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Does anyone know of any in the Cary area besides Cary Christian? We're trying to make plans for next year for our daughter and I really want a half day program.
Have you looked into the carolina parent magazine? You can find it online and they have some excellent resources for education in the triangle. That may help you at least get a list going of the private kindergartens in the area.
I've looked around at a lot of kindergarten programs in Cary and haven't found any that are half day other than Cary Christian. Maybe because the public schools are all full day, most of the privates follow.....
I don't know anything about Cary, but in Durham these are often called "transitional kindergarten" and are offered by churches. Maybe that will help a little in your search.
There is a transitional KG progam in Cary in a church on the corner of Kildaire and SW Maynard. I just can't remember the name of it! It's a big church though, I'm sure you could stop by and ask!
Thanks everyone. My daughter's preschool has a transition program. I am considering it, but I've heard that it tends to get a lot of boys with behavioral problems who aren't ready for kindergarten and that academically they do very little (so it really wouldn't be a substitute for kindergarten).
I understand what you are saying about transitional programs. My youngest has a mid September birthday and misses the cutoff for K. No matter how I slice it she will have three years of preschool.
What are your reasons for wanting a 1/2 day program? I think full day is the norm now. The academics are not full day if you are concerned about that. I think just about all the schools have a rest/nap time in the afternoon. If you are looking for something a little less structured have you considered Montessori?
I understand what you are saying about transitional programs. My youngest has a mid September birthday and misses the cutoff for K. No matter how I slice it she will have three years of preschool.
What are your reasons for wanting a 1/2 day program? I think full day is the norm now. The academics are not full day if you are concerned about that. I think just about all the schools have a rest/nap time in the afternoon. If you are looking for something a little less structured have you considered Montessori?
My daughter's birthday is in mid-September too so if she were born a year later she wouldn't be eligible. I've considered giving her one more year of preschool, but she has done very well in preschool and is definitely going to be ready for kindergarten. I guess I'm stuck on half day because it's what I had, plus I've heard it's such a long day and the children are exhausted. It seems like so much of the day is fluff anyway, I'd rather have her at home playing with me and her brother (who is only 16 months younger and very attached to her). I just wish there were some half day options.
Thanks everyone. My daughter's preschool has a transition program. I am considering it, but I've heard that it tends to get a lot of boys with behavioral problems who aren't ready for kindergarten and that academically they do very little (so it really wouldn't be a substitute for kindergarten).
The couple of TK programs I've heard of were all about academics... getting them ready for kindergarten if they weren't there yet. One that we toured bragged that the kids were reading and doing simple math in the TK program. So maybe there are those kind, too, there.
FWIW, I was concerned with full-day kindy b/c I did half-day, and my kiddo *was* tired at first, but it's not like the teachers didn't know they're 4-5-6 years old. They had down time with reading books, art, PE, ,recess, etc. (Maybe it's more important to find a school that has this kind of down-time in general.) And they got out at 3, so there was plenty of time to bond with his sibling (and, maybe more importantly, opportunity for me to have some rare time alone with the second!).
The couple of TK programs I've heard of were all about academics... getting them ready for kindergarten if they weren't there yet. One that we toured bragged that the kids were reading and doing simple math in the TK program. So maybe there are those kind, too, there.
FWIW, I was concerned with full-day kindy b/c I did half-day, and my kiddo *was* tired at first, but it's not like the teachers didn't know they're 4-5-6 years old. They had down time with reading books, art, PE, ,recess, etc. (Maybe it's more important to find a school that has this kind of down-time in general.) And they got out at 3, so there was plenty of time to bond with his sibling (and, maybe more importantly, opportunity for me to have some rare time alone with the second!).
Thanks for the perspective. She's (obviously) my first going off to kindergarten and I just want to make a good choice. I should just be grateful that I have many good choices.
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