[DreamingAzure]

1) They have a big, fenced yard, with lots of little tykes equipment. Very appealing eye candy for the kids. BUT, they don't go outdoors, they choose to do music & movement indoors. I don't know what state you live in, but here in Texas state licensing laws say that children MUST have outdoor play. It was the same when I taught Pre-K in California too. Unless it's below 40 or over 100, raining, snowing or smog/air alert the kids go outside.

2) They sent my daughter home on day 3 with a runny nose- called an hour after she got there & said she was sneezing & wiping her nose. Then, yesterday, the secretary of the church, who should know all the rules, was dropping her daughter off with snot dripping down to her mouth. (I didn't see it- my husband dropped her off) Hmmm...I've NEVER sent a kid home for having a runny nose without any other symptoms. I would check their illness policy. You know...sometimes kids sneeze! lol


3) They have mailboxes for the kids. They are supposed to check their own mail & put it in their backpacks. My daughter is a little shrimp, the shortest by far in her class, and hers is the TOP mailbox, she can't even see or reach it. TOTALLY unacceptable!!! I believe pre-k kids should have responsiblity...but they shouldn't be responisible for something as important as school mail! A good teacher will see problems like this and FIX them IMMEDIATELY! How can you expect a child to take things home if they can't see or reach them???


4) We went in today, and they had moved everyones cubby's over one, because a new girl was starting, and they wanted everyone to be in alphabetic order. How important is that, when the kids are used to their cubby by now, on week 3? How many times will they move them during the year as new kids come & go?
Sounds like you have a teacher who is a perfectionist(to put it nicely)! I would NEVER allow a teacher to do this in my center...and if I was the PARENT I would be pitching a HUGE hissy fit. Kids need to have their own space and really have it be THEIRS.

5) When we pick up the kids, the assistant is at the CLOSED door, sees us, dismisses the child, then shuts the door. It's like she's the secret service for the teacher, her body guard- so noone actually gets to talk to the teacher or go in the classroom.
Wow...I'm not sure what to say to that...TOTALLY unacceptable,IMHO, A parent should have access to the teacher! I can understand not wanting children to 'escape' or parents who need to pick up children from other classrooms first...That's why you have dutch doors! Personally I would be VERY nervious/leery of not being able to see what was going in the classroom. I know quite a few Pre-Ks who have their outdoor time at pick-up so parents can talk to the teacher(assuming assistants are watching the kids) and they aren't interrupting anything VITAL (not that ANYTHING is THAT vital in Pre-K!!!).

So, ladies & gentleman of this board, is this NORMAL preschool, and I need to chill, or is this weird, and I am justified in thinking it's a little off? Sounds more then a little off to me..and I've worked in some VERY preppy pre-ks....

PS I wrote on my daughters chart no apple juice- she's allergic to it, and of course, day 1, they gave it to her. Ok...Last straw...I would RUN, not walk, away from this school!!! ANY teacher OR assistant who can't be bothered to note a child's allergies shouldn't be a TEACHER!!

If that is the best school your area offers you are better off keeping her home and arranging your own outside playdates. I wouldn't waste the money on it!

[hoping44]

I am now a 6th grade teacher, but I started out my career with 4 years of teaching Pre-K in our county system. I can see both sides of some of the issues that you are concerned with. When I was teaching Pre-K, we had a grandfather one year that was on the sex offenders list in our state. Even though he was not legally allowed at school, he would still show up every now and then to pick up his grandson. We would call the authorities and they would slap his wrist and send him on his way. It was just a mess that my assistant and I couldn't control. We were extremely careful about letting our children go in the afternoon, so try not to be too critical until you are sure of the reasons. However, you should always be allowed to visit your child's classroom. The one thing that I would be very concerned about would be the apple juice. That kind of mistake just can't be made. We had two children during my time in Pre-K that had allergies to seafood. My assistant and I both were so in tune to watching for this that we were still reminding them what they could eat when they were in 1st and 2nd grade.

Just try not to be too quick to criticize because no preschool will be perfect. But, there are certainly some areas in which I would take nothing less than perfection, such as ones that had to do with the health of my child.

Good luck in finding the right place for your child to learn!!

Tracy

[cooperbabe]

the apple juice would have been the final straw for me as well.

[jasonsmom]

I teach preschool in the public school system so it may be different than a private center. DS went to a center that had preschool in the morning and daycare in the afternoon.

1) They have a big, fenced yard, with lots of little tykes equipment. Very appealing eye candy for the kids. BUT, they don't go outdoors, they choose to do music & movement indoors.

This is ridiculous. Kids need to be outside. Unless it's nasty outside, both the school I work in and the center DS used to go to were outside during the day. Some days were longer than others depending on how hot/cold it was but we get out.

2) They sent my daughter home on day 3 with a runny nose- called an hour after she got there & said she was sneezing & wiping her nose. Then, yesterday, the secretary of the church, who should know all the rules, was dropping her daughter off with snot dripping down to her mouth. (I didn't see it- my husband dropped her off)

Was the runny nose green? If yes, we'd send her home too. If it was clear, we'd watch it but wouldn't send her home.


3) They have mailboxes for the kids. They are supposed to check their own mail & put it in their backpacks. My daughter is a little shrimp, the shortest by far in her class, and hers is the TOP mailbox, she can't even see or reach it.

Especially at the beginning of preschool, I don't think expecting 3 and 4 year olds to check their own mail is realistic. If they are to check their own, it should be at her eye level.

4) We went in today, and they had moved everyones cubby's over one, because a new girl was starting, and they wanted everyone to be in alphabetic order. How important is that, when the kids are used to their cubby by now, on week 3? How many times will they move them during the year as new kids come & go?

Kids need a sense of ownership. This shouldn't be happening.


5) When we pick up the kids, the assistant is at the CLOSED door, sees us, dismisses the child, then shuts the door. It's like she's the secret service for the teacher, her body guard- so noone actually gets to talk to the teacher or go in the classroom.

Either a para or I walk the kids to the front of the building and dismiss the kids. Unless there's been an emergency, we don't talk to the parents except to say goodbye then because after the morning session I wouldn't get lunch if I'm with a parent (or two or three, etc) and in the afternoon I need to leave to get my own child from school. I am available for conferences; all the parent has to do is send in a note a day ahead so I can make arrangements for my son if it's after school or eat a bigger snack at snack time so my stomach's not growling during afternoon circle if it would be during my lunch.

Paula

[Happy2Bhere]

On open house, the assistant told me they RARELY go outside, and do "movement" inside.
About the runny nose thing- they sent my daughter home with just a slight runny nose, and yet they let other kids stay- I mean, hers wasn't green, she was fine. I wouldn't have sent her if I thought it was an infection- and even when I picked her up, she was just slightly sniffling & sneezed twice- whereas the other girl whos mom works at the church- her nose was RUNNING down into her mouth- by the buckets full, as my husband said.
The mailboxes have moved twice already, we are in week 3. The teacher really wants them to be in alphabetical order. My daughter STILL goes to the first mailbox & first locker she had. The teachers stress that it is the kids responsbility to check their mailboxes & put it in their backpack. (this is out in the hallway, so we can help, but the assistant makes a point, as she dismisses to say CHECK YOUR MAILBOX, and pushes them towards it)
About dismissing- I realize that the teacher can't talk to everyone & they don't want the class disrupted. BUT, to end class at 11:30- and have the kids sit in the circle, and have the assistant, one by one, PUSH the kids out the door & say CHECK YOUR MAILBOX, then shut the door- that way as parents, we NEVER see what goes on in the classroom, can't observe our children (yes, if we want to volunteer, or stay the whole day in the classroom) and we have no access to either teacher to see how its going.
This is my daughters first time away from me. I would love to hear if she sits well, plays well, eats well, etc- just a thirty second update, at least ONCE. Conferences are in like 60 days, but I want to know before that how she's doing.
Even if your child is the last one to be dismissed, the assistant shuts the door, and the main teacher shuts the blinds & shuts off the light.
I might be too overly critical, but then, I am paying $150 a month for preschool, and entrusting my child for the first time, to a total stranger, I would think that would entitle me to a 30 second "touch base" with the teacher?
Thanks for all the "chill outs" and "No its not you" replies.
I just needed to vent & hear from others.
Melissa

[twoinblue]

Melissa -- Holy crap! You are only paying $150 a month for preschool? You might be getting what you pay for.

Maybe you could check into some Mother's Day out programs instead. This would give her some social interaction and you could find a place that better suits your preferences.

[Happy2Bhere]

Is $150 a month for preschool cheap?
We're in Iowa- all preschool programs are the same price- give or take $10.00.
There are only two locally that accept children before their 3rd birthday, so that is why we choose this one.
I wonder though, why parents of kids who want REAL preschool, like the year before school, would want to be with kids not even 3? It's bad enough having 3 & 4 year olds together, but to have under age 3? I did it for the social interaction- I work 3rd shift, and finding play dates & play groups on my schedule isn't the easiest. I have decided when this month is done, what I've paid for- we're out of there. My daughter turns 3 the middle of October, we can decide if we want to go to a "real" preschool, once she's old enough.
It was a good experience for both of us though :-)
Oh, by the way, it isn't just me- there are 14 kids on Mon, Wed & Fri- another mom said she's pulling her son out- cause she can't even get in the room or hear how her son is doing. Another mom said she has "concerns" and will be sitting in on the class Friday, so at least it isn't just me.

[gardener]

I am a first grader teacher at a private school and our preschool program(half days) cost close to $8000 a year. I would definately look into a Mother's Day program.

Most importantly, even though I said to "chill out", I would not leave my child in a place if my gut feelings tell me something is not right.

Good luck in finding a more suitable place for your child.

[jasonsmom]

$150/month would be cheap where I live. While I don't go out and talk to the parents unless there's an emergency or I have an appointment with one (in which case, they come in, I don't go out) since I need to eat lunch and leave on time to get my own child, I would not put my child anywhere where they won't make appointments with you except during their scheduled biannual conference time. I'm always willing to make appointments, I just need a day's notice which I think is reasonable.

Paula