Starting full day preK vs waiting

[Anonymous]

I have some reservations about enrolling my daughter in a full time pre K program, it just seems like ALOT. I was planning to do DCPS or a charter school, but they all seem to be full time and I'm not sure we will be ready for that ( she would be slated to start school in Sept 2010, at the age of 3 1/2).

I am wondering if anyone can offer insight as to what the pros/cons are if they have been in a situation to choose full day vs part day. ( I do not need childcare otherwise, so that is not an issue)

My other concern is that it seems that there is a lot of competition for these slots, so if I don't put her in for pre-K, will it be virtually impossible to get her into a decent school?

Thanks for your help!

[Anonymous]

The deadline for turning four for pre-k is September 30, so it sounds like your child won't be old enough at 3 and a half.

[Anonymous]

If she is old enough to go, ask specifically about the daily schedule for preK. In our DCPS pre-K all kids took an afternoon nap or rest period on cots/mats the parents provided at the beginning of the year. Some kids were still napping, others not. The non-nappers were required to stay on their mat or sit at a particular table and do quiet activities.

Frankly, the afternoon consisted of mainly recess, nap, post-nap coloring activity while other kids were waking up and maybe a story read by the teacher. Not much learning went on in the afternoon.

Although it was "full-day," it really wasn't a demanding curriculum overall, and I don't think the afternoon placed much additional stress on kids.

[Anonymous]

Good for you for thinking early OP! Researching options at your own pace - visiting schools, meeting parents, etc. - will help ensure you have options when the time comes. Yes, there is competition for popular DCPS and charters, but it's completely a numbers/lottery game. Unlike privates, you don't need to put in any effort beyond filling out the applications which are very short.

The "full day" programs all include rest/nap time, so it's not as much as it looks like. At 3+, your DC will likely enjoy having the extra play time with peers. Plus it could be tricky to find other kids her age that are not in full-time.

In hindsight, I totally regret not going full-day at 3. And I wish I'd started a little earlier in search because there were more options than I thought. I sort of panicked at last minute and applied to something like 6 schools.

Try not to worry too much. You have time to sort something out that feels right.

[Anonymous]

Does your post ever ring a familiar bell! I was in exactly your shoes thinking exactly those thoughts...

FYI, there are a handful of schools that offer Pre-K3 (pre-school), but it's Pre-K4 that is much more common (it's also much more important if you want to get a spot in a good charter school). You have to look carefully for the schools that offer Pre-K3 (pre-school) because they're much harder to find (and to get into).

I, too, thought that a full day looked really long for such a young child and was initially pretty nervous about putting DD in such a program, but she LOVES it. I can't believe how much I would have regretted it if we hadn't taken the plunge - she was SO ready and absolutely adores going to school. The day has a certain amount of academic content (pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills), but it's mostly hands-on manipulatives for playing and fine-motor skills, going to the playground, circle time, eating, social skills, nap. My DD's school does a lot of field trips and has a new little garden. It's all wonderful pre-academic content and excellent early childhood development opportunities.

My advice to you would be to compile a list of the Pre-K3 programs you have at least some marginal interest in and plan to visit them, starting next fall. Put in applications to every program you like because the competition, sorry to say, is pretty fierce - there aren't enough to go around. Once you get around to applying for Pre-K (4) and/or K slots, you'll find it a lot easier if you have a school full of resources and other families in the same boat to help you navigate the process.

If I were to give you a starter list, I'd say check out: Appletree (all 3 campuses), Bridges, LAMB, and Two Rivers. You can read more about them in the school chooser document here.

Good luck and good for you for planning ahead.