Pre-Kindergarten Program in Silver Spring/Bethesda

[Anonymous]

We have a question about pre-kindergarten. Our son has been in four day-a-week daycare for the last year, and he has had a great experience in daycare. Now our son just turned 4, and our family will going to Japan for 5 months this fall. He will learn some Japanese while overseas, but I worry that his first language of English skills will not keep pace with that of his classmates back home. Although he will be 5 next August in time for kindergarten, we are considering having him enroll in pre-kindergarten while he is 5. He will be too old for his current daycare center. Does anyone have a suggestion of a good program (private, public, etc.) for 5 year olds that prepares them for kindergarten. We live in Silver Spring, so schools in Silver Spring/Bethesda would be ideal.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

This may be too far for you depending on your commute, but Rock Spring Children Center (formerly Christchurch Children Center) might be a good option. It will be located near Democracy and Fernwood - near Montgomery Mall. As part of moving to a bigger center, they are expanding the classrooms for the older ages including 4 year olds and planning on adding a classroom for the children that miss the school cutoff. That older classroom I believe will be smaller - maybe 10 kids. You may want to get more information. If the school ends up with the new classroom as planned, it would give you the option to either have your son in Pre-K (4 year old) classroom the year he is five OR have him in the Pre-K Plus/Transitional classroom for kids that completed the Pre-K but don't make the school cutoff or maybe need that extra year. You may be able to find something closer when you get back and I think in general that 4 year old slots are lot easier to find - even last minute than 2 and under in this area. I would just offer up that if you sort of don't know how things will be when your son gets back but you are leaning towards having him waiting a year before kindergarten (especially since he is so close to the cutoff), you may want to look at places that have a classroom for kids that miss the cutoff/or are close and need that extra year. Anyway, here is the website for RockSpring Children Center. www.c4childcare.org

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to say that the chance to be in Japan and learn some Japanese is a great opportunity for your son!

I personally wouldn't stress too much about the effect of those 5 months away on kindergarten readiness. What language do you speak at home?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions. We only speak English at home.

[Anonymous]

Grace Episcopal Day School in Silver Spring has a good pre-K program. www. geds.org

[Anonymous]

11:44 here. Since you say you speak only English at home, I really don't believe that you should worry about him missing 5 months of speaking English at preschool! Just keep reading to him a lot and introducing him to new vocabulary on your own.