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I am considering sending my child to one of the above two places (in Merrick area) for prek. He will be four near Halloween. Since the house closing is taking f.o.r.e.v.e.r. (but not according to New York closing expectations), I am worried about not getting him a slot in one of those two.
I need ALL day with extended care options four days a week. I have heard some good words about Precious Kids, but I have heard nothing about the school at the JCC. Does anyone know anything about either one? I called the JCC today, and it is more expensive (and I will need to find sitters for a few of their holidays when I need to work but the center is closed), but it also sounded like a great program.
Basically, I will not have time to sit and shop around when I get there. I had hoped to be "there" (L.I.) this month. I am hoping someone can atleast share an opion. If you don't want to post something negative, just send me a private email.
My kid goes to JCC in Oceanside and my neighbor's daughter's kid goes to the one in Merrick. If I am not mistake, the JCC in Merrick actually leases space from a local synagogue for the kids program, but verify for yourself. We have been very happy-last year, he was in the program from 9 to noon and this year, he will be going from 10 to 2. Whatever decision you make, check out NYS childcare violations, just google it, and the website will come up.
OK. I talked to three places this morning that have potential, and they seemed to think they would have openings when I got there.
I think Merrick Woods is too expensive for my budget, but I will look at it again. The highest one I am looking at is $9,000 a year plus extended care.
Alphabetland, Twin Oaks in Freeport, and Merokee-- feel free to give me info if you have any.... I plan to visit all three. The website someone posted was interesting.....
The best news in the past month plus is that .............drumroll...........effective today...... I have a closing date for my house in New York! July 12, 2013!!! I found out right before I called the schools, and they said to come by after I moved in there.. might even be able to figure out how to get my SC drivers license which expires August 2 replaced..ugh.
I don't know how it is now, but as of a few years ago, Twin Oaks was known as the fancy push academics prep school nursery school. To be fair, they did have great supplies and stable personnel. They used to be the one of the priciest preschools on LI. Be wary of any place that has high turnover. Alphabetland is ok-ish. Many people do like it, but the owner there does try to cut corners sometimes and things go on behind closed doors. I would also recommend Merrick Woods. Absolutely check for NYS violations and ask if the school is recognized by NYS Board of Regents, which is voluntary but requires additional inspections and standards to meet. I don't think that any of the programs that you mentioned are NAEYC accredited.
This is such a difficult decision.......................................... .............. He hasn't been in preschool because in other states (the ones I know) the cut off is August/September so I figured he had two more years before K. In New York, he will have one year of prek because his birthday is at Halloween.
I can go look at a few, but honestly I can't look at every single one. OK going to call Merrick Woods and check out price.
This is such a difficult decision.......................................... .............. He hasn't been in preschool because in other states (the ones I know) the cut off is August/September so I figured he had two more years before K. In New York, he will have one year of prek because his birthday is at Halloween.
I can go look at a few, but honestly I can't look at every single one. OK going to call Merrick Woods and check out price.
Yeah, in NY we tend to start preschool early even if Mom is a SAHM. We don't have mothers day out type of programs like they do in the south. Many middle-class suburban kids start at age 2 or 3, at least part-time. While I wouldn't say that your son will be the only child in his pre-k class for this to be his first nursery school experience, mostly likely, more than half of the children in his class will have attended the same school or another for at least a year. If most of the children are returning students, that's a good sign about the school. Your son may take to it immediately or he might experience some anxiety about it. Suprisingly, many chidlren are fine the first few days, but then when they realize this is a daily experience, they start to get nervous. It can take a couple of months for a 4 year old to adjust to the rhythm and routine, if this is very new. I should forewarn you that there will be a mix of SAHM and workng mothers at both Twin Oaks and Merrick Woods. A lot of people are put off by the surrounding area of Twin Oaks, but inside, the school is very nice. Make sure that you ask the school if your child stays out for an extended time for an illness, if there are make-up days (since you only want 4 days/wk) or possibly some sort of credit. When the director gives you the tour, try to see all of the classrooms so that you get a sense of the school and try to meet your child's potential teachers and teacher assistants, even if you have to make a phone interview/appointment before you sign their contract. One last non-routine question people don't often ask is if Pre-k takes off-campus trips. Some parents like the idea while others are very opposed. More and more schools are eliminating off-campus trips because of liability, but schools like Twin Oaks and Merrick Woods have their own transportation so they may still offer this and usually only for pre-k and k children.
I have no clue what I am doing. Someone asked which Precious Kids. I was looking at the one on Hewlett.
Merrick Woods is much higher than even Twin Oaks. Honestly, if I could find a good one for less, I would take it. IF... I have no clue.
Merokee was very nice on the phone, but again I don't know a lot about them. I plan to visit. They are less than Twin Oaks even though their four day a week program is full. They have openings in their five day a week program, and I can just keep him home on Fridays, send him half a day or whatever I want.
My original plan (had I opted to stay in SC) was to put him in two days a week this coming year. That changed now that he has to go to K. I wish he weren't so young. IF we leave NY at any point, he will be a year younger than his classmates, and I am not sure that is an advantage.. especially for boys. I remember the neighbor's grandkid had to wait a year because of the cut off age when their kids (grandkid's parents) moved on the street too. Oh well............. I will try not to worry about it at this point.
Yes, my family was upset I didn't send him sooner, but they got over it. He came home at 18 months, and I signed him up for a two year old half day preschool program which would start four months later, and I cancelled the night before he was to go... I couldn't do it. I got an email-- The entire "do not bring your chil into the school". "We will take your child from the car in the car line, and he will cry, but once he gets used to it, the child will be fine." ummm no thanks. I was not going to let some stranger take him out of the car as I drove away after he had been with me for four months.... Sooooooooooooo I have just used babysitters when I had to work and worked from home when he sleeps. It probably cost me more, but I have no regrets. I am a lot older than the typical mom, and I thought I am just be grateful that I had the opportunity to have him with me when he was young. My schedule varies a lot, so some weeks he rarely saw a babysitter. Of course now that he will be going to school, I will start grocery shopping and things on my own... gonna be weird. ;-) I love having the little guy around.
He is super social, so I think he will love school. His problem is that I know he will get in trouble for talking too much... and of course those classroom rules that he will need to learn.. but I know he can do it.
Well, if anyone knows anything about Merokee or another school they would recommend, let me know. I don't want to look at more than five, but some may be full by the time I get there and call in a couple of weeks.
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