Typical day of Pre-K at a JKLM

[Anonymous]

Hi!

Our DC is in a great half-day preschool but I’m wondering what a typical day is like at a JKLM elementary. We are inbounds for one so have a decent shot at getting in.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Why not go to an open house and see for yourself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi!

Our DC is in a great half-day preschool but I’m wondering what a typical day is like at a JKLM elementary. We are inbounds for one so have a decent shot at getting in.

Thanks!

Not unless you have an older sibling already at the school, or entering K-5

[Anonymous]

It varies a lot. Murch and Mann do reggio emilia, others do not.

[Anonymous]

Reading for the first hour, Mandarin for the second, a short recess followed by beginning algebra for the third hour. Two days a week, the kids to do problems to practice for eventually taking the SAT. It's fantastic!

[Anonymous]

Recommendation - Go take a tour (if you still can). Put your child in the lottery and decide when you get in.

If you are IB for Janney, you will probably NOT get in without an older sibling.

There are many families who have the financial means who keep their child in a 1/2 day preschool that they love. Your child will not be at a disadvantage entering K.

It is not as if all friendship circles are established the 1st week of PreK and your child will always be an outsider.

My child entered K from a play based preschool that focused on social emotional and pre-literacy. (He could write his name).

The only reason I would say absolutely select one over the other is if you think your child might have some learning disability. I think (in general) public schools have more tools to identify and support these needs.

[Anonymous]

Morning meeting, centers, recess, lunch, a special, recess, centers, closing circle.

It's mostly play and getting used to school routines.

We are a Janney family, my older stated in K (didn't get a prek spot) and my younger started in PreK.

[Anonymous]

Oh, I forgot Quiet time in the afternoon. Some kids sleep, some don't. More sleepers in the fall than in the spring.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the helpful replies! The sarcastic ones also made me laugh . Great reminder to also go to the open house. Yeah I was surprised just asking DC if we don’t get into PreK if DC wanted to have lunch at preschool or go home and DC said home. So made me think PreK in the same place wouldn’t be as pricey as I originally thought if we didn’t get into PreK and if we had to do it may even be a preference for DC to have a shorter day

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the helpful replies! The sarcastic ones also made me laugh . Great reminder to also go to the open house. Yeah I was surprised just asking DC if we don’t get into PreK if DC wanted to have lunch at preschool or go home and DC said home. So made me think PreK in the same place wouldn’t be as pricey as I originally thought if we didn’t get into PreK and if we had to do it may even be a preference for DC to have a shorter day

But if you do go the public PreK route, don’t worry too much about this. Kids adjust to the schedule just fine, plus there’s many months between now any then anyways. They don’t have a break for nap/rest/listen quietly to a story depending on where your child was. We did 1/2 day preschool thru K for DC #1 then did public Prek (JKLM) for DC #2 and both were totally fine and each had their definite ‘pros’. For PreK in the public school, the pros were definitely free, full day (those two were also for me), and knowing the school/routine/etc for KG transition (for DC), and knowing neighborhood friends (for both of us). Either choice is fine but if you get the spot in PreK, I would not hesitate to take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the helpful replies! The sarcastic ones also made me laugh . Great reminder to also go to the open house. Yeah I was surprised just asking DC if we don’t get into PreK if DC wanted to have lunch at preschool or go home and DC said home. So made me think PreK in the same place wouldn’t be as pricey as I originally thought if we didn’t get into PreK and if we had to do it may even be a preference for DC to have a shorter day

But if you do go the public PreK route, don’t worry too much about this. Kids adjust to the schedule just fine, plus there’s many months between now any then anyways. They don’t have a break for nap/rest/listen quietly to a story depending on where your child was. We did 1/2 day preschool thru K for DC #1 then did public Prek (JKLM) for DC #2 and both were totally fine and each had their definite ‘pros’. For PreK in the public school, the pros were definitely free, full day (those two were also for me), and knowing the school/routine/etc for KG transition (for DC), and knowing neighborhood friends (for both of us). Either choice is fine but if you get the spot in PreK, I would not hesitate to take it.

*definitely do — not don’t (have a break in the afternoon for rest )

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for the helpful replies! The sarcastic ones also made me laugh . Great reminder to also go to the open house. Yeah I was surprised just asking DC if we don’t get into PreK if DC wanted to have lunch at preschool or go home and DC said home. So made me think PreK in the same place wouldn’t be as pricey as I originally thought if we didn’t get into PreK and if we had to do it may even be a preference for DC to have a shorter day

But if you do go the public PreK route, don’t worry too much about this. Kids adjust to the schedule just fine, plus there’s many months between now any then anyways. They don’t have a break for nap/rest/listen quietly to a story depending on where your child was. We did 1/2 day preschool thru K for DC #1 then did public Prek (JKLM) for DC #2 and both were totally fine and each had their definite ‘pros’. For PreK in the public school, the pros were definitely free, full day (those two were also for me), and knowing the school/routine/etc for KG transition (for DC), and knowing neighborhood friends (for both of us). Either choice is fine but if you get the spot in PreK, I would not hesitate to take it.

*definitely do — not don’t (have a break in the afternoon for rest )

OP here - thanks for this! I do hope we get in, but it’s nice to know if we don’t then we won’t have to do all the afternoon programs to match the hours which is quite a bit less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Morning meeting, centers, recess, lunch, a special, recess, centers, closing circle.

It's mostly play and getting used to school routines.

We are a Janney family, my older stated in K (didn't get a prek spot) and my younger started in PreK.

Is it pretty similar for K? Specifically recess twice? I know no nap in K. And FWIW, we took a tour, but i forget the answer to this one!!

[Anonymous]

Probably he same as a typical day at most schools in the city. Do you really think JKLM do pk4 that differently than any other school or are you intentionally trying to show posters that you’re IB for a JKLM? Why not mention the actual school if you want real feedback?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Probably he same as a typical day at most schools in the city. Do you really think JKLM do pk4 that differently than any other school or are you intentionally trying to show posters that you’re IB for a JKLM? Why not mention the actual school if you want real feedback?

NP. We are IB for a JKLM but did PK at a Title 1 school. They had the Tools of the Mind curriculum and focused a lot on academics (although ToM is ostensibly play based). I don't know this for sure, but from what I've heard WOTP schools do less academics in PK, as they serve such different demographics. So it seems legitimate to ask with reference to that group of schools.