Preschool Directors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The director can't change the child's record, but the director should advocate for the most likely candidates for the various schools. This is necessary for placement success. Even though schools get a lot of input via the WPPSI, playdates, teacher recommendations etc., what the director can provide is the crucial X factor for the qualified children. And "qualified" really does vary by school. What Lowell considers qualified may not be the same as what Sidwell considers qualified. The director can be enormously helpful in pushing the Lowell kids toward Lowell and the Sidwell kids toward Sidwell.

Just to be clear, we are talking about preschool, right? I knew New York was bad, but....

[Anonymous]

As policy the Director of SfF does not advocate for admissions to any of the AD for children leaving SfF to get into privates. Does it make it any less of an amazing place to send your child to learn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With Susan (NCRC's previous director) it was more that she took the time to know each child well and could honestly say to an AD that a kid was a good fit, or that the WPPSI didn't reflect his ability, or that a weak play visit was an aberation. My sense was that she made these kinds of observations honestly and the ADs really trusted her judgment. It takes a long time to build that kind of relationship with ADs at multiple schools. You can't expect a new director (who came from somewhere outside the DC private school bubble) to have that kind of rapport and influence right off the bat.

Please stop using these poor women's names on this board! Yikes if I were them I would be totally horrified to have an open discussion about me on this board. It doesn't seem fair. (I don't even know them mind you and we are not at NCRC). That said, I think if you are using their name you should reveal your name as well to be fair!!

[Anonymous]

I don't think giving the name of the former longtime director of NCRC is revealing private information, anymore than when people refer to the head of any school by name.

[Anonymous]

Please give the new director a break. obviously she can't have established relationships with the ADs yet. also, let's not paint the former director in a less than realistic light. as part of the counseling process, the former director made it very clear that you should tell her your very first choice school (not 2 or 3 or 4) and then she would advocate for you for that school. under the former director, many of the kids would get the 1st choice school and not get in to any other schools (WL or reject). undoubtedly, many didn't get their first choice as well. there were unhappy parents under the former director. much of this really boils down to the small class size in early years and tons of applicants.

[Anonymous]

Based on this thread, particularly the last post, I really think the whole system in broken and terribly unfair to our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on this thread, particularly the last post, I really think the whole system in broken and terribly unfair to our kids.

What would you recommend in its place? I've also wondered what may be more fair, yet can't come up with any good ideas.

[Anonymous]

It's less than ideal, no question. But is it better to have a policy like a PP posted about SfF, that there is no advocacy? Your DC attends a preschool for 3 years but the school can't/won't advocate for him/her when it's time to take the next step? How is that any better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's less than ideal, no question. But is it better to have a policy like a PP posted about SfF, that there is no advocacy? Your DC attends a preschool for 3 years but the school can't/won't advocate for him/her when it's time to take the next step? How is that any better?

Why does SfS have that policy? I don't think that is necessarily better. My question was more macro: would there be a more fair way to handle admissions? One poster on another thread suggested tiered admission: a number of cuts down to the final cut, so families would know much earlier in the process if they were not even going to make a waitlist (which, I understand, is largely meaningless at some schools). Logistically I can't envision how one would implement tiered admissions, but I am interested if folks think there would be a more fair, humane way to handle admissions.

[Anonymous]

We are talking about Kindgergarten here ladies, COME ON. I would not even want to send my kid to a pre-school were the Director "advocated" for your kids. Then you get into, Oh I couldn't give this year to the annual appeal, that will be held againt me or was held against me. The JOB of a Pre-School director is not to adovcate for our children to get into Kingergarten. Sure, they are supposed to give recommendations when asked by the parent by advocate..NO way. We went to a regular old daycare at Howard University and got into a Big 3. I know of several other kids who got into their first choice as well. So I think parents need to look closely before getting so hung up on getting into a "feeder" school. It is actually hilarious to even hear that word when speaking of 3 year olds!