Looking into preschools

Hi All,

My boys are only 6mo, but I've had a number of people tell me that I need to start looking into preschool and getting on waiting lists now :huh: . They are so young, it practically makes my head spin to think about this. I know it's different depending on where you live (we're in the bay area, so perhaps it's more "competitive" here). Just curious to get your perspectives on this, and if you did start this early how did you go about it?

TIA!

 

I never thought about preschool until I was ready to send them. But my area also has a lot of preschools or I guess enough so there are no waiting lists (so either we don't have enough kids or we have a lot of preschools). The preschool that the girls are going to now actually took some people after the school year started because they weren't full yet. But if your area has waiting lists I would start looking then so it there is a school you want you can see if they have a waiting list and be put on it. The way I found our school was a sign that the school had (Actually it's a church), we drove by it everyday and saw the sign and decided to check it out. When we went to the school and looked around and talked to the one lady there we decided that we liked the school and that's where we wanted to send them. We also talked to other people who had school aged children about preschools their kids went to, we looked in the phone book, we also looked in our towns flier that comes out weekly to see what was in there (but that would be when it's closer to the school year or around when sign ups are).

 

Since you are from a big city market, I would probably talk to some people and find out a good preschool to get your name on the wait list. Most application fees (although non refundable...are minimal). Can't hurt to have the option to go. You can make your final decision later.

In my area (burb of Pittsburgh), there's one preschool nearby which has a "wait list since birth" thing. It's located at Seton Hill University. They have a 5 day/week (2.5hr)3 and 4 year old preschool and full day Kindergarten. It's the only accredited NAEYC program in our area which apparently indicates excellence in an early childhood program. The program is wonderful.

Even though my friends encouraged me to apply at birth (even when pregnant!!), I did not apply until they were 2yrs. I just wasn't sure if we would still be in the area. Consequently, my boys did not make the 3yr old preschool yet are still on the wait for the 4yr class next year. I shopped around in January of this year and made a couple scheduled in school visits with the boys. I'm very happy with the one that I found and they will start this fall. So there are always other good ones out there.

 

I called preschools the Aug. before my DD was to start the next year. So I called in Aug. 2003 and she started Sept. 2004 and I was put on waiting lists. Around here they register in Jan./Feb. and you really can't wait until then to choose one. On one waiting list I was #23, for the following year, I was shocked. I don't know how early places start waiting lists. Personally I wouldn't call any place until the year before they were going to start. I figure for the twins they will start in Sept. 2009, so I start calling Aug. 2008.

 

As a former preschool teacher, I say to start looking now. Especially in your area, there will be waiting lists for many of the good schools. My oldest is #64 for the fall(he has been on the list for 6 months) and my twins are on that same for September 2009. It is on a junior college campus and is a very good school.
Good Luck
Cari

 

I filled out paperwork to send them this coming year. Up here they can go at 3. BUT I backed out. I don't want to send them until they are 4.

 

We used to live in SF, and I have heard that you do need to get them on a list very early. We have friends (their twins turned 3 in Dec) in the Sunset District that found a preschool that they really like. They talked to this preschool last summer and were told that they basically had no chance of getting their kids in. They were told that they should have been put on the waiting list when the kids were born. They did get a spot in a co-op preschool that they were able to start in right away. I think that there are many preschools that have big waiting lists, but there are others that are more reasonable.

We now live in San Jose, and most of the preschools do not have waiting lists, but start accepting applications on a set day and it is first come first serve or done by a lottery system. I am very happy on how it is done in San Jose. However, it has not always been this way in San Jose (my parents had my sister on a waiting list before she was born). I was stressed about preschool when we were in SF, but I knew that we were going to move from SF before the boys started preschool.

Good luck!

 

Mine are already on some waiting lists, that way when the time comes I have choices.

 

Should I start looking in MA even though my twins are just going to be 2 in July. I will send them to preschool, this time next year...or next September, rather...

 

Also, what if they get picked up through the school system at 3 years for FREE preschool through EI type thing. I could always take my name off a list, right?