Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised that The River School was on this list. I've never heard of any child being rejected from that school. It has basement classrooms and it's exmissions are HORRIBLE.

exmissions at age 4?

Are you kidding me?

So they head off to community college instead of Brown?

Hi, Welcome to DC where the wrong playgroup or preschool can RUIN YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised that The River School was on this list. I've never heard of any child being rejected from that school. It has basement classrooms and it's exmissions are HORRIBLE.

exmissions at age 4?

Are you kidding me?

So they head off to community college instead of Brown?

Anonymous wrote:I think 23:18 is right on target. I am professional working with children and I have doctoral and masters level degrees. I am certainly not a McCain supporter and have high expectations for my children. However, I do strongly believe in a play based approach to early education. My child will be going to a play based preschool.

What's going on at home and parental expectations are much more important than schooling.

Ask your pediatrician where their kids go/went to preschool. You may be quite surprised.

Seriously, who gives a rat's ass?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Temple Sinai is a great school. Not sure why it doesn't get the press of Franklin & St Columba's. (Not saying it's as high-profile as NCRC & St John's.)

Never heard of it.

I have, and I'm not even Jewish.

Is this for real?

Georgetown Montessori!! Smaller school with dedicated teachers. 1 to 8 ratio, blend in music, art and about 1 hour of outside playground time.

for "best kept secret", I would also nominate Broad Branch Children's House in Chevy Chase: beautiful facility and devoted caring teachers. our daughter has really blossomed this year. we really beat ourselves up last year trying to decide where to send our 3YO and we are so glad to have gone with BBCH.

This is a great list would add St Paul's Nursery School, near P&P. One of the best kept secrets in Washington.

I don't know why certain people get so bent out of shape about this subject. Whenever anyone asks about top, elite, feeder, or prestigious nursery schools, there are always so many negative comments.

It's like asking what the top 10 colleges or med schools are. Most people will answer with the same 10-15 schools. Everyone seems to list the same ones so I don't understand why people attack them.

Thanks 20.04 for a quick laugh...

OP - chose the school that matches your philosophy. For me it is play-based, though I read somewhere some of the best and brightest have a Montessori start.

So glad I don't care if my kids get into a feeder program...happy and healthy is what I hope for most of all for my kids....

I think the grouchy 08:37 poster is right and i also think 20:04 is hilarious. pp, not so much.

I think 20:04 is being funny -- and succeeding IMHO. I think the PP needs to loosen up and realize sometimes it's helpful to see the humor in this rather than calling people sad and pathetic. I believe Judith Warner would likely be more observant than the PP is being.

I want someone to write an expose about you people. You need help. This is so sad and pathetic. Think I will send this link to Judith Warner.

The irrefutable, unequivocal top ten DC nursery schools (in order):

1. The school that accepts my child and we choose.
2. The school that accepts my child, we love but don't choose.
3. The school that accepts my child's best friend who we like.
4. The school that we really liked but wait listed my child.
5. The school to which we applied as an afterthought and accepted my child.
6. The school to which we applied as an afterthought but didn't accept my child.
7. The school that accepted my child but also accepted a ne're-do-well from my child's play group.
8. The school which was our original first choice but wait listed my child and we never got off the list.
9. The school around the corner which rejected my child and I have to watch kids go into every day.
10. The school of which we thought highly but accepted our neighbor and rejected my child.

Country Day School in McLean if you expand your search into Virginia.