This was a bittersweet weekend.
As you watched your oldest daughter walk across the stage for her college graduation you could not help but think of the first days when she went to preschool. In those days, she cried whenever you left her. So much so, in fact, that you had to approach the school from a different route because she what’d started to recognize certain landmarks and would start crying even before you arrived at the school.
Those days are long gone and your daughter is walking across a graduation stage that is at a college 12 hours from home. After this ceremony, she is heading to grad school that will put her 17 hours away from your home, and that first preschool she attended.
Preschool Is the Start of a Long Educational Journey
Whether you are looking at an expensive private preschool as a full day option or you are considering a more affordable half day public school option, it is always important to visit the location that you are considering and make sure that you visit with as many people as possible. From classroom teachers to directors to parents of current students, you can gain a lot of information about any school if you observe closely and ask the right questions.
- What kind of training do the educational leaders have? Both high school and preschool educational settings, and every grade in between, are more effective if the staff members have the appropriate training.
- Does the teacher to student ratio include office staff that really never have contact with the children? Even more telling, does this ratio include teachers who ar on their lunch breaks?
- What discipline management plan does the school follow? Is there a plan in place to make sure that all children are safe even when a student becomes difficult to manage?
- Who does the cleaning for the building? Are the staff expected to take care of these tasks at the end of the day or is there a professional cleaning service?s
- Where do the children go in case of a weather event or other kind of emergency?
As the end of another school year approaches, there are parents all across the country preparing themselves and their children for the next educational transition. And while there are many parents who would rather not think about the next move that might keep their children away from home either for hours of the day or miles from home, the reality is that children need to be able to practice their skills in classrooms at some point to make sure that they are prepared for their future.
From private preschools to preparatory schools for students in ninth through twelfth graders, there are a growing number of families that believe that private schools are the best choice. As evidence, it is important to note that as many as 25% of all schools in America are private schools. Especially popular for younger children, nearly 2.63 million students were enrolled in private elementary schools in the U.S. in the year 2016. And while there are a few families that start their high schools in a private setting, the reality is that many of these families make the decision to start on this path at the private preschool level.
