Teacher Recommendation Forms

[Anonymous]

My DS is in a coveted Early Childhood Program. It is time to apply for Pre-K Programs. I would like to apply to several schools - as they are all so difficult to get into. How have you approached your current school about completing several forms - knowing that if your child is not accepted, you may need your child to stay where they are...and try again for a K spot somewhere new.

[Anonymous]

My first thought is that the coveted preschools would have a formal internal process for obtaining teacher recommendation forms from their teachers. Our preschool does. The administration does this, in part, to keep the process fair, smooth and manageable for the teachers involved.

Also, isn't the teacher recommendation form basically the same for nearly all the schools? It may not be as arduous for one teacher to complete several forms as you think ...

So in your position, I would quietly ask other parents in your class if the school does in fact have some process that it follows every year. Or at least ask one parent with an older alum child. Then inquire of the administration what the protocol is.

[Anonymous]

It's probably best for you to be forthcoming with your preschool administrator as soon as possible. S/he can't effectively support your applications if s/he doesn't know until the last minute that you're applying your child out. As PP mentioned, there is a common teacher recommendation form that many schools use so there isn't much more effort to complete submit forms (just a matter of making copies and addressing and stamping the envelopes). Also, it's just courtesy to let the school know sooner rather than later, because the school is probably in the middle of its own admission cycle and needs to know how many slots may be available for families applying to your preschool.