^^ Will do!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Done it - it is stressful.

Question for you - is free PreK worth the time to drove from WOTP to NE?

Unfortunately, from every other preschool I've looked into, including many here listed as affordable privates, free PreK is the only way my kid is going to preschool. We moved here from out of state where preschool costs aren't anywhere what they are here. So I'll look into the cost of before care for my oldest and see if that's an option at all.

Beforecare and Aftercare sell out and have a waitlist at Stoddert. Families currently in those programs get to register first. Some families will leave (kids ages out or they no longer need it) but the chances are you won't get a beforecare spot...at least not right away. But if you do, I think beforecare at Stoddert is great. Have you considered the co-op at either Guy Mason or Volta? Those are good PreK-type options that are inexpensive which many Stoddert families take advantage of.

Yes - we're on the WLs at both of those coops. Not sure if those lists move at all though?

if any of the families who signed up for Guy Mason or Volta did get a spot at Stoddert for PreK, they'll be giving up their spot at the DPR co-op. If I were you, I'd stay on top of those two (call, stop by) to make sure that they are going to work their waitlist.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Done it - it is stressful.

Question for you - is free PreK worth the time to drove from WOTP to NE?

Unfortunately, from every other preschool I've looked into, including many here listed as affordable privates, free PreK is the only way my kid is going to preschool. We moved here from out of state where preschool costs aren't anywhere what they are here. So I'll look into the cost of before care for my oldest and see if that's an option at all.

Did you look into Washington Hebrews preschool? It's pretty affordable and a short drive from stoddert. It starts at 9 am and also offers before care. It's a very nice school.

+1 We didn't end up attending because we got a spot at Stoddert they year we considered it, but we did the tour and everything and it seemed like a fantastic place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Done it - it is stressful.

Question for you - is free PreK worth the time to drove from WOTP to NE?

Unfortunately, from every other preschool I've looked into, including many here listed as affordable privates, free PreK is the only way my kid is going to preschool. We moved here from out of state where preschool costs aren't anywhere what they are here. So I'll look into the cost of before care for my oldest and see if that's an option at all.

Did you look into Washington Hebrews preschool? It's pretty affordable and a short drive from stoddert. It starts at 9 am and also offers before care. It's a very nice school.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe your NE options have before care? Then you'd just drop off your younger one first and then drop off your older one.

Btw, check when you can drop off at Stoddert. At my IB school, you can drop off starting at 8 AM, and that does not count as beforecare -- the kids just wait in the cafeteria and eat breakfast before going to class at 8:45. Before care is if you need to drop off between 7 and 8 AM.

Thanks! This is really helpful. I did see that they offer breakfast at 8am but I wasn't sure what they would do between breakfast and the school start time. We definitely would be able to get to a second school if I dropoff at 8.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Done it - it is stressful.

Question for you - is free PreK worth the time to drove from WOTP to NE?

Unfortunately, from every other preschool I've looked into, including many here listed as affordable privates, free PreK is the only way my kid is going to preschool. We moved here from out of state where preschool costs aren't anywhere what they are here. So I'll look into the cost of before care for my oldest and see if that's an option at all.

Beforecare and Aftercare sell out and have a waitlist at Stoddert. Families currently in those programs get to register first. Some families will leave (kids ages out or they no longer need it) but the chances are you won't get a beforecare spot...at least not right away. But if you do, I think beforecare at Stoddert is great. Have you considered the co-op at either Guy Mason or Volta? Those are good PreK-type options that are inexpensive which many Stoddert families take advantage of.

Yes - we're on the WLs at both of those coops. Not sure if those lists move at all though?

Anonymous wrote:OP, your child does not need school at 4. Yes, you may want him/her to go and think it will benefit him/her, but your "homeschooling" comment was weird. Hell, kids don't even really need academics at 5, as kindergarten is more about learning to socialize. The pre-K stuff in this city is meant mostly to benefit lower-income families who would be incredibly burdened by paying for daycare for those years. I get it, I'm sending my 3 year old to school, but if we didn't get in anywhere I wouldn't be "homeschooling. That's weird.

Our 4yo has been in preschool for two years already now and absolutely loves it which is why I'm trying hard to find an option that will work for schedules and budgets. I know we will still do some sort of homeschool/playgroup schedule if we can't find a formal school for her to go to. And even though I have a fairly flexible work schedule, homeschooling isn't ideal. This is mostly to satisfy our 4yo's desire to do "school" and spend the day with peers just like the older sibling. But she also needs to get prepped for K. I've seen with my oldest how intense K curriculum is now and it goes far beyond socialization. Whether that's necessary or not, it's required now in public schools. So I do want the 4yo to go in knowing the basics and having some confidence in her skills. I'm not sure what's weird about that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Done it - it is stressful.

Question for you - is free PreK worth the time to drove from WOTP to NE?

Unfortunately, from every other preschool I've looked into, including many here listed as affordable privates, free PreK is the only way my kid is going to preschool. We moved here from out of state where preschool costs aren't anywhere what they are here. So I'll look into the cost of before care for my oldest and see if that's an option at all.

Beforecare and Aftercare sell out and have a waitlist at Stoddert. Families currently in those programs get to register first. Some families will leave (kids ages out or they no longer need it) but the chances are you won't get a beforecare spot...at least not right away. But if you do, I think beforecare at Stoddert is great. Have you considered the co-op at either Guy Mason or Volta? Those are good PreK-type options that are inexpensive which many Stoddert families take advantage of.

Anonymous wrote:OP, your child does not need school at 4. Yes, you may want him/her to go and think it will benefit him/her, but your "homeschooling" comment was weird. Hell, kids don't even really need academics at 5, as kindergarten is more about learning to socialize. The pre-K stuff in this city is meant mostly to benefit lower-income families who would be incredibly burdened by paying for daycare for those years. I get it, I'm sending my 3 year old to school, but if we didn't get in anywhere I wouldn't be "homeschooling. That's weird.

Actually it is to help disadvantaged children try to catch up/keep pace with their higher SES developmentally and academically, less about affordable day care.

It's worth reading about the 30 million word gap study http://www.npr.org/2013/12/29/257922222/closing-the-word-gap-between-rich-and-poor

It is possible but brutal depending where the NE school is and start time. Many charters start earlier than DCPS which is usually 8:45. We did it for two years, dropping one of at LAMB South Dakota for an 8 am start time and then making a mad dash across town to Oyster-Adams start time at 8:45. I left at 7:20/7:30 and did not get back home to Columbia Heights until almost 9:30. On the days I worked and had to be at work for 7 am, we were fortunate to have someone that would come to the house at 6:30 and feed kids breakfast and then take the kids. Thankfully now they are still at different schools but can take the bus, metro,bike or walk.

OP, your child does not need school at 4. Yes, you may want him/her to go and think it will benefit him/her, but your "homeschooling" comment was weird. Hell, kids don't even really need academics at 5, as kindergarten is more about learning to socialize. The pre-K stuff in this city is meant mostly to benefit lower-income families who would be incredibly burdened by paying for daycare for those years. I get it, I'm sending my 3 year old to school, but if we didn't get in anywhere I wouldn't be "homeschooling. That's weird.

Maybe your NE options have before care? Then you'd just drop off your younger one first and then drop off your older one.

Btw, check when you can drop off at Stoddert. At my IB school, you can drop off starting at 8 AM, and that does not count as beforecare -- the kids just wait in the cafeteria and eat breakfast before going to class at 8:45. Before care is if you need to drop off between 7 and 8 AM.