It’s that time of year! Enrolling for preschool that is. This process has always fascinated me and I have taken for granted the knowledge I have around this process. For those of us who are in the education field especially the early years, we understand the need and urgency of researching preschools early. For those who don’t have kids or those who are not familiar with the preschool process, this may be a rude awakening. There are waiting list, it can get quite competitive and you apply almost a year in advance. Now, this process does vary depending on where you live so I am writing from my Seattle and east coast experiences. West Seattle has one of the highest families per capita in our county I was once told. So there are waiting lists for preschools.
As I am going through applications now, I remember that many of my applicants are first time preschool parents. During our open houses and tours, I received a range of experiences from parents. Some were so on top of it their child wasn’t even born yet and others are calling in August because they didn’t realize they had to apply last year.
Here is the skinny for many schools:
Tours start the fall before you want your child to begin preschool. Schools usually like you attend a tour before submitting an application. These are sometimes in the form of an open house or making individual appointments.
Applications are typically accepted sometime after the new year. Yes, there are applications. Some applications are quite lengthy and require recommendations from caregivers, daycare or other prior classes. They also may require an essay or questionnaire. These are helpful to the teachers especially if the child enrolls. It gives us a starting point for planning our curriculum.
Scheduling an interview may be next. This is to talk to the parents and the child to see if it is a good fit.
Observing the child in the classroom would be next. Your child would be invited to spend some time during the school day to see how he/she interacts with others and comfort level in the class. Sometimes parents are asked to stay, sometimes not.
Letters are sent out by the spring and it is time to secure your spot.
There are many variations of this process from much more rigid to very relaxed rolling admission. It’s never too early to research. What is the process like where you live?
{mysignaturehere}