Pre-school age question (Atlanta, Peachtree City: day care, neighborhood, live in)

[PepperPot75]

Hi. I currently live in Atlanta (Dekalb County). I am the (first time) parent of 8 month little girl. Therefore, I am a little new this, so I apologize in advance if this is a silly question. I would like for my little girl to go to a good school. I have done research on the schools in my neighborhood/area and from what I have learned the Dekalb county schools in my area have hiddeous academic records with very little to no parent involvement in the PTA. So, I am thinking about moving to Peachtree City for the good schools. I would like to plan on being settled in the Peachtree area before she starts pre-school and/or kindergarten. I have learned that she'll start first grade at age 6 (her birthday is September 13th) But my question, is at what age do children start pre-school? Is pre-school all day or half a day? And what about kindergarten is that all day or half a day? Thanks.

[RoslynHolcomb]

My son is four, but I just moved here from Alabama so my information might be off. I started him in pre-school at three. He has a May birthday so was able to start last August. I had him in a church-run pre-school where I dropped him off at 8:25 and picked him up at 12:15. (It seems the ones around here start at 9:00).

As far as I know pre-school is always half-days. They don't start going whole days until kindergarten. Typically a 'whole day' ended at 2 or 3 pm.

[bayarea-girl]

Some pre-schools start at 2 and cost more if your child is not potty trained. You can choose to keep your child in school MWF or Tue/Thu or 5 days a week. It depends on how long you want to leave your child in someone's care. Some people leave their children at school until 6 PM. It really depends on your need (kids don't like to be the last ones left in school). Kindergarten starts at age 5 and is from 8 or 8:30AM-2 or 2:45PM. After that there is what they call aftercare.

[PepperPot75]

Thank you so much for the replies. I now have a better understanding. My little girl is in Day care right now M-F. I just wanted to get her used to going to school kindergarten and first grade at the same school (if possible). So it would a smooth transition for her. Since Kindergraten is half day. Then I also need to find a kindergraten program that has aftercare. Thank you so much.

[lastminutemom]

Actually, in Georgia public schools, kindergarten is full day.

[PepperPot75]

Ok, I think I got it now. Pre-K 1/2 day (2 - 4) . Kindergarten (age 5) all day. Anything after the class (pre-k or kinder.) has ended is considered aftercare. Is this right?

[mamamarie]

We send our daughter to a daycare/learning center that is PreK. They have a Prek3 and Prek4 and school hours are from 8:30-3:00 but the daycare is opened from 6:30-6:30pm.01

[bayarea-girl]

I have two kids and one will be in pre-school and the other in 1st grade in the fall. School seems to be ending for my soon to be 1st grader at around 3PM and if I keep her later I'll have to put her in the afterschool program. For pre-k they have morning programs, afternoon programs, all day programs. It really depends on the school you are looking into and your need.

[PepperPot75]

Thank you all so much. I have learned that my daughter's Daycare does offer Pre-K. So, I can plan 4 years to move to PTC before she starts Kindergarten. I am trying stay put for as long as I can with gas prices the way that they are and my commute to work is only 20mins. But then I will make the sacrifice and move so that she can receive a good education.