private vs. public kindergarden program (McLean, Fairfax: daycare, house, neighborhoods)

[buildinginva]

I am starting to get paranoid about the half-day (i.e., 3 hour) kindergarden program our local school has. DC is currently in a full-day daycare that will end by K, and we are happy with our public schools and plan to go there. My question is - does it make sense to put the child into a private kindergarden program for one year? Would it be too disruptive? Is it a problem for admissions into those schools? We are in Fairfax County and are concerned about the ability to get into afterschool care (long wait list).

Also, if anyone has recommendations for the private K options in McLean/Falls Church/Tysons area, they would be much appreciated. TIA!

[ChristineVA]

I did it strictly for daycare issues.

I am a working parent and the half-day kindergarten was a nightmare for us. Our public school did not have SACC and there was only one option for getting my son out of the half-day and over to a daycare center. I didn't care for that center and he had been in one since he was an infant that he loved.

So, I kept him at his daycare, where they did full-day kindergarten, and moved him to public school in 1st grade. I didn't have any issues with care where I was for 1st grade.

[buildinginva]

Thanks, ChristineVA. Our daycare doesn't offer a kindergarden program. Is there anyone out there who moved their kid for just that one year?

[cdmurphy]

I know quite a few people out here in Loudoun who put their kids in private full-day kindergarten, since only a couple of Loudoun public schools have full-day kindergarten. But, yeah, like ChristineVA, many of them continue wherever they went for pre-K.

[tgbwc]

My son entered the public school in first grade after spending a year in Montessori kindergarten. It should work out fine, especially if the child meets the county's cut off date for admission. It wasn't disruptive at all.

(BTW, kindergarten is spelled with a "t" towards the end, not a "d").

[movingtodcfromseattle]

I taught first grade for 10+ before moving to VA. Each year we had a number of students that entered first grade from a "private" kindergarten. I always found those students to be ready academically. There was usually an adjustment period socially and behaviorally as they learned how the culture of our school, but it was a quick adjustment.

Now I teach 1/2 kindergarten in FFX (one of only 27 schools that is 1/2 day). Our 4yo goes to a pre-k private preschool and we intend to send her to full-day kindy at our neighborhood public school. We won't send her to a 1/2 day program, especially since we just bought our house based on full-day vs. 1/2 day!

So, in a nutshell I don't think there is a problem sending your child to a different school for kindergarten. Do what's best for your family and your child. I would try and keep her involved with neighborhood kids so that she has some connections when she switches to first grade at her neighborhood school.

[Yankeesfan]

Enough people move in and out of neighborhoods around here that it's rare for a child to be the only new student in a class when they start a new school.

[buildinginva]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!