Anonymous wrote:There are definitely kindergarten spots available for non-SI families. It's an amazing place. The educational resources that they have readily available to them make them unlike any other place.

+1

There are definitely kindergarten spots available for non-SI families. It's an amazing place. The educational resources that they have readily available to them make them unlike any other place.

I'm the OP and should have responded sooner. I'm surprised that they are not returning phone calls. I would definitely try again - they are super friendly. In response to the other poster, the kindergarten is open to everyone, including the general public. Because Smithsonian families already have had kids in the school for up to 5 years, many send their kids to public kindergarten (for $$ reasons and also especially in DC where you need to accept a charter school lottery spot if offered) - opening up spots for non-SI families. Likewise, those who are going the private school route long-term often have to accept a kindergarten spot if offered, as it is harder to get into certain privates after that - so that can pull SI families out too. The upshot is that this is a really unique opportunity for kids to spend their kindergarten year with amazing teachers at the Museum of Natural History.

How do you actually get a spot there? Or should I ask if there is any point in non-Feds/Smithsonian parents applying?

If only they would return phone callss

For those looking for an unusual kindergarten opportunity:

The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (SEEC) is holding a Kindergarten Open House on Wednesday, January 14, 2015, from 3:30 to 5pm. The Kindergarten classroom is at the Museum of Natural History. You should enter through the Constitution Avenue entrance and ask the security guards where to go. SEEC's website is www.seec.si.edu. You can contact Meredith McMahon, the deputy director, with questions about Kindergarten (or the younger classes, as well). She can be reached at mcmahonm@si.edu or 202.633.1399.

For those not familiar with it, SEEC is an early childhood center housed at the Smithsonian Institution. The mission of the SEEC is two-fold: to provide a high-quality educational program for young children, and to advance educational opportunities for all children by sharing SEEC’s expertise on a national level, thereby furthering the education mandate of the Smithsonian Institution. SEEC provides early learning care for children from infants through Kindergarten. While most of the early years are filled only with the children of Smithsonian employees, the later years (and especially Kindergarten) often has spots for non-Smithsonian families.

My daughter currently is enrolled in SEEC's Kindergarten, and she is thriving there, so I wanted to pass on this information in case SEEC might work for one of your families.