"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire" - W B Yeats

[anastasiav]

I'm starting to realize that I really, strongly (more strongly than I had realized) want E to go to a good pre-school starting in the Fall. Something with a Montessori or Waldorf theory behind it. Unfortunately, any such school in my area that offers such a program is also far out of our financial reach -- around $13K (including extended day fees, because we would need him to be there for an entire workday, not just the half-day formal preschool). And that's only for a school year ... we'd still need to find and pay for care for him in the summer. A couple of schools do offer financial assistance, but only once the child is school aged. No assistance is offered for pre-K.

So, yeah, another way I'm failing him, I guess.

Comments

[baronessmartha.livejournal.com]

you judge yourself far too harshly.

did you get my email? I sent it to waxtablet.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

I did not get an email from you. waxtablet@gmail.com

[baronessmartha.livejournal.com]

I have sent another one. the first was may 26. this one was sent a few mins ago.

[goodscagirl.livejournal.com]

Honestly - public school pre-k (most start at 4) are very good these days. I am someone who went to Montesorri pre-school and gained a lot from it but I would not hesitate to send mine to public pre-k.

If you want that strong base wait until it is time for him to go to Kindergarten then apply for assistance.

Also I prefer Montesorri over Waldorf muchly muchly.

I understand that you want whats best for him but you being an active and involved parent, reading to him daily, and helping him be creative are with much more than a private education - You rock.

[kuzu-no-ha.livejournal.com]

"I understand that you want whats best for him but you being an active and involved parent, reading to him daily, and helping him be creative are with much more than a private education - You rock."

Totally. That is the most important thing you can do and you are doing. Therefore you rock.

I also prefer Montesorri to Waldorf. But Nathan had a really bad experience so he has his own opinion. We went to different schools.

[goodscagirl.livejournal.com]

My mother said that her biggest concern with Montessori is that I became far too independent and free-thinking : ) I started to question the teachers - oops!

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

There is no public pre-K in my community, unless he needed "special intervention" which he doesn't.

I just think he's starting to go beyond what he's getting at Sarah's, or what I can give him. And he's turning into a child who had difficulty with transitions, so I'd like to get him in more structured days sooner rather than later I think.

[goodscagirl.livejournal.com]

Is there a local church pre-k or Head start?

[pale-chartreuse.livejournal.com]

If you are open to a non-branded school, I would suggest looking for a facility that is NAEYC accredited. It is a third party accrediting organization. My MIL, who was a nursery school director for 30 years, has done some work for them.

National Association for the Education of Young Children

http://www.naeyc.org/

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've looked at the NAEYC approved preschools in Portland. Pretty much the same deal -- there are five or six approved schools, two of which are restricted to super-low income families, and the remainder of which are these $10 - $13K programs.

[pale-chartreuse.livejournal.com]

That is impressively pricey. You might have some luck with places that are trying to get accredited, but haven't finished the process yet (it can take up to two years). The website I linked to should have some of the guidelines of "What to look for in a good facility".

Good luck.

[a-c-fiorucci.livejournal.com]

That's about the going rate out here in the (far) NW suburbs of Boston, too.

[soteltie.livejournal.com]

It wouldn't hurt to ask the schools if they have any sliding fee/financial aid programs. I'm way out of touch with this scene, but way back when I taught at a nursery school it was common to have such programs. Usually the parents had to do some extra work for the school in exchange.

[soteltie.livejournal.com]

Some YMCAs also have very good childcare programs--have you checked in your area? The Y I go to has financial assistance. I don't think one has to meet a particular low-income dollar amount, just write why you need the assistance and what you want to use it for.

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

I am a product of a public school education up until my graduation from high school. School isn't the only place that children learn and, ultimately, he will get out of school what he puts into it regardless of where he goes.

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

I won't have any problem putting him into public schools once he gets to be old enough. But if I want to get him into a "real" preschool, my choices are limited because we make too much to get into the subsidized ones but not enough to pay for the others.

[valkyrie1972.livejournal.com]

Did you ask Brigette about the one down the street from her house? D went there briefly before Kindergarten. It is at the old Swedenborg church on Stevens ave....

[mylisant.livejournal.com]

Is Freeport too far?

This place looks to be $7K for their school-year for three full days and two half days per week which is their recommended schedule for the preschoolers.

They have lots of other options as far as "days/mornings per week" maybe there's something there that you can afford? Some is better than none?

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

No, Freeport works because of Josh.

That's very interesting -- I'll give them a call next week.

Of course, I'm not sure what we'd do with him from 230 pm until Josh gets out of work, but Josh's mother's recent retirement makes that somewhat easier....

Thanks!

[bunnyjadwiga.livejournal.com]

I agree, try the Y. Becca was in the Y program for many years and it was inexpensive; it's just our Madison Y, for infant care, that's so pricey.

Because I work so close, I may be able to get Beekman into a 3 day a week, half day program when he's three that will be $5k for the school year, but since that will take some off his daycare fees, we may be able to swing it. (By that time we will, please the Gods, have sold the house and gotten Sarah transitioned to a new job, unless her employer suddenly strikes it rich)