Tips for Picking a Preschool in New York
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The Bridge Between Home & School
Communication between the school staff and parents is of the utmost importance. At NY Preschool, “the more that we speak with the parents and the more the parents speak with our teachers the better off everybody is,” Wolf says. Parents have the opportunity to connect with their child’s teacher every day, if that’s what they want. Because NY Preschool is a “language rich” environment, meaning communication is key, Wolf wants to make sure that that level of communication carries over at home, as well. Every week letters are sent home to help parents better communicate with their children about what happened at school. Instead of asking your child, “What did you do in school today?” parents are given the opportunity to engage on a deeper level with their son or daughter. With the help of the weekly email, parents can dive deeper into their child’s school day by asking questions about a specific snack or activity from that week. Wolf says parents are more likely to receive a response from their child that way and it will open up a world of communication.
License and Registration, Please
Of course it is also important that the school is licensed. The Department of Mental Health and Hygiene must license every preschool; Wolf says if you do not see the license displayed prominently in the front of the school, “leave.” It’s as simple as that. There are over 400 rules and regulations for school administrators, teachers, and children that attend preschool, to keep everybody safe and healthy. NY Preschool meets every one of them and you’re definitely going to want to make sure that any preschool you send your child to does the same.
NY Preschool is also accredited by the National Association of Education for Young Children. Part of this accreditation is that the association speaks with 80% of the attending parents. It’s a prestigious accreditation that only 1 in 10 schools receive.
New York is a great place for a child to grow up. There is so much in the way of culture and diversity and with the help of a good educational start, your child will be well on his or her way to developing a life long love for learning. The process of picking a preschool can be daunting, but it’s exciting, too.
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Main photo courtesy of NY Preschool