Lee 1st Impressions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have the special aftercare programs stated yet? What happens in regular aftercare? (We're on the younger end so haven't started yet.)

Yes, they started yesterday. My kid did yoga and loved it. Regular aftercare seems to include a lot of outdoor time and activities like crafts and art. It's staffed by the teaching assistants, primarily, I think. The kids seem to be having fun.

pp here. I was just talking about aftercare till 5:00. Perhaps they go outside at 5:00?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have the special aftercare programs stated yet? What happens in regular aftercare? (We're on the younger end so haven't started yet.)

Yes, they started yesterday. My kid did yoga and loved it. Regular aftercare seems to include a lot of outdoor time and activities like crafts and art. It's staffed by the teaching assistants, primarily, I think. The kids seem to be having fun.

pp here. I was just talking about aftercare till 5:00. Perhaps they go outside at 5:00?

Last week when there were no enrichment activities they seemed to go outside every day in the 4-5pm window (for most of the hour).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have the special aftercare programs stated yet? What happens in regular aftercare? (We're on the younger end so haven't started yet.)

Yes, they started yesterday. My kid did yoga and loved it. Regular aftercare seems to include a lot of outdoor time and activities like crafts and art. It's staffed by the teaching assistants, primarily, I think. The kids seem to be having fun.

pp here. I was just talking about aftercare till 5:00. Perhaps they go outside at 5:00?

Last week when there were no enrichment activities they seemed to go outside every day in the 4-5pm window (for most of the hour).

not yesterday, perhaps because of the heat.

Mine was in the legos thing and pretty much talked just about that when I asked him about his day. So it was clearly a hit.

[Anonymous]

I am amazed at how amazing the admin has been. They're always out and about, know every child!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am amazed at how amazing the admin has been. They're always out and about, know every child!

That's amazing how amazing you think it is!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am amazed at how amazing the admin has been. They're always out and about, know every child!

That's amazing how amazing you think it is!

Oops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have the special aftercare programs stated yet? What happens in regular aftercare? (We're on the younger end so haven't started yet.)

Yes, they started yesterday. My kid did yoga and loved it. Regular aftercare seems to include a lot of outdoor time and activities like crafts and art. It's staffed by the teaching assistants, primarily, I think. The kids seem to be having fun.

pp here. I was just talking about aftercare till 5:00. Perhaps they go outside at 5:00?

Last week when there were no enrichment activities they seemed to go outside every day in the 4-5pm window (for most of the hour).

not yesterday, perhaps because of the heat.

Mine was in the legos thing and pretty much talked just about that when I asked him about his day. So it was clearly a hit.

Yes, the lego was a huge hit! the food, so far, not so much, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

We love the food!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We love the food!

Well I would love the food too, but my child, not so much. Unfortunately I don't think many kids get excited about lettuce or quinoa salad or braised kale or stuffed peppers - even ones like mine that eat a large variety of food and have never seen a chicken nugget, a hot dog or eaten at a fast food restaurant. I love the variety and the fact that it's healthy but some carrots or broccoli would probably go down better with many kids, mine included.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, perhapsb those would be more popular. But it's pretty amazing what kids will enjoy once they get used to it. I've only heard raves about Lee's food and comments like "why don't we eat stuffed peppers more at home?" Can't wait till the kid takes over meal prep completely! (Fwiw kid also loves hot dogs and chicken nuggets, definitely not a super taster.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, perhapsb those would be more popular. But it's pretty amazing what kids will enjoy once they get used to it. I've only heard raves about Lee's food and comments like "why don't we eat stuffed peppers more at home?" Can't wait till the kid takes over meal prep completely! (Fwiw kid also loves hot dogs and chicken nuggets, definitely not a super taster.)

I wish there were options. My family doesn't eat pork and because there are no options, DC will always have to pack a lunch on pulled pork sandwich days. I also have to be on too if the menu to know when those days are. No requests for stuffed peppers at home and no go at school either. Healthy pizza, quesadilla, Caesar salad...those would work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, perhapsb those would be more popular. But it's pretty amazing what kids will enjoy once they get used to it. I've only heard raves about Lee's food and comments like "why don't we eat stuffed peppers more at home?" Can't wait till the kid takes over meal prep completely! (Fwiw kid also loves hot dogs and chicken nuggets, definitely not a super taster.)

I wish there were options. My family doesn't eat pork and because there are no options, DC will always have to pack a lunch on pulled pork sandwich days. I also have to be on too if the menu to know when those days are. No requests for stuffed peppers at home and no go at school either. Healthy pizza, quesadilla, Caesar salad...those would work.

apparently there are vegetarian options offered that aren't on the menu yet - the menu is still a work in process. I just send some lentils or beans and rice to supplement. But I don't want my kid eating refined white flour on a daily basis (lots of new research about how refined carbs affect hormone levels and may be the real culprit in obesity and heart disease). I was so excited to see the original menu though the "tinkering" means that this menu probably won't last long. I imagine we'll end up where you want to be, and I'll end up in a struggle with my child to eat the lunch I send instead of the school lunch (he would happily eat stuffed peppers or "healthy" pizza, but he'd choose the pizza every time if it was a choice).

[Anonymous]

Have you let the school know your preferences?

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I had a hunch the quinoa salad would get outvoted by the kids' taste buds. This isn't supposed to be a crunchy hipsterville cafe on U street. It's a school. Don't feed the kids crap, but feed them foods they'll eat. I'd rather have my kid eating healthy sandwiches and pizza and baked chicken mid-day than not eating lunch at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

(The quinoa stuffed peppers however were a no go. I hear the administration is asking Halsa to make some tweaks to the menu to make it more appealing to the kids while still healthy)

Lol. I commend them for their ambitions but it can be hard to find a balance between healthiness and still be in realistic about the average preschooler palate (notice I said average kid. Sure there are some parents of adventurous eating outlier preschoolers on this board)