When do you sign up and look for Preschools and Kindergarten? My aunt, who has no children, called me all concerned that I have not signed DD up for Kindergarten. (She's 2 1/2!!!) She was telling me about her friend who went down to register her DS up for school and it was full. I've never heard of such a thing with public school. I have never been concerned...

I am, however, not sure when I am supposed to start looking at preschools. I'm also not too concerned yet! LOL!

Am I missing something here?

By Karen55 on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 09:51 am:

Eve, it all depends on when you want Syd to start preschool. Some parents start their kids at age 3 in preschool, 2 or 3 days a week, it's usually a half day program. Others wait until age 4. You need to decide what you want to do first. I think that certainly by age 4, Syd would enjoy the interaction with the other kids and learning experiences of preschool, even if she just goes 2 or 3 days a week. It's important for you to check out different ones though. Find out what the teacher/student ratio is, if they are certified, what their program consists of, discipline procedures, illness procedures, what snacks consists of, check out the physical facility and the play areas outside, the qualifications of the teachers, accident/injury procedures, field trips, stuff like that. It can't hurt to start making phone calls and at least checking out places and eliminating those that aren't what you're looking for. Often, the *good* ones have a waiting list. Hope this gives you something to work with!

By Jackie on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 09:58 am:

Some people send their kids to preschool at 3 others at age 4. For me, I wait until age 4 to start preschool. My son went to preschool when he was 4 for 3 days a week 3 hrs a day. My daughter, who is 4, will start preschool in a few weeks. Previous to preschool, shes been in other things, ballet, gymnastics, and storytimes at the library. Ive always kept my kids busy and interested in other stuff.

By Jenn on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 09:58 am:

It all depends on you and Sydney. Chad will be 3 in Nov. and I wasn't going to have him start preschool this year, but when I signed Jessica up he wanted to stay. He kept telling me, "Leave mommy, leave." Here he has been home with me this whole time and now he wants me to leave. I am going to keep him home with me for Sept., so we can get mommy Chad time alone. After that if he still wants to go, I will be putting him in. The preschool I found does so much and the teacher is wonderful. There are a max. of 12 kids in the class with 1 teacher and 1 teacher aide. If you find a really good one for Sydney and she seems to really want to go, you could always do 1 time a week, so you can run around and get things done while she is there.

By Debbie on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 10:28 am:

Eve, it really depends on when you want to put Syd in school. I know were we live, they usually start registering for preschool in Feb. for the following school year. However, you can usually find spots open closer to when the school year starts. In fact, I am going today to sign up my youngest for this year. He is 3 and will be going just 2 mornings a week for 3 hours. He is such a social butterfly and loves playing with other kids. My oldest just started full day kindergarten this week, and he is very bored with just mommy. Also, it will give me time to help out in my oldest's kindergarten class.

Now, for regular public schools, you will have to check on when registration is. For Jordan, we went last April. However, you could register at any time up until school starts. We have a certain school that you attend depending on where you live. They can not turn anyone away. I do know that everywhere is different. Some places, I think, you have a choice. If you want private, then you would probably have to register early. Most good schools fill up fast. I think most schools have a set registration time.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 11:17 am:

For public schools, we sign up the second week in August. I don't think the public schools get "filled up". I figured if you were there, you had to have a place. If you want to send your kid to the school of your choice, rather than by neighborhood, then you have to fill out a form in January or February.

For preschool, we registered and signed up in February.

By Mommmie on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 11:21 am:

Our neighborhood public school fills up and turns kids away. They only allow 22 in a class (per TX law) for K-4th and when all the sections are full, that's it. The parents have to go find another nearby school that has room. It's quite common. The best way to get a spot is to register in the spring the year before. At the start of every school year there is always a newspaper article about the kids that are turned away in our suburban district. I'm surprised that parents wait until the first day of school to register their kids. There is a lot of publicity about school registration starting in the spring - school marquees, mailings, newspaper ads, kindergarten roundups, etc.

For preschool registration, it is in around Feb of the year before and most of the programs around here are full by the time summer comes. A few of the elite preschools and private schools want you to be on the wait list as soon as the baby is born, although with this bad economy there are a lot more openings than normal.

By Annie2 on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 03:02 pm:

I put my kids into preschool for one full day a week at age three and three am's a week when they were four. It gave me a break and also let the kids developed a routine which was not centered around me. They also learned to follow directions from another adult, follow the rules, crafts, lunch, nap, etc. Also to play with other kids which were not their siblings.
In turn they all transitioned to K extremely.
I didn't know public schools could turn kids away, either. Our K registration is in the middle of May, for that fall term.

By Mommyathome on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 05:22 pm:

For preschool in our area, we have to register the year before. Otherwise, it's full. I haven't ever heard of our public schools turning kids away because there isn't room.

By Bobbie on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 05:51 pm:

They pre register kindergarden in our district in the spring right before school lets out. Then about mid summer they have the screening and your child has to be able to complete simple tasks. But our district doesn't turn kids away either. They just shuffle kids until they find the room.

As for Preschool it all depends on the school. Some do it the year before the child is to start and others have a registration day and you go in and apply to enter. When I put my oldest DD into preschool I called the school told them I had a child I would like to see about inrolling for the year. They set up a time for a teacher to come into the home and give her a series of easy test. Then we went to a meet and greet at the school and DD started school two weeks later.

I opted not to send the youngest three. It was a personal choice that I made. And I don't regret it. But for oldest DD it was nice for her to be around the other children. Where we lived she was the only child in her age group so she didn't have mush socialization prior to preschool.

I think I would take a half hour or so and make some phone calls and find out what the policies are for the places you might wish for her to go.. It is better to know way in advance than to wait until the last second and wished you had looked into it earlier.

By Karen55 on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 06:42 pm:

Eve, before you make any decisions about it, be sure you are comfortable with the idea of Syd going, and be sure you check the facilities, etc. out thoroughly first.

By Bobbie on Friday, August 22, 2003 - 10:43 pm:

I agree with Karen. Like I said I opted not to send my youngest three. And to be honest they did just fine with out it. But they also had an older sib and several other activities that I envolved them in. Story time at the library and play time with friends etc..

By Jtw on Saturday, August 23, 2003 - 12:12 am:

Eve, I don't know the answer to your kindergarten question, because my dk's are 2 and 3, but I do know that some private schools that we have looked into will not let you register until one year before. I think it depends on the school.

As for pre-school, have you called your public school district? In MN we have what is called Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE). Basically it is like pre-school, except that you can start taking your kids when they are babies. You go once a week for 1 1/2 hours. You stay with your child for half the class, and then you go to a different room and have a parenting discussion. Once they turn three you have the option of doing a two day class, where you drop them off one day, and stay with them the other day. I started taking them last year, and they LOVE going. I wish I had decided to take them sooner. I know we are fortunate to have it because a lot of other states don't, but it is worth looking into.

As far as regular pre school, I think most start at 3, but many require the child to be potty trained - not an option for us right now since I have the most stubborn son ever!!

By Kaye on Saturday, August 23, 2003 - 08:58 am:

I have three kids, they all started preschool a bit different. One at 4, one at 2 and one at 3. With one of those I should have waited till he was four, it was a bad experince. But the registrations for preschool, no matter what the age, can start as early as feb. I would pay attention to friends, where they go etc, pick a place, then just go ask. For my middle kid, there was a certain school I wanted him in, based on location (never choose on that..lol), I stood in line four hours to secure him a spot! What happens is if you go as a 2 year old you take your space, there are 16 spots. Well they automatically get a spot for the three year old class, where there are 20 spots, and then again the next year where there are 24 spots. So if it is a good school that people come back to, it is tougher to get in. As for public kinder, we just registered my son in early august and he finished his first week. they did have something in may though. I would think filling up and turning away is not the norm in a public school. I also live in TX and here they just open up a new class.

By Conni on Saturday, August 23, 2003 - 06:28 pm:

Preschool is really a personal choice. How do you and your dh feel about it? Does your dd show any interest in going? Can you afford it? Does your state have a preschool program within the public school system. If so then it may be a requirement for her to go at 4 yrs?

Blake is 3 yrs and potty trained. I signed him up for a really neat church program 2 days a week. Why? Mostly because I want him to go so I can have time to do other things. (read: I am a selfish mommy) Dh agrees it is good for him to go. He loves playing with other kids, new toys, structured learning environment. It makes him feel really big to go. He is also bored when his big bro's are at school all day. All the good preschools here have waiting lists. So I did start looking into them when Blake was 2-1/2. Got his name on a list at the school we decided on. And they had room for him at the next enrollment time. However, 2 of my friends did not get their kids in. They were further down on the list. When he is 4 I can either enroll him 3 days a week or leave him in 2 days a week. I am not sure what we will do.

As for Kindergarten, I dont know about where you live, but here (Arkansas), we have to pre-register in May for the Fall. It is very important here to pre register. Because if the school closest to your house fills up, they will shuttle your child (or you have to drive them) across town to another school with an opening. I have never ran into this myself. But have overheard other parents who have. You have to realize also that we live in an area that is growing like crazy. We have sooo many people moving in here every yr!! They just completed a new high school and are talking about building a 2nd high school. It may not be this crazy where you live.

Hope this helps.

By Eve on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 10:04 am:

Thank you all for your words of wisdom! I still need to think on it a bit more. Syd is still young and going next Fall would be just fine too. Now, I have some calling around to do! (Sorry for posting so late!) Thanks again!

By Karen55 on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 10:13 am:

Eve - most importantly, once you've decided *when* you want Syd to start preschool, be SURE you are comfortable with the preschool you are sending her to. If you have any doubts about it or the people who work there, listen to your instincts. I think you are wise to start calling around now. Speak with different places and by all means, visit them, see the actual setup, meet the teachers/care givers, and see for yourself what their programs consist of, including their snack or meal programs and their outdoor areas for play.

By Truestori on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 02:15 pm:

Eve~ I think preschool is a great oppurtunity for Syd to get out and meet some friends. My daughter started at 2 and a few months and loved it! Definitly do your research. I have considered the parent co-op preschools, and actually have Brian on a waiting list for this year. These preschools are unique in the fact that the moms take turns helping in the class, etc.. and it just seems like a great way to get to know who is with your child and how they treat the kids. JMO You may want to ask other mommies in your area. You can find some great recommendations this way! Goodluck

By Trina on Wednesday, August 27, 2003 - 01:34 pm:

Sorry I'm late chiming in. I've been away.

Eve, in our area you don't need to sign her up for public Kindergarten until Spring of the previous school year. So, when Sydney turns 5 in March call the school and find out when they start doing screenings. Private K might be a whole different story.

If you decide to send her to preschool at 3 (next fall), I would start calling and learning about the preschools in your area now. I was VERY happy with the one DS and DD attended but it would be a little drive for you. I can also tell you one to avoid in my town. Ask around and chat with moms about their experiences with area preschools. Visit and ask lots of questions. Get a feel for their philosophy and the atmosphere. Do they require potty training? BIG issue IMHO, just because I've BTDT. The preschool Ty & B attended did not require potty training and were very flexible regarding that issue. People have many different opinions concerning preschool but I personally think, as long as the child is happy, it's a great way to slowly transition into the big elementary school. Both my kids loved preschool and did well. As an added bonus, I enjoyed the break a few mornings a week!