Anonymous wrote:Are you saying there are private schools that didn’t close in the spring? I know you are not in VA but here they were ordered to close. It was not a suggestion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DD who will be starting kindergarten as a young 5 this fall. We made the decision, with her teachers' advice, to send her on time way back in January. Her teachers strongly recommended not doing another year of preK even though she's the youngest (tall for her age, smart, well spoke, pretty mature). Her current preschool is also a private elementary school, but we'd decided to send her to public so she could start her core group of local/neighborhood friends. We were content with that decision, no second thoughts at all.

Then Coronavirus hits ... we are no longer in DC, but some of the recommendations that have been leaked for our state about what public school could look like this fall are really disheartening. Particularly troublesome for us is that we both work full time and do not have jobs that would effectively allow us to homeschool a kindergartner assuming they do partial virtual learning. Nor do I want to or think I'd be any good at it. Each district can make their own decision on what they want to do after the state issues guidelines/recommendations, meaning this school is on their own to do what they wish. They've made it clear that they would do everything in their power to do full time in person learning. DD is currently enrolled in both public and private kindergarten for the fall at the moment.

We are back to having 3 choices, now with the Corona virus factor:

- Send her to public, knowing it is highly likely to have some alternate schedule or shut down in the winter for the "second wave".
- Send her to private kindergarten, knowing it would be the most consistent situation (and superior education), but is $$$$ and we would pull her out to go to public for 1st grade, meaning she'd be the "new kid" next year in her grade
- Send her to an additional year of private preK, also $$$, but then she could start in public kindergarten with her peers next year

Thoughts??

I am sure private would have to follow same guidelines as public. This is a public health emergency not education policy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a DD who will be starting kindergarten as a young 5 this fall. We made the decision, with her teachers' advice, to send her on time way back in January. Her teachers strongly recommended not doing another year of preK even though she's the youngest (tall for her age, smart, well spoke, pretty mature). Her current preschool is also a private elementary school, but we'd decided to send her to public so she could start her core group of local/neighborhood friends. We were content with that decision, no second thoughts at all.

Then Coronavirus hits ... we are no longer in DC, but some of the recommendations that have been leaked for our state about what public school could look like this fall are really disheartening. Particularly troublesome for us is that we both work full time and do not have jobs that would effectively allow us to homeschool a kindergartner assuming they do partial virtual learning. Nor do I want to or think I'd be any good at it. Each district can make their own decision on what they want to do after the state issues guidelines/recommendations, meaning this school is on their own to do what they wish. They've made it clear that they would do everything in their power to do full time in person learning. DD is currently enrolled in both public and private kindergarten for the fall at the moment.

We are back to having 3 choices, now with the Corona virus factor:

- Send her to public, knowing it is highly likely to have some alternate schedule or shut down in the winter for the "second wave".
- Send her to private kindergarten, knowing it would be the most consistent situation (and superior education), but is $$$$ and we would pull her out to go to public for 1st grade, meaning she'd be the "new kid" next year in her grade
- Send her to an additional year of private preK, also $$$, but then she could start in public kindergarten with her peers next year

Thoughts??

I am sure private would have to follow same guidelines as public. This is a public health emergency not education policy.

Anonymous wrote:I have a DD who will be starting kindergarten as a young 5 this fall. We made the decision, with her teachers' advice, to send her on time way back in January. Her teachers strongly recommended not doing another year of preK even though she's the youngest (tall for her age, smart, well spoke, pretty mature). Her current preschool is also a private elementary school, but we'd decided to send her to public so she could start her core group of local/neighborhood friends. We were content with that decision, no second thoughts at all.

Then Coronavirus hits ... we are no longer in DC, but some of the recommendations that have been leaked for our state about what public school could look like this fall are really disheartening. Particularly troublesome for us is that we both work full time and do not have jobs that would effectively allow us to homeschool a kindergartner assuming they do partial virtual learning. Nor do I want to or think I'd be any good at it. Each district can make their own decision on what they want to do after the state issues guidelines/recommendations, meaning this school is on their own to do what they wish. They've made it clear that they would do everything in their power to do full time in person learning. DD is currently enrolled in both public and private kindergarten for the fall at the moment.

We are back to having 3 choices, now with the Corona virus factor:

- Send her to public, knowing it is highly likely to have some alternate schedule or shut down in the winter for the "second wave".
- Send her to private kindergarten, knowing it would be the most consistent situation (and superior education), but is $$$$ and we would pull her out to go to public for 1st grade, meaning she'd be the "new kid" next year in her grade
- Send her to an additional year of private preK, also $$$, but then she could start in public kindergarten with her peers next year

Thoughts??

Anonymous wrote:OP here... for those saying to send her to public... how do you suggest I handle virtual learning when I have a job (plus DH) that makes it not particularly feasible?

Anonymous wrote:Do what you feel makes the most sense for your family and your daughter's mental, social and emotional well being THIS year. Don't worry about what will happen next year (being the new kid, etc) or down the road. Just focus on immediate.

If you can afford another year of private, stick with that as you think they will still be open. You really need the child care. Having her in a small private school class that meets in person will be much better than having her do whatever public schools are going to work out for K next year.

who are her friends? Does she gravitate toward kids older than her or kids younger? I'd use that to decide whether preK again or K.

Anonymous wrote:OP, can you pay to just hold her spot at the private K for next year and then make the decision about whether to send her to public when it's closer to the fall? Then you'd just be out your deposit if public opens up.

Anonymous wrote:Private PreK even if there was no virus. That is what I did. The extra year is helpful in high school for making college decisions. Also, kindergarten is the old first grade.