I know the holidays just ended and if you’re like me then you’re still corralling random Christmas decorations to be taken back out to the garage. Well, I hate to say it but you’ve got another task as well. It’s time to start thinking about preschool for next fall. Crazy, huh? Luckily, The Rochester Hills Public Library is hosting their annual Preschool Fair on Saturday, February 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. You don’t need to register. Just show up, (without children, please) with a list of questions, a bag or folder to collect information in and a notebook, if you have a lot of questions.
Before we get started, I want to bring to light one very important truth to you: a daycare center can be a preschool. All daycare centers are required by the state of Michigan to have a curriculum of planned activities. Now, these daycare curriculums will vary from center to center, which is true of every preschool.
Before going to the Preschool Fair, make sure to sit down and figure out what’s important to you in a preschool for your child. Here were my top priorities:
- Both male and female teachers of a variety of ages.
- Play-based curriculum. Clueless about curriculum? Read this for more info.
- Flexible scheduling. I prefer to be able to switch days, if something comes up, like doctor’s appointments or traveling opportunities.
- Overall personality of the center director. The center director sets the tone for the entire feel of the school.
Obvious issues:
- Safety
- Education, training and experience of staff
- Class size
- Licensing problems
- Quality of curriculum
- Hours and availability
- Price
It may not be easy to really engage the different directors at the preschool fair so make sure to grab a business card and and printed information. Most of the preschools will have a display of some sort so check that out and ask any questions you may have, but save the more in-depth questions for later. Once you’ve collected your information then you can sort through and weed out places you know won’t be a good fit for your child. After you have a handful of preschools then set up a time to visit and really be able to see where your child might attend. You can also ask for their licensing number to check online if any complaints have been issued against a center.
Lastly, don’t get too stressed out about preschool. Remember that for a child’s first year of preschool, they just need to walk away at the end of the day knowing that school is a good thing.
About Meghan Zeile