Are we fools not to play lottery for our 3 y o?

[Anonymous]

Our kid will be 3.5 at the start of the next school year. We could play the lottery and try for a free, all-day pre-K program. But I don't know. Going from nothing to all day, 5 day a week seems so extreme. And we believe in a play-based approach. On the other hand, will we be paying lots of money for a three day program somewhere, and then find ourselves unable to get a spot in a preferred charter/public school in a couple years. I just don't know. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

My DC did a 3 day part-time nursery school in Brooklyn. We moved to DC and were able to get him into a PK4 program at one of the popular charters. Also, I noticed that people switch in DC for K and 1st so I don't think it is impossible if you wait.

However, I think you should apply and see where you get in and make a decision then. Your child may be okay and surprise you. Many of the PS3 programs in DC are play-based. If you look at the actual schedule, they spend most of their time napping, eating and playing!

[Anonymous]

Enter the lotteries and see what happens. Your child will change a lot between now and August and you may be surprised how ready they seem by the time school starts. And you are correct that your chances at landing a spot after PS are lower.

Plus "full day" at the PS level usually includes probably an hour of lunch & snack time, 2 hours of nap / quiet time. Plus free play. There will undoubtedly be an adjustment period, but if worse comes to worse you can always give it a few months and pull them out if it's not a good fit.

[Anonymous]

are you in bounds for a school you would be OK sending your child to through elementary? IF not, I would highly recommend that you look at Charters / OOB lottery.

There are so few spaces and so much demand. For some charters, PreS is the entry year - if you miss that opening, you will likely not get a spot in the future.
I was at the lottery for one of the frequently mentioned schools a few years ago. The 1st name picked for 2nd grade happened to be present. All of the 1st graders re-enrolled and there was NO movement on the waitlist. The child was there again the following year - without success.

[Anonymous]

Entering the lottery is all about creating choices. You are not locked in to sending your kid. But if you choose not to enter, then you have limited your choices. As PP has said, your child will look very different in a few months.

My daughter went from an in-home daycare to a full day 3 year old class (Apple Tree). It was great for her--lots of play-based learning.

[Anonymous]

You're crazy not to apply. As a pp said, it's all about choices, and there's no need to decide now. I was in your shoes 3 years ago - in a perfect world, we'd have continued with DD's fabulous 3-day a week play-based pre-school. But we got lucky at a great charter, and decided to give it a try, especially since the odds of getting in to that (or other) programs as a PK-4 drop considerably, and our IB DCPS really stinks. It was a little tough transition, but she really took to it.

It really does boil down to 2 considerations - are you happy with your IB DCPS, and is there a charter you really, really love for which the entry year is PS-3?

[Anonymous]

What's sad is that what's best for our kids takes a back seat to not being shut out by waiting. Your DC may not be ready right now, but if you don't apply and take a spot now you may be SOL later. We all lose in this game!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's sad is that what's best for our kids takes a back seat to not being shut out by waiting. Your DC may not be ready right now, but if you don't apply and take a spot now you may be SOL later. We all lose in this game!

I totally agree. So many kids are not ready for school at 3, no matter how much their parents want it to be so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's sad is that what's best for our kids takes a back seat to not being shut out by waiting. Your DC may not be ready right now, but if you don't apply and take a spot now you may be SOL later. We all lose in this game!

Is there nothing we parents can do to challenge this sad model? On the one hand, all day full time PS3 and even PK4 is seen as desirable by probably a majority of parents in this city. But for those of us who don't need it, we are truly over a barrel later on. I just posted my own (are there no part time PK4 programs?) thread and saw this post second. I'd be willing to try to do something about this, but have no idea where to start.

The system is so bad here that I'm thinking seriously about just enrolling in something play-based and making my kindergarten / first grade plan to be MOVING - not just out of the city but out of the area. How truly sad that we can't put our children in creative, play based schools at young ages but rather are forced to donate a chunk of their childhoods to school just to get a foot in the door? I know I don't speak for everyone who wants more flexibility in young ages with that statement, but it's how I feel. And I know I'm not the only one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's sad is that what's best for our kids takes a back seat to not being shut out by waiting. Your DC may not be ready right now, but if you don't apply and take a spot now you may be SOL later. We all lose in this game!

Is there nothing we parents can do to challenge this sad model? On the one hand, all day full time PS3 and even PK4 is seen as desirable by probably a majority of parents in this city. But for those of us who don't need it, we are truly over a barrel later on. I just posted my own (are there no part time PK4 programs?) thread and saw this post second. I'd be willing to try to do something about this, but have no idea where to start.

The system is so bad here that I'm thinking seriously about just enrolling in something play-based and making my kindergarten / first grade plan to be MOVING - not just out of the city but out of the area. How truly sad that we can't put our children in creative, play based schools at young ages but rather are forced to donate a chunk of their childhoods to school just to get a foot in the door? I know I don't speak for everyone who wants more flexibility in young ages with that statement, but it's how I feel. And I know I'm not the only one.

Have you visited a PS3 or a PK4 classroom and spent at least a day there? I've been a teacher and now administrator in public schools for over 20 years. We've done homeschool preschooling, public school preschool, charter school PS3 and public school preK. They have all been amazing programs. My 2 kids have thrived in creative, play-based classrooms. Their teachers have been highly trained, caring professionals. I couldn't imagine my kids doing anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's sad is that what's best for our kids takes a back seat to not being shut out by waiting. Your DC may not be ready right now, but if you don't apply and take a spot now you may be SOL later. We all lose in this game!

I disagree with using the term "sad". The option for free PK3 and PK4 is very rare in DC. You don't have to participate in the madness if you do not want. K is a good year to enter charters so if you opt to keep your child at home you have that right, but don't call it sad because its a daunting process if you wish to participate. All I see about preschool craziness in lotteries etc baffles me, it's more of an entitlement feeling from other parents rather than looking at it as a great benefit to utilize to offset expensive daycare and prepare our youngsters for Kinder (even of you're destined to a tier 2 option).

[Anonymous]

Glad that your kids are thriving, but a size fits all model will squeeze the life out of some kids. It's awful that we, as parents, have only two options - put our values last and play the game OR move! I was being generous calling them choices. More like daggers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's sad is that what's best for our kids takes a back seat to not being shut out by waiting. Your DC may not be ready right now, but if you don't apply and take a spot now you may be SOL later. We all lose in this game!

Is there nothing we parents can do to challenge this sad model? On the one hand, all day full time PS3 and even PK4 is seen as desirable by probably a majority of parents in this city. But for those of us who don't need it, we are truly over a barrel later on. I just posted my own (are there no part time PK4 programs?) thread and saw this post second. I'd be willing to try to do something about this, but have no idea where to start.

The system is so bad here that I'm thinking seriously about just enrolling in something play-based and making my kindergarten / first grade plan to be MOVING - not just out of the city but out of the area. How truly sad that we can't put our children in creative, play based schools at young ages but rather are forced to donate a chunk of their childhoods to school just to get a foot in the door? I know I don't speak for everyone who wants more flexibility in young ages with that statement, but it's how I feel. And I know I'm not the only one.

Have you visited a PS3 or a PK4 classroom and spent at least a day there? I've been a teacher and now administrator in public schools for over 20 years. We've done homeschool preschooling, public school preschool, charter school PS3 and public school preK. They have all been amazing programs. My 2 kids have thrived in creative, play-based classrooms. Their teachers have been highly trained, caring professionals. I couldn't imagine my kids doing anything else.

Yes, I have spent time there. I think there are many lovely programs. I think highly trained teachers are going to play a huge part in my child's life - starting next year. But, I don't want them to have my kids for five days a week, all day. We don't need childcare. Ideally, I want to balance keeping my kids at home when they're little with a lovely program. I'm sure the full day programs work well for many kids; but we do not want that, despite the great programs out there for the families who do want that route. I think there is a growing sector of parents who want greater flexibility from the public and charter system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
... But, I don't want them to have my kids for five days a week, all day. We don't need childcare. Ideally, I want to balance keeping my kids at home when they're little with a lovely program. I'm sure the full day programs work well for many kids; but we do not want that, despite the great programs out there for the families who do want that route. I think there is a growing sector of parents who want greater flexibility from the public and charter system.

So enroll your child in a 1/2 day program - and either send them to private or whatever school you have the option of for K. Many families do this.

If you in bounds school is not what you want - start now to help make it a place you want your child to be or move. Families all across the world are faced with trade-offs. They deal with them. What you are complaining about is something that many families across the country would appreciate. They do not have full day K in Loundon county in 2013. If this is more of the environment you want for your child - I am sure you can find a McMansion there.

[Anonymous]

We sent my kids to all day prek4. They weren't quite ready, s