Half day kindergarten and working parents

[Anonymous]

My older son will start kindergarten this fall and our local public school is half day kindergarten. We've applied to some private schools, but won't know where he'll get in until May at the earliest. What would we need to do to cover the rest of the time? I also have a 2 year old who attends all full time daycare. We have planned that one of us (probably me) would go to work super early (6:30) and the other would go later. The early morning one being the pick-up person and the later one being the drop-off person. This would work if he gets full day kindergarten, but not with half-day. Should I start looking for a nannyshare, take my younger son out of what I consider a very enriching daycare program so I'm not paying double for a nanny and daycare. Thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

[Anonymous]

In some areas there are daycare centers (some homebased) that do pick-ups at the schools with the half-day kindergartens.

Is there an aftercare program at the school?

Depending where you live maybe you could hire a college student to watch him during the after school time?

[Anonymous]

Most public schools offer a SACC (School Aged Child Care) program which allows you to "extend" the half-day program to a full-day. My understanding is the child must be in the morning kindergarden to qualify. At our school's SACC kindergarden extension, the children play for a bit, have lunch, and then take naps. Basically then its 3:00 of so they go home.

In Fairfax, there are three different SACC programs - before school, the kindergarden extension, and a regular afterschool (1st-6th). I know that the regular aftershool is difficult to get a slot but I have not idea on the kindergarden extension.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

May I ask the OP where her DC is going to kindergarten? I am interested in a half day program but all Arlington public schools have full day kindergarten only. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

FYI, if you are in VA, I think all Fairfax County schools are switching to full-day kindergarten by 2009, so even if it is half-day now, it may not stay that way.