Which school would you choose?

FireLightBride

School 1-- AMAZING school building, great curriculum, beautiful classrooms, large school with 120 kids, field trips, projects, "the best" preschool,  BUT lots of teacher workdays, holidays, school breaks.  I feel like I'd constantly be trying to figure out what to do with DD during breaks.  More preschool than daycare.  Double dropoffs because DS can't start until he is 3. $100 more than School 2, not including all the extra money we'd pay to sitters and temporary daycare for the breaks.  We would be moving DD out of School 2, which she just transitioned to.

School 2-- very small-- 30 kids, good curriculum, just okay, not wow.  2-yr old program, so DS could go, about average with teacher workdays and breaks.  DD goes there now and likes it fairly well.

School 2 definitely is more convenient for our family, but we are just blown away by the facilities of School 1.  I have wanted DD to go there for awhile, but now that we've been offered a spot, all the logistics have got me second guessing.

kirac

One good thing to consider - if #1 doesn't work out (if you don't find it worth it), can you go back to #2?  Talk to more parents of #1 and #2, that also helps make a decision.  

trinny

kirac:

One good thing to consider - if #1 doesn't work out (if you don't find it worth it), can you go back to #2?  Talk to more parents of #1 and #2, that also helps make a decision.  

Oops, signed in with my knot name, lol!  Anyway, we have to commit for the school year in both cases.

I have a few friends at #1 and they feel the juggling is worth it.  One drops her kid off at DD's old daycare (not School #2) for odd days, which I can't see flying with my DD.  I think there would be tantrums and protesting.  

dragon_chica

#1.  To me, in the long run it would be a better choice.  We do 2 pickup locations right now since DD's in preschool and my parents watch DS.  It's time-consuming since the preschool is in a neighboring town but so worth it.  It's an excellent school (we had to be on a yearlong waitlist!) and our niece and nephew went through it so we saw firsthand how wonderful it is.  Talk to the #1 parents and see how they solve the issue of days off.

LeahCK

School #1 - go with your gut instinct.