Thoughts on DC situation **long**

Mustardseed2007

Sorry this is long. I'm driving myself crazy and I need to stop. So part of this is  me getting this out there, but mostly I'd love to hear what you ladies think of our school choices and what path we should take.

My sister currently watches DS, who is 19 months. We've been wanting to start him around this age at a day care program just to give him more structure than he currently receives. We found two schools we really liked, but the waitlist at school 2 was very very long. We put DS on the waitlist and then later put him on the waitlist at school 1. Several months ago a spot opened up for the new school year at school 1 and after confirming that the first spot available would likely not be until February of next year at school 2, we put down a deposit at school 1 and signed DS up.

School starts at school 1 on August 20. The deposit at School 1 is refundable provided we actually start school AND give 30 days notice prior to withdrawing.

We just got an email from school 2 that a spot is now going to be available mid to late October. I confirmed that we are interested, and so I'm waiting for them to tell me a firm date that he would be able to start, which they said will take a week or two.

 

school 1: Mid/large sized school that goes from infant to 8th grade. It's got a good reputation for the older school. As far as I can tell it has a good reputation for the lower schools as well. It is very clean, very up to date. It has great indoor and outdoor play areas, video cameras (not that stream, but they record in each room), Gymboree visits once a week and they play on that equipment (right now DS goes to Gymboree 1x per week and LOVES it). Not included in school tuition, but available on site, are dance, tae kwon do, art, soccer, and t ball teams. DS is too young right now for a lot of that but it would be available as he gets older. It's accredited by ISA and Commission of Tex Assoc. of Baptist Schools (it's a Baptist school, which is fine). The hours are 7:45 am to 6pm.

School 2: very small Montessori school that goes from 18 months to 8th grade. Their largest program is the 18mos-Kindergarden program. They have mixed aged classes like most Montessori programs. They seem to be very into what they are doing and excited about the Montessori system, and the director and administrator seem to be on top of everything. They had former students interning at the school, and those students were very excited about being there. Their ratios are lower than state requirements. The facility isn't as fancy, but the entire program seems more homey and quaint. At the same time it seems very structured, but child directed, the way a lot of good Montessori programs are. They are AMS certified and NAEYC certified. School 2 costs about 350 less than school 1, and it is closer to our home. The hours are a little more forgiving also, 7:45 am to 6:30pm, which will make pick up easier in emergencies if we get held up.

Now my question: what would you do? We are considering now:

1) Starting DS at school 1 and transitioning him to school 2 when we get a confirmation on a start date.

2) Keeping Ds with my sister for a couple more months and then starting him at school 2 when a spot opens. This means paying my sister and loosing money at school 1.

3) Or start at school 1 and maybe just keep him there after all to avoid having to switch him. Dh thinks I'm crazy for considering that, since School 2 has really always been our first choice, but I'm also concerned that maybe school 2 seems all cutesy from the outside b/c it's smaller, but has problems we aren't seeing from the visit we made. School 1 seems to run like a machine compared to school 2, but I find that a little intimidating as well.

Thanks to whoever reads through this. You guys are so smart about day care stuff, I just had to ask here!

 

 

JJ_13

You didn't say how much the deposit is, but assuming it's a financial hit you could take, I would go with Option 2. I think the Montessori option sounds like a better fit, it was your first choice for a reason. Additionally, I don't think I'd want to put a toddler in one school just to move him/her a couple of months later - too much stress on everyone. So, yeah, assuming the deposit you would lose isn't ridiculous, I'd go with Option 2.

TessyMessy

I would pick a school and keep your DS there. If you and DH prefer school #2 and your sister can continue to watch DS until he can start that would be my suggestion. This would be an easier transition for him than starting at school #1 and then having to start all over again at school #2 with new teachers and children. Do you know any parents that have their children enrolled in school #1 or #2 to get feedback?

aglenn

I agree with choosing one or the other and sticking with it.  I wouldn't want to switch him so soon; that would be hard on everyone.  Why not go visit both again, with DS in tow if they allow that?  That might help you get a better sense of what fits best.

rubber_chicken

I'm confused - are you picking a daycare, or are you picking an academic school that your kid would attend until high school? Because if it's the latter, then it worries me that your post doesn't talk about academics at all.  But maybe I misreading this?

If it's a choice between two daycares - I would go with the Montessori program.  Because it's closer to home, the hours are better, and it's Montessori.  I'd kill for an affordable Montessori program in our area.

LoCarb

Have you read the school audits and violations performed by the state? I would also read online reviews from current and former parents/teachers.

Visit each school one more time and make your decision.

I would nix option 3-it's too many adjustments in a short period of time.

shannm

I choose 2.

cedenton

LoCarb said:

Have you read the school audits and violations performed by the state? I would also read online reviews from current and former parents/teachers.

Visit each school one more time and make your decision.

I would nix option 3-it's too many adjustments in a short period of time.

I think @LoCarb meant nix Option 1, which everyone seems to agree with. Choose a school and have your sister stay with him until he can start, whichever school you decide. I agree with the bolded part of LoCarb's post.

You need to revisit your original pro/cons list of the two schools and make decision with the best fit for your family. My concern with Montessori has always been that it's hard to find programs past 8th grade and I think a child might find it difficult to go from that learning environment to a more traditional one.

Mustardseed2007

Thanks for your feedback ladies. While I toy with the idea of keeping ds in private school past kindergarten, I actually doubt we'll do that. Our public school is quite good...I think you're right, we should probably pick a school and go with it.,,

laurakaz13

Yes, pick a school and stick with it.  I'd pick school 2. 

GroverClover

We chose a smaller school for our child.  I like the fact that every teacher knows my kid and most know me, my husband, and my mom (who also picks him up).  We also considered convenience, cost, and curriculum (this program met those needs too).  I talked to lots of parents with children in different programs and knew this was the right choice for us. 

I would not enroll and start at one place and then chance.  It was a HUGE adjustment for my child and an even larger adjustment for me.  Until enrolling in school, he was cared for by an individual in her home (one-on-one care). 

In hindsight, I should have visited more before we enrolled, but I knew this was this right choice for us.

Good luck!  These decisions are never easy.

costa2011

 I think you should go w/ your first choice. First choices are usually the right ones. Yep, it will be a couple of more months of paying for baby sitting but in the end you get exactly what you wanted. I wouldn't start at school 1 and then pull out when school 2 is available b/c that would probably only confuse your LO, especially if he's already gotten used to the routine there.

preggersin2011

With out knowing every detail- i vote Montessori 100% every time

Mustardseed2007

: ) I'm glad to hear so many people like Montessori.

It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the other more parochial place, but it really seemed like they understand what they are doing, they care, and the kids are given an opportunity to both learn and be themselves. That's what made me like the Montessori place.

CYBURRCHIC

I confess I don't know a ton about Montessori beyond basic knowledge, however you mentioned switching back to public school after kindergarten/1st grade. Wouldn't the approach be different and make a hard adjustment or are they so young at that point that the curriculum doesn't get that intense to really matter? Just a question that I would want to consider but don't know the answer to.