repeat a year in his 4yo classroom at his current daycare, and if I could place him in a pre-K with other kids he'll meet in K at RHPS, that would be an added benefit. I've still got 2 years to go, though.

[Anonymous]

When you say 2 years to go ... I was in a similar situation and switched my child from a daycare to a Montessori. My child did two years of Montessori and then entered 1st grade at RHPS. I liked this option very much, as I think the Montessori gave a strong academic foundation, stronger than child would have gotten at RHPS K. Downside is that community is already forming in K year.

[Anonymous]

Stay at home, have fun, go to parks, museums, classes.. enjoy life.

[Anonymous]

A lot of the kids at Chevy Chase United Methodist Preschool (CCUMC) go to Rosemary Hills. They have 3 pre-K classes, grouped by age, so there are usually a couple of kids who are in the younger pre-k one year, then repeat pre-k (but in the oldest class) the next, then go on to RH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the kids at Chevy Chase United Methodist Preschool (CCUMC) go to Rosemary Hills. They have 3 pre-K classes, grouped by age, so there are usually a couple of kids who are in the younger pre-k one year, then repeat pre-k (but in the oldest class) the next, then go on to RH.

and as of last weekl, they have room in the pre-K

[Anonymous]

CCBC has an older pre-k class , the Explorers, with kids who have late summer/ fall birthdays until spring birthdays. It seems very popular in our area for the oldest summer birthdays to be held back so your son will have lots of company at least in this area with older pre-k-ers. There is a younger pre-k class, the Adventurers, where many go onto kindergarten and then some move into the Explorers for another year.

I wouldn't worry so much. There are so many classes at RH from what I've heard that hardly anyone knows anyone in their class from before. We are zoned to go there in a year. Hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't worry so much. There are so many classes at RH from what I've heard that hardly anyone knows anyone in their class from before. We are zoned to go there in a year. Hope that helps.

This was going to be my advice too (between daycare kids being from all over and RH kids being from all over it seems a lot to try and plan out).

We've been really pleased with RH.

[Anonymous]

This might be a bit far for you, but Kensington-Forest Glen Childcare Center near Holy Cross Hospital has an excellent (and affordable) program for 5 year olds who missed the cutoff. I know of at least one family from the Rosemary Hills area who has a child enrolled.

[Anonymous]

Chevy Chase Presbyterian has a 5+ program for kids who miss the cutoff or are held back.

Also, Broad Branch Childrens' House is a local montessori that has a kindergarden program. You could send your child there and then send him/her to kindergarden again at RH the following year. I doubt it would feel like repeating kindergarden since the montessori approach differs so much from the public school approach.