gerogia pre-k: please help. (daycare, home, private school)

[alpha2007]

My son got into the georgia pre-k program (state funded) but he just turned 4yrs old.
I hate the fact that he will be out of home till 2:45pm, every single day, right from 8 15 am every morning.
Any advice?
I am considering putting him in a private or church school just for better hours.
I will try for ga pre-k next year. I am planning to hold him back till 6 for kindergarten.
He was in playschool for 3 yrs old at a church for 3.5 hrs 4 times a week, and it worked out great.
-Meg.

[SaraSatin]

I have seen a lot of friends' children go through the Georgia Pre-K program. It's an excellent program, but you know what is best for your child. Since he's a younger 4 year old and won't be in kindergarten for 2 more years if you don't feel that he's ready then don't send him. However, if you want to give it a try (which is probably a good idea because you never know what will happen) I would just explain to his teachers your concern and ask them if they can keep an eye on him and see if he is doing all right with the longer hours. If, after a week or two, he is still not adjusting then you can look into a church or private pre-k (which usually have openings available into the school year because they aren't free) without any doubts as to whether that's the right choice. He might surprise you and take to the longer hours without an issue. My other suggestion, though, is to check with the Georgia Pre-K program to make sure he can go to it for 2 years if you do leave him in. I hope this helps.

[kaday]

You can only do Georgia prek for one year. We had the same issue with my daughter. We moved here in Feb. and opted against the Georgia prek as we were consdiering holding her back an additional year before kindergarten. We wanted the option for her year 5. We are holding her back but not sending her to the Georgia prek in our area. I've heard there are excellent ones in other areas. I wasn't impressed with the ones offered where we are. She is going to do a 5 year old program at a local church.

So if you think you may want to do it next year, don't do it this year.

[SaraSatin]

I didn't know that about the program. Kaday is right, if you are going to hold off on kindergarten for an extra year then you should definitely wait a year for the GA Pre-K. That way your son can transition easily.

[rxlynn]

Originally Posted by alpha2007

My son got into the georgia pre-k program (state funded) but he just turned 4yrs old.
I hate the fact that he will be out of home till 2:45pm, every single day, right from 8 15 am every morning.
Any advice?
I am considering putting him in a private or church school just for better hours.
I will try for ga pre-k next year. I am planning to hold him back till 6 for kindergarten.
He was in playschool for 3 yrs old at a church for 3.5 hrs 4 times a week, and it worked out great.
-Meg.

Both of my girls did the state pre-k program, although it sounds like their b'days were not as close as your child's (they were both April babies). If you are sure that you are going to hold for kindergarten until age 6, then I would definitely not do the state pre-k program this year. You only get to do it once, and they really do a lot of things to get the kids ready for kindergarten. My opinion is that your child would be better served doing the state program right before he goes to kindergarten.

[alpha2007]

Thanks so much for all the replies.
I really appreciate everyone's feedback.

It is hard to get admission this late into the game for a 4 yr old program (not GA PRE-K, he's already in that).
We asked around at schools (even his last yr's schools), esp for the better hrs deal (like 3.5 hrs every day), and they were full, but I am on the waiting list.
I get priority if anything opens up at his old school (church school).
Till then, I guess it will be georgia pre-k for my son, he will be the youngest in class. I am putting him in a private school good pre-k program if indeed we finalise on keeping him back. I want to hold him back...mostly.
Even if the teacher says he can go to kindergarten.

We'll see what happens.
-Meg.

[lastminutemom]

Meg

I have two friends whose kids did GA pre-k at their local public schools. Mid-year, they both decided that their kids needed another year before Kindergarten, so they enrolled them in pre-k programs (not GA pre-k as your child can only do that once) other places for the next year They then returned them to their public schools for kindergarden and both have done fine.

[LawrencevilleGA]

We moved to Ga from NJ about 18 months ago.
I was surprised that GA had free Pre-K. NJ does not. I looked at it as funded daycare with an education. My son thrived in it.
Some things you may know bout it though.
Out of approx. 90-100 children, my son (white) and an African-American child were the ONLY English (first language) speaking kids and families. Most of the kids spoke english, but the majority of the parents could not.
We had many thoughts of removing him from the class. He was the only one in his class. He started speaking Spanish too. It was funny but also a sign of the times here in the US.
One other thing. We HAD to pay $20 a week for lunch. No biggie.
The majority of the other kids did not have to pay the lunch fee. They did not meet the income requirements for having to pay. Poor Latin American Families with no money. But why were they all dropping their kids off driving Escalades, Suburbans, Lexus and other new SUV's. I just had to laugh. Nothing else you can do. We Americans worked our butts off to subsidies illegal immigrants education and food. It's THE AMERICANO WAY

[alpha2007]

But why were they all dropping their kids off driving Escalades, Suburbans, Lexus and other new SUV's.

hello,

did not meet the income requirements for having to pay

NOT!

[alpha2007]

:LOL
-Meg.