Karasik or Silver Spring Learning Center Preschool -- specific feedback

[Anonymous]

I am looking for a preschool. Karasik and SSLC get good reviews here, but much of the feedback is very general (love it, it's great, etc.). Would anyone be willing to take the time to share more details/specifics about what you like, why you recommend the preschool? Thanks very much.

[Anonymous]

bump.

I have spoken with SSLC and it doesn't seem practical for a non-Jew (food restrictions, holidays, early winter closures), so I am focusing more on Karasik.

Karasik tells me that they are a child care center, not a preschool (based on licensing criteria). This prompts me to renew my query: any parents out there who are using Karasik as preschool? What specifically do you like/dislike? Did you compare this program to other preschools? Or did you just stay on after infant/toddler care? I would really appreciate any assistance you can offer. People seem very pleased with Karaik, but I can't tell what program they're in or whether it would meet our family's needs.

Thanks very much.

[Anonymous]

I can speak a bit to Karasik. We've been there about a year now, and my son is three. They run a curriculum during the "school" year and then do more of a summer camp type program in the summer, with lots of learning but more fun things brought in. My son gets to ride a pony today, for instance. The kids are always out at least twice a day, and there's a gym available during bad weather.

We use it for a full day of daycare, but the schedule is set up that more formal curriculum starts around the time of normal preschool hours (I think 9?) with more semi-structured playtime at the beginning and end of the day for kids in daycare.

The whole vibe of the place is just wonderful--friendly teachers and staff. Some of the parents organize happy hours throughout the year to get to know other families. There are also fund-raisers to help cover the special activities during the summer time. Karasik is part of Arc of Montgomery County, so the program includes kids with an array of health issues, with extra staff and support for that to run smoothly (at least it does from our perspective).

We have twice a year parent-teacher conferences to talk about our child's development and set goals, which is helpful to us to see in more detail where we might support our son in certain areas. Every child of every age gets those meetings.

Having been in two other daycares before, Karasik has been the best for us--and our son loves it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can speak a bit to Karasik. We've been there about a year now, and my son is three. They run a curriculum during the "school" year and then do more of a summer camp type program in the summer, with lots of learning but more fun things brought in. My son gets to ride a pony today, for instance. The kids are always out at least twice a day, and there's a gym available during bad weather.

We use it for a full day of daycare, but the schedule is set up that more formal curriculum starts around the time of normal preschool hours (I think 9?) with more semi-structured playtime at the beginning and end of the day for kids in daycare.

The whole vibe of the place is just wonderful--friendly teachers and staff. Some of the parents organize happy hours throughout the year to get to know other families. There are also fund-raisers to help cover the special activities during the summer time. Karasik is part of Arc of Montgomery County, so the program includes kids with an array of health issues, with extra staff and support for that to run smoothly (at least it does from our perspective).

We have twice a year parent-teacher conferences to talk about our child's development and set goals, which is helpful to us to see in more detail where we might support our son in certain areas. Every child of every age gets those meetings.

Having been in two other daycares before, Karasik has been the best for us--and our son loves it too.

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your response. Do you plan to leave your son there until K? Or are you going to look for a formal preschool? Why? Thanks again.

[Anonymous]

Karasik effectively is a formal preschool with a formal curriculum. There is some kind of accreditation they are in the last steps of getting, I think, if that's what you mean.

We have no intentions of leaving--far from it!

[Anonymous]

My husband and I went on a tour of Karasik. We really liked it. But then we sat down to talk more about the waitlist process. The director made it sound impossible to get into the infant room, unless you have an older kid already there so you get preference. She talked about the long waitlist and calling people who have been on it for to 2 years for the first time for a space when the infants move to the next room. My husband and I left with the impression that our baby will not be able to go there when I return to work from maternity leave but if we wait out the waitlist he may be able to go there when he is older and that would give our future kids a better chance at the infant room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I went on a tour of Karasik. We really liked it. But then we sat down to talk more about the waitlist process. The director made it sound impossible to get into the infant room, unless you have an older kid already there so you get preference. She talked about the long waitlist and calling people who have been on it for to 2 years for the first time for a space when the infants move to the next room. My husband and I left with the impression that our baby will not be able to go there when I return to work from maternity leave but if we wait out the waitlist he may be able to go there when he is older and that would give our future kids a better chance at the infant room.

OP here. This was my impression as well. I originally considered Karasik for infant care, but came to see that would never happen. I'm back to considering Karasik for preschool . . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Karasik effectively is a formal preschool with a formal curriculum. There is some kind of accreditation they are in the last steps of getting, I think, if that's what you mean.

We have no intentions of leaving--far from it!

Thanks so much for your response. Would it be possible for you to elaborate? I see a lot of praise for Karasik similar to this -- enthusiastic, but short on details. I am left wondering what you like so much about Karasik, which is what prompted this thread. I am sure you are busy, but I would really appreciate more information. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Our kids were at SSLC for a year and they enjoyed it, but we are Jewish and were looking for a strong Jewish program and they have a great Hebrew immersion program for the 3-5 y.o.s. SSLC used to have some classes that were "Jewish light", but I am not sure they still exist in the older classes.

[Anonymous]

Our kids were at SSLC for a year and they enjoyed it, but we are Jewish and were looking for a strong Jewish program and they have a great Hebrew immersion program for the 3-5 y.o.s. SSLC used to have some classes that were "Jewish light", but I am not sure they still exist in the older classes.

[Anonymous]

We used sslc for several years. The huge number of closings throughout the year is definitely a big draw back including early closing on fridays in cold months.

But the food issues are not at all a big deal unless your kid only eats meat. We bought fake chicken nuggets and lots of other veggie options that worked fine especially since they can microwave the kids lunch for you.

I think the very stable staff speaks highly of sslc as being extremely well run. The director is wonderful and very organized & responsive. Most teachers have been there many years. They have a huge playground and a very good indoor play spot and make ample use of both. Another reason we liked sslc so much was the very low class size compared to most other preschools.

As a non-Jew I thought my kid fit in fine and had a number of playdates with the buddies she made. I did not really make friends so much (although that was not really a big goal of mine) though since they don't have family socialization events. I loved that they limited the things they invited parents to come in for (I.e. fewer days off work for them) and that the vital things were communicated by email primarily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Karasik effectively is a formal preschool with a formal curriculum. There is some kind of accreditation they are in the last steps of getting, I think, if that's what you mean.

We have no intentions of leaving--far from it!

Thanks so much for your response. Would it be possible for you to elaborate? I see a lot of praise for Karasik similar to this -- enthusiastic, but short on details. I am left wondering what you like so much about Karasik, which is what prompted this thread. I am sure you are busy, but I would really appreciate more information. Thanks.

PP here--that short response was follow-up from the earlier one at 10:23

[Anonymous]

OP, it might help if you posed some specific questions. I echo everything PP said about Karasik. We will be there until our kids start K and possibly beyond since they have after-care on site.

[Anonymous]

Just to confirm the waitlist status - my first daughter was born in July of 2012. I got on their infant room waitlist in January 2012 as I needed daycare for her in November 2012. I just got the call from them that a spot was available for her in their 2 year old room. There was never a spot available as long as she was an infant. I never would have believed it'd be a 2.5 year waitlist...I guess the fact that it's such a popular place could reflect the quality

[Anonymous]

Different Karasik preschool parent here, with some of the same feedback and some additional. Positives about Karasik:

- The directors are organized and responsive, which makes the school run well. There are two "Sharons" - one responsible for the younger kids and one responsible for preschool age. They are a good team, and it's nice that, between the two of them, a director is usually there at all times.
- The teachers work really, really hard. Like many good teachers I've known, teaching is more than a job to many of them.
- There's plenty of space to play - gym, playground, and large open field.
- Nursing staff on site - a nice bonus, even for typical medical concerns like allergic reactions, asthma, etc.

I think the thing that stands out for me the most, though, is the community. I've visited other preschools in the area and, at some, the vibe was very stereotypical Washington, DC - one literally mentioned where some of its (preschool) graduates went to college, people asking questions about special programs for their "advanced" children, etc., etc., eyeroll, eyeroll. I find Karasik to be very real and the focus to be on early childhood development and education. Parents are approachable, professional, and concerned about their children's learning and development, but they don't take themselves nearly as seriously as some in the area. The fact that the school specializes in helping kids with different abilities (as they say on their website, "integrating typically-developing children, children with developmental disabilities and children with chronic medical conditions") really contributes to the atmosphere of inclusion and appreciating all children for the strides they make in their development.

We plan to stay until my child goes to Kindergarten.