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kimberf · Oct 18th, 2009, 06:19 PM

I feel a little weird asking this at this point, but I live in one of those areas where you have to have your child on a wait list for a couple of years to get into the more popular nursery schools. One of the schools I like is pushing us to commit now for next fall (not normal, most of them do admissions in about March for the fall), so I need to organize my thoughts now.

There's a school that I really like that's the next town over, probably my favorite one. It's Montessori based, has been around for something like 20 years. Very homey feeling, with three little cottages, two for preschool classes and one for kindergarten. I've toured twice and have liked the feeling -- happy kids, kind teachers, clean comfortable space, engaging activities, visible learning but play-based, etc.

At my second tour, the administrator mentioned that most of the kids (75 - 80%) go to a specific school district, which is not ours (since we're the next town over.) There might be one or two kids from our district, but there are a number of elementary schools here. Therefore, there's very little chance that DS will have any of his nursery school friends in his kindergarten class if he goes here.

So, my question is -- does this matter? Did your kids have any kids they knew in kindergarten with them? Were they scared going into a kinder class if they didn't know kids there? Mathematically, I think there's very little chance that he'd have more than a couple kids he knew in kinder with him, regardless which preschool he goes to, since nursery classes are maybe 25-30 kids anyway, who are then spread over various K classes in various schools.

addictedtopurses · Oct 18th, 2009, 06:58 PM

My ds has been attending a private montessori pre-school since last September. In the fall, when he goes to kindergarten, my guess is that none of his buddies will be with him. Most of them will go on to private catholic schools, whereas as a public school teacher, ds will attend the local public school. I don't think it will be any problem because he didn't have many of his classmates from last year in his class this year and he has happily made new buddies.

Aslan · Oct 18th, 2009, 08:34 PM

My son went to nursery school in a completely different neighborhood of the city than his public kindergarten. No problems here. He made friends quickly. Many of the kids in his kindergarten class had never even been to "school" before, so there weren't any 'cliques' of kids that knew each other. When they get older, they develop more of an attachment to their friends, so it's much more of a consideration. At this age, they are so self-centered.

alliemia · Oct 18th, 2009, 09:24 PM

it doesn't matter.

my daughter just started kindergarten and knew no one in the class. she went to a pre-k in another area, i actually drove like 20 minutes away for a more affordable pre-school than was offered in my area.

she made friends from day one in Kindergarten. at that age, they are all new to 'school' so even if a few know each other, they are so eager to make friends, it doesn't matter.

if you like this pre-k, go for it. your child will have no problem in K.

KristyDarling · Oct 18th, 2009, 11:53 PM

Another vote for it doesn't matter.

My son went to a kindergarten where he knew only 2 kids (girls from his former preschool that he was never close with) and he quickly made a bunch of new friends. There were lots of kids in the kindergarten who didn't know a single soul and they did just great that year...and still are now in 1st grade.

5 year old kids make friends VERY easily!

dallas · Oct 19th, 2009, 05:33 AM

And yet another vote for it doesn't matter. It sounds like a wonderful school and surrounded by happy children and kind teachers, I don't see a problem for your dear son.

kimberf · Oct 20th, 2009, 12:01 AM

Thank you all! I was really excited about the school, up until the director mentioned that almost all the kids are in this other district, and then I got a little worried. DH and I were both super-shy (though have recovered nicely, such that no one who knows us believes it

), and DS shows a few signs of being on the shy side as well. I didn't want to pick a school that would make his transition to kindergarten difficult later. Sounds like I don't need to worry too much.

It's ridiculous having to do this so early!

flychinadoll · Oct 20th, 2009, 01:20 AM

My son just left his preschool of 3 years and started at another school for kindergarten. We still keep in touch with a couple of his friends from he met in preschool. Even with some that left before him. I think it's fine. Kids will adapt. Plus I like that he has different sets of friends. Since both schools are not in cities different from where we live, he also has summer friends from day camp in our city.

Oct 18th, 2009, 06:19 PM	#1
kimberf OP Member Joined: Mar 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,141	Nursery school to kindergarten peer group I feel a little weird asking this at this point, but I live in one of those areas where you have to have your child on a wait list for a couple of years to get into the more popular nursery schools. One of the schools I like is pushing us to commit now for next fall (not normal, most of them do admissions in about March for the fall), so I need to organize my thoughts now. There's a school that I really like that's the next town over, probably my favorite one. It's Montessori based, has been around for something like 20 years. Very homey feeling, with three little cottages, two for preschool classes and one for kindergarten. I've toured twice and have liked the feeling -- happy kids, kind teachers, clean comfortable space, engaging activities, visible learning but play-based, etc. At my second tour, the administrator mentioned that most of the kids (75 - 80%) go to a specific school district, which is not ours (since we're the next town over.) There might be one or two kids from our district, but there are a number of elementary schools here. Therefore, there's very little chance that DS will have any of his nursery school friends in his kindergarten class if he goes here. So, my question is -- does this matter? Did your kids have any kids they knew in kindergarten with them? Were they scared going into a kinder class if they didn't know kids there? Mathematically, I think there's very little chance that he'd have more than a couple kids he knew in kinder with him, regardless which preschool he goes to, since nursery classes are maybe 25-30 kids anyway, who are then spread over various K classes in various schools.

Oct 18th, 2009, 06:58 PM	#2
addictedtopurses Stars Hollow Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,117	My ds has been attending a private montessori pre-school since last September. In the fall, when he goes to kindergarten, my guess is that none of his buddies will be with him. Most of them will go on to private catholic schools, whereas as a public school teacher, ds will attend the local public school. I don't think it will be any problem because he didn't have many of his classmates from last year in his class this year and he has happily made new buddies.
	__________________ Thankful for what I've got!

Oct 18th, 2009, 08:34 PM	#3
Aslan noncoercedcompassion Joined: Nov 2006 Location: New York Posts: 3,571	My son went to nursery school in a completely different neighborhood of the city than his public kindergarten. No problems here. He made friends quickly. Many of the kids in his kindergarten class had never even been to "school" before, so there weren't any 'cliques' of kids that knew each other. When they get older, they develop more of an attachment to their friends, so it's much more of a consideration. At this age, they are so self-centered.
	__________________

Oct 18th, 2009, 11:53 PM	#5
KristyDarling Member Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,758	Another vote for it doesn't matter. My son went to a kindergarten where he knew only 2 kids (girls from his former preschool that he was never close with) and he quickly made a bunch of new friends. There were lots of kids in the kindergarten who didn't know a single soul and they did just great that year...and still are now in 1st grade. 5 year old kids make friends VERY easily!
KristyDarling Member Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,758

Oct 19th, 2009, 05:33 AM	#6
dallas IMBUSILE No: 37453 Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 4,524	And yet another vote for it doesn't matter. It sounds like a wonderful school and surrounded by happy children and kind teachers, I don't see a problem for your dear son.
dallas IMBUSILE No: 37453 Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 4,524	__________________ *Skin is a covering for our immortality.*

Oct 18th, 2009, 09:24 PM	#4
alliemia love shopping!!! Joined: Jun 2008 Location: NY Posts: 3,934	it doesn't matter. my daughter just started kindergarten and knew no one in the class. she went to a pre-k in another area, i actually drove like 20 minutes away for a more affordable pre-school than was offered in my area. she made friends from day one in Kindergarten. at that age, they are all new to 'school' so even if a few know each other, they are so eager to make friends, it doesn't matter. if you like this pre-k, go for it. your child will have no problem in K.

Oct 20th, 2009, 12:01 AM	#7
kimberf OP Member Joined: Mar 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,141	Thank you all! I was really excited about the school, up until the director mentioned that almost all the kids are in this other district, and then I got a little worried. DH and I were both super-shy (though have recovered nicely, such that no one who knows us believes it ), and DS shows a few signs of being on the shy side as well. I didn't want to pick a school that would make his transition to kindergarten difficult later. Sounds like I don't need to worry too much. It's ridiculous having to do this so early!

Oct 20th, 2009, 01:20 AM	#8
flychinadoll Member Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Bay Area Posts: 881	My son just left his preschool of 3 years and started at another school for kindergarten. We still keep in touch with a couple of his friends from he met in preschool. Even with some that left before him. I think it's fine. Kids will adapt. Plus I like that he has different sets of friends. Since both schools are not in cities different from where we live, he also has summer friends from day camp in our city.
	__________________ www.stelladot.com/swankyjewels

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