"My Story"

Each week we will feature a story by someone different. We are looking for stories from you, about you. Stories that other parents, grandparents and caregivers can relate to or appreciate. Please direct your story for review to atravis3@columbus.rr.com with “My Story” as the subject.

It’s almost time for the kids to return or start school. I know some of you are clapping and watching the watch while others are wiping your tears and praying for time to stand still. I found this article in Buckeye Family Magazine and thought it would be nice to share.

Choosing the Right Preschool
By Dawn Baker

You’ve decided it’s time for junior to broaden his or her horizons and that it’s time for your child to attend preschool. Whether your child is 2 ½ or 4 years old, you need to investigate the many options available in early childhood education.

"Think about what your needs are before you begin to look at preschools,” says Heather Hawkins, director of child care for the Licking County YMCA.

Consider what is most important to you and your child. Do you want a location convenient to home or work? What type of schedule will best accommodate your family?

Next, consider your children’s needs.

What do you want them to get out of their preschool experience? Will it be their first time in a group social setting? Do you want focus on academic skills in preparation for kindergarten? Does your child have any special needs?

Once you’ve done some brainstorming about what you’re looking for, start researching what’s available. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services website enables you to search for licensed childcare programs by city and county at www.jfs.ohio.gov (click on child care under “popular sites”).

Nancy Higgins, director of Child of God Preschool in Newark notes, “A center should be licensed before a parent uses them. It is not good to assume.”

A license should be hanging in sight and up-to-date. The ODJFS site provides important information like a preschool administrator’s name and inspection reports. Licensed centers are inspected twice a year, when changes occur, or upon receipt of complaints.

This is also the time to start interrogating family and friends (or anyone with a preschool child). If no family or friends come to mind, ask moms and dads at the park or grocery store checkout line.

Once you have the names of several schools, contact the director by phone. This is the time to ask the basic questions like hours of operation, cost and any other items you decided on as top priority. Ask if the preschool will be holding an open house for new students or set up an appointment to visit the school if you like what you hear.

Visiting the school is instrumental in the preschool selection process. To make the most of a visit, ask plenty of questions, have your child participate in classroom activities and get all necessary paperwork (enrollment forms, school handbook, classroom calendar). An all-encompassing checklist of questions can be found at www.preknow.org/family. Important areas to hit on include:

Teachers. Spend some time on this topic. You’ll want to know the teacher-to-child ratio. The state mandates that for 3 year olds, there must be one teacher for every 12 students and for 4 year olds, one teacher for every 14 students. You will also want to ask about the teacher’s education and background experience. The minimum standard for a preschool teacher is a high school graduate who has had 45 hours of training within 3 years. Ask if the teachers are required to have additional training beyond what the state requires.

Discipline Ask about how tantrums, conflicts and other unappealing behaviors are handled and also check the school’s handbook to review their written discipline policy.

Teaching Philosophy Hawkins of the YMCA indicates, “There are different styles of preschool out there.” Community/religious centers emphasize both socialization and pre-academic skills. You may also run into the terms like Montessori or Co-op. Montessori is centered on establishing independence, self-esteem and confidence while fostering learn at a child’s own pace. Co-ops mean that the parents participate in the operation of the preschool.

It’s also helpful to know the class daily schedule, so you have an idea about when snack time, outdoor play and restroom breaks take place.

Safety Connie Bryant, of Newark, is planning to send her daughter, Emily, who will be 4, to preschool in the fall. Her number one concern is safety. Her daughter has a peanut allergy and for Connie it is a “huge concern.” She wants to feel confident that staff members are aware of the allergy and take precautions. Also, she needs to know that the teachers have first aid training so they can respond if there is an emergency.

Also under the category of safety, inquire about pick-up/drop-off procedures, how injuries are handled and note cleanliness and condition of the classroom and playground. Ask about fire drills and if the school has a “lockdown” procedure.

Cost Don’t rule out preschool based on finances. “The YMCA really wants their programs to be available to everyone, so we don’t want finances to be a barrier,” says Hawkins. “We work with Job and Family Services and work with them through some third party support as well as the YMCA’s financial assistance program.” Some public school systems offer preschool programs. Your school district can provide information about qualification requirements.

Headstart is another program that provides no-cost preschool for 3 to 5-year-old children whose families fall within specified financial guidelines. Even many smaller, half-day preschools offer scholarships when parents are not able to pay the full tuition price.

Parent Communication “Interaction with teachers and administrators is key. Communication should be a priority,” says Hawkins. Find about how to best contact staff if you should encounter a problem or should questions arise. Ask about parent/teacher conferences and if a monthly newsletter or calendar is provided to keep parents aware of school happenings.

Extras Some other issues you may want to touch on include potty training, fieldtrips, required school supplies, snacks and lunches.

Many schools begin enrolling in February and early March and continue to enroll throughout the year if space remains. As kindergarten becomes more rigorous, it is becoming essential that children attend a preschool program. The better you know the school, their staff and their policies, the more comfortable you and your child will be about your preschool choice.

 

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Where We’ve Been & What We’ve Seen

 

Princess Sunday Party:

We would like to say a great big THANK YOU to each and every one of the 50 Princess and parent / grandparent that attended our 1st annual Princess Party on Sunday, July 22nd at Integrity Gymnastics.  Each little girl looked very beautiful and touched our hearts.  We apologize that the event was a little chaotic, but YOU made it special.  With patience and understanding, we feel that the event was a success.  With this being our first event on such a large scale, we learned many things about how to improve and look forward to making our next event even better!  We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did.

 

 

Click Here for Past Events

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