Finding the Right Preschool – It’s All about Fit

While I am currently on leave, I work part-time for a consulting company based in Westford that helps colleges and private schools recruit prospective students.  I am also the mother of three young children ages 4, 2, and 11 months.  While I know that when my kids start their college search process, my background in higher education will come in handy, I never imagined that it would prove useful in the preschool search process as well, but it has!

Now, I am in no way saying that finding the right preschool is as important or difficult as finding the right college, however the trouble with the preschool process is that you don’t get a lot of input from the prospective students, so the decision lies solely in the hands of the parents.  Cherish this.  Savor the moment.  Because when it comes to choosing the college that your kids will attend, your role will be somewhat minimized (or maybe majorly minimized depending on your kid), as 17 and 18 year olds have a whole lot more to say than 2 or 3 year olds! 

In either process, though, the decision comes down to the same principle – fit.  The bells and whistles can be impressive, but whether or not your kid needs and will use those things is far more important.  So, in determining which preschool in town is the best fit for your family, you have to decide what is important to you and look for the best fit.

If we take out the many for-profit daycare centers in town that offer preschool curriculums, we are really left with three, true non-profit preschool options in town: the Westford Preschool at St. Marks, Roudenbush at Main and Old Nab, and the Westford Integrated Preschool at the Millennium School.  While most of the students attending the Integrated Preschool are there because they have an IEP, there are some spots open to children from the community, thus it is “integrated.”

While there may be very slight philosophical differences in terms of approach, the curriculums at most preschools are very similar.  Personally, I think preschool is more about socialization and thus there really isn’t a big “academic” piece to the decision.  A big difference in the programs at the three schools in town is the start age.  Roudenbush offers both a one-day and two-day option for two-year olds.  Westford Pre-school has programs for kids who are two-years, nine months with rolling admissions, meaning that if your child reaches this age at some point during the academic year and there are openings, you are able to enroll him or her in preschool.  The Westford Integrated Preschool is for those who are three-years old by September 1. 

The cost of the programs at the Westford Preschool and Roudenbush are comparable with pricing being based on the number of hours or days that the kids go to school.  The Integrated Preschool is a little less expensive given that it receives funding from the public school system.  Since the costs are not substantially different at the preschools in town, my guess is that price really isn’t a deciding factor in the preschool selection process.  It might be something that you consider on some level, but it really isn’t the make it or break it piece to your decision.

As there are only three options, the best way to make an informed decision is to visit the schools – just like you will make campus visits during the college decision process.  My advice is to bring your child with you and visit the preschool while the classes are in session so that you can get a sense of how the students and teachers interact.  Also try to time your visit during drop-off or pick-up so that you can see how the parents interact and how the logistics work. 

The other piece to making an informed decision is talking with parents who currently send their kids to the preschools.  Ask them what they like, what they don’t like, and why they made the decision that they did.  While the decision is a personal one based on what fits for your family, hearing what other parents have to say can be helpful.

I have visited all three preschools and there are things that I like about all three. Given that it was the only option in town for two-year olds, I sent my oldest to the one-day program at Roudenbush.  I was generally happy with her experience, but I wasn’t happy with was the logistics of it all.  I’ve been carrying a bucket car seat around for most of the last four and a half years and going up and down the stairs and in and out the fire doors at Roudenbush with a bucket was not fun!  And while I won’t say that was the only factor in my decision to switch preschools, it was part of my consideration, as was the fact that the parking at Roudenbush at Old Nab was difficult. 

So, when parents ask me why I chose the Westford Preschool, I often laugh and tell them that I selected it based on logistics – it’s one floor, no steps, I can easily put my bucket car seat on the "snap and go" stroller and push it right into the school.  The parking lot is big and I never have an issue finding a spot and I can also usually find another mom that is willing to stand by my car and watch the little ones while I walk my oldest to her classroom.   I also like the flexibility that the Westford Preschool offers us.  The lunch bunch program adds an extra hour onto each morning which helps when my youngest is napping.  The Kidventures programs offer an affordable, flexible option for staying at school until 2pm or 3pm.  These programs are available as weekly or one-time options and since I never know what life is going to throw our way, I often find myself talking to or emailing the Director and signing my daughter up the day before or even the day of and they are always very accommodating and understanding. 

Despite the easy logistics, our decision came down to the people at the preschool – the Director, Assistant Director, teachers, and parents.  Everyone is truly welcoming.  The Director stands at the door each morning and greets every student by name.  She has been at the school for over 20 years and really cares about the program, the parents and the students.  There are opportunities for parents to be involved and they welcome parent volunteers in the classroom every day of the school year.  For me, the preschool has helped connect our family to the community and that is something that is important to us.

But, like I said it all comes down to what fits for your family.  So, before you even start considering the options, think about the factors that are important to you.  This will be your starting point and having these things in mind will make the preschool decision process a lot easier for your family.  As for the college decision process that is down the road, you’re on your own!