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Private K for one year - does it make sense?
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Anonymous
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I am starting to get paranoid about the half-day (i.e., 3 hour) kindergarden program our local school has. DC is currently in a full-day daycare that will end by K, and we are happy with our public schools and plan to go there. My question is - does it make sense to put the child into a private kindergarden program for one year? Would it be too disruptive? Is it a problem for admissions into those schools? We are in Fairfax County and are concerned about the ability to get into afterschool care (long wait list).
Also, if anyone has recommendations for the private K options in McLean/Falls Church/Tysons area, they would be much appreciated. |
Anonymous
| If that's your plan I would NOT tell the admissions folks at the private school. Why are you nervous about the three-hour K program? |
Anonymous
| OP here. I am nervous that we won't get into SACC because we hear that there are long wait lists and many people don't get in at all. We both work full time, so will have to arrange for some other type of care but not really interested in paying a full-time nanny. That's why I am soliciting input on private K. |
Anonymous
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Appletree II in Vienna has a full day K program that can go until 3:00 or 6:00. Good luck.
http://appletreeii.com/ |
Anonymous
| I'm not sure I'd bother with private schools. Once you start, you will hate to leave because you and your child will have friends there and it will be a harder transition, versus your child making neighborhood friends and becoming used to the local public school. For the same money, you could get an afternoon sitter/au pair/nanny plus some enrichment classes. Maybe you could talk to a neighbor with a similar-aged child and see about splitting an afternoon sitter. |
Anonymous
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I feel your pain! My DD is in pre-k plus aftercare now and she has been in some sort of preschool from 9-3 for a few years. The idea of taking her from a full day program to a half day for a year is just strange to me. I have an au pair that does before and after care for my older child, so childcare is not an issue. I just think she'll be bored all afternoon (or morning if she gets an afternoon class). I'd rather just keep her in a full day of school like she is now.
Are they getting rid of full day for sure???? (our school has full day now) |
Anonymous
| OP, hiring a nanny to pick your child up from school and stay until 6 or 7 will cost the same as private school, with no transition for 1st grade. |
Anonymous
This is OP. Our school never had full day K, but I heard that only some of the schools in Ffx County that currently have full day will be affected by the budget cuts. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts, very helpful. I think I'll bag the private school idea and look for a nanny. |
Anonymous
Right now the proposal is for all schools except Title I schools to go back to half day K. Of about 100 schools with full day K, it would drop to about 30 schools. http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2011/possiblecuts1119.pdf |
Anonymous
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Hi OP. I would recommend you consider the differences between public and private K that go beyond the hours of the school day. For example, my son's private K scheduled outdoor recess 3 to 4 times a day, plus PE twice a week, plus a LOT of art, music, movement, introduction to foreign language, etc. His class had 16 kids with two full time teachers. The school allowed parents to coop during K, which allowed me to be in his classroom once a month ... a lovely way to understand what was being taught and how, plus get to know his little friends, etc. And the transition from private K to public first grade is not uncommon and thus fairly easy for both you and your child.
You might take a look at Green Hedges in Vienna and I think Langley and Congressional are in your neighborhood. Also Potomac School is outstanding. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| OP - It would help to post your public school so that people can give recs for privates where a lot of kids go to that public school. There are several smaller schools in your area that end at K or 1st/2nd grade that might be a good fit. |
Anonymous
This is OP. We are in the Haycock/Longfellow/McLean pyramid. |
Anonymous
Does anyone have the list of which schools will be affected? This is discerning to me. I know they're keeping full-day kindergarten in areas of 'at risk' kids; which I don't think is fair for all the tax payers. In addition, that is also why certain schools in areas like McLean/Oakton never got a chance to experience full-day kindergarten since I think they implemented it based on income in areas. |
Anonymous
| We live in Fairfax and had the same dilemma because the SACC waiting list was too long. We sent our son to Congressional for Senior Kindergarten. He is now at the local public school and it has worked out well. He would have been bored to tears in a half day K program and loved his year at Congressional. And it was in fact cheaper than a nanny -- which is hard to find for one year, part time. The transition was not that big of a deal. Plus, he had exposure to a foreign language, which is sorely lacking in Fairfax. I would recommend considering all options, look into other programs before you decide for sure. |
Anonymous
Thanks, pp, for this very helpful post. I'll add Congressional to my list. - OP |