Rejected from preschool
In the mail today, a much too-thin envelope arrived from a certain popular preschool in the area. Before we opened it we knew: it was a rejection.
Not a surprise. The director had told us on the tour that there were only 80 spots each year open, and it's a lottery system for new families, who fall behind those with siblings who attended. And with the Stapleton "baby factory" in full swing, the number of applicants is overwhelming. Add to the mix the unusually large number of boys applying, and we were pretty much assured a spot on the waitlist.
If we can hold out until September, there's always a chance we might just get in.
I still can't get over it: my boy is only two and a half, and already I'm feeling he might miss the preschool boat. We're all assured spots at either Bill Roberts or Westerly Creek, right?
On a related note: For all the early-year birthdays, your 3 year old may be able to get into the afternoon preschool classes at Baby Power, over in Quebec Square.
I've been taking my son to the Mom's Morning Out program since last summer, and somehow didn't know they offered a class just for 3 year olds. It wasn't until my son came home and told one of his toys, Sheriff, that he didn't want to go to "school" anymore because there were too many babies in his class that I thought to ask if there wasn't something more age appropriate for him. There's been a change in staff over there, and their website looks like it hasn't been updated since September, but I'm sure they're getting back on track. They offer a necessary service, at a good price, so I'd hate to see them not make it -- especially in this neighborhood.
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Hi Liz,
I enjoy reading your blog from time to time. My kids are 3&6, so we are just on the other side of the curve for preschool anxiety, but I feel your pain.
If you can consider preschools outside the neighborhood, you might check into Sewall at 14th and Vine. They are wonderful, and I think there are a couple of Stapleton moms who work/have worked there.
Also - as far as preschool at Bill Roberts and WCE - I think they are equally overwhelmed with kids wanting to get in. Stapleton residents aren't "guaranteed" a spot until kindergarten. Good luck!
Another slightly out of neighborhood option is Denver International School, which does language immersion in French, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese, from 3 yr old to 5th grade. With summer camps, they go basically year-round.
DIS recently merged with Montclair Academy in Lowry (in the vicinity of 6th and Quebec), and will be moving from Park Hill to Lowry at the end of this academic year. (With the merger comes a slight name change to "Denver Montclair International School".)
We moved from Arvada to Stapleton two years ago to be nearer to the school, and have been fairly pleased with the decision. Our two children are in Mandarin Chinese, and the teachers are top notch.
Language immersion isn't for everyone, but it is a good fit for us. (Hopefully, teaching our children a language neither my wife nor I can speak won't bite us when they are teenagers!) It is certainly an option worth considering, and summer camps could be a relatively painless way of trying it out.