Input on Paint Branch Montessori, College Park Nursery School and Greenwood School?

[snoreen]

Hello Everyone!

I am new to this forum and am still trying to figure out how to navigate so please forgive me if these schools have already been discussed! We will be moving to the area sometime this summer from Madison, WI so I have started looking into preschools for our DD. Does anyone have any experience with these schools and wouldn't mind sharing them with me? Also, how soon should I be applying? In Madison you applied to daycare/preschool at least a year in advance. . .am I to late? Thanks in advance!!

Sarah

[Anonymous]

We toured Paint Branch. Very nice teachers and we love the Montessori curriculum, but didn't care for the space. Seemed old and dated with a crummy playground - especially for the price.

We also toured Greenwood and LOVED it. We applied too late last year, but are on the waitlist for next year - and plan to send our DC in the fall.

Don't know about CP Nursery. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thanks! We haven't toured either place because we're still in WI. Don't know if I should just apply and see what happens? The $100 app fee is a little off putting for Pain Branch Montessori, especially if we end up not liking it. Looks like Greenwood's application doesn't come out until the end of Feb.

[Anonymous]

PP here - FWIW - We toured at the end of the summer and they still had 2 openings in their 3yo class for fall.

The advantages of PB (to me) were if you were devoted to Montessori and needed to find a school in that general area (I am not sure if there were others.) Or if you wanted your child to stay in the same school for a long period of time (I think they go up to 6th grade - but VERY small mixed grade classrooms.)

really I couldn't get past the physical structure. It is housed in back of the Unitarian Church in one of their buildings and the playground was very old and wooden in the midst of the woods (all I could think was..ticks!!)

I am sure my kids would have been happy there - and we think they would have gotten a great education - but it really wasn't worth the $$ to me.

Greenwood in located in the ground floor of an office building and from outside the door looks very un-kid friendly. But each class has it's own good sized classroom, they focus a lot on the arts, an awesome playground, and I know several people who have their kids there and really like it. I think it is also more diverse than PB. Also, if either parent is a federal employee or contractor, you get priority.

I just looked at CP Nursery and the reason we didn't choose there was b/c it isn't full day and we can't co-op.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

PP here again - we toured PB at the end of summer....

Greenwood was full by end of summer and they haven't had any spots open this year (we're still on the wait list.)

[Anonymous]

May I ask...what is the cost and the hours for Paint Branch Montessori? I couldn't find the information on their website. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Here is the list from a couple of years ago. Keep in mind this is for 9 months.
http://pbmontessori.com/admissions/application1.pdf