Pre-K system

Submitted by Rambonic t3_1119dyd in newhaven

We have been trying to figure out through the NH websites how Pre-K works here, but so far without a lot of success. Are there Pre-K 3 or Pre-K 4 programs that are cheaper than (crazy expensive, $2000 per month) private daycare and go from 8ish in the morning to 5ish in the afternoon? So far everything I've found ends at like 2pm, and I don't understand how any family with working parents can handle that.

Thanks much for any insight and any recommendations on schools to look at or avoid. We are in East Rock but have a car.

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paddyboombotz t1_j8emsl6 wrote

Long story short, no. It’s cheaper/easier for one of you to stay home or get a job at night like I did. Good news is if you send your kids to public school they have free aftercare.

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HartfordResident t1_j8eths2 wrote

  1. There are free spots in the public schools, if you're lucky enough to get a seat. You apply through the public school lottery. You might get in off a wait list.
  2. You can get a "school readiness" subsidy at one of the private PreKs if you earn less than a certain amount (like $130K for a family or 4 or something like that) or so but there are limited spots. That would usually bring the cost down from like $1500-2000 per month to something more like $500 (or less depending on your income). Ask around to see which ones have subsidized spots. Again there's probably a wait list and/or the private programs reserve the spots for families who are going into a second year at the same school.
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bh06511 t1_j8g094w wrote

You should definitely try for the public school lottery, which is coming up soon for next year. They used to provide both before and after care, that got cut, but I think some schools have added it back in. They are free and our children had a very positive experience. If you live in a neighborhood with a school with Pre-K, you have neighborhood preference and your child is likely to get in. Even if you don't live in a neighborhood with a school with Pre-K, it's still worth trying.

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budgetgoth t1_j8es49b wrote

We’re moving to the area shortly, and we’re looking at daycares as well. We found the Montessori on Edgewood, in Dwight, and met (virtually) with the director, who seems excellent. They offer full time care, and their tuition is indexed to household income, as per the CT fee schedule here.

On the other hand, a friend of a friend was a visiting professor last semester, and had very good things to say about the Bright Horizons at Yale West Campus. They said that though it looked horribly corporate at first, the teachers were quite lovely. Hope this helps!

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iluvkiwis897 t1_j8fzjq4 wrote

I worked for Montessori on Edgewood last year. DO NOT put your kids here. I only met one teacher (I was her co teacher) who was nice. But everyone else seemed like they didn’t wanna be there. If one of the kids had an accident they would get so annoyed, one of the teachers loved to yell at the kids, she was so scary the kids mostly just sat there quietly. I ended up leaving and ever since that I refuse to put my child in a daycare setting. One time the main teacher was sick, they left me in a classroom with at least 10 kids all by myself, the ratio was way off. I’d keep looking for a better daycare center.

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paddyboombotz t1_j8gguci wrote

Yea we looked at that one too. Two of the teachers couldn’t even pretend to like the kids in their class during our 15 minute visit. Can only imagine the fuckry that goes on there.

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Rambonic OP t1_j8i6f4e wrote

This thread is really interesting, since several people I've talked to are gung ho on getting their kids into the Montessori. Wow.

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6th__extinction t1_j8i1t52 wrote

Do not enroll in MOES, New Haven educator here.

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budgetgoth t1_j8spgji wrote

Thanks everyone for your advice and accounts of the issues plaguing MSOE! I’ll definitely have to reconsider the daycare situation. Any advice for someone looking for daycare for a child who’ll be about 1 year old when enrolling?

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codea1974 t1_j8ev4qp wrote

The Early Learning Center at Gateway community college full day preschool 7a-5:30p. It is $275 a week for non students and a great program. They offer a sliding scale for New Haven residents.

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suz_gard t1_j8g7b0b wrote

I heard some chatter in a parent group that you can try and register for the local Magnet school tomorrow (Feb 15th) which takes kids as young as 3. It's part of the public school system, so I think it is free/low cost?

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Delphine39 t1_j8hsj5n wrote

$2,000 is a month is beyond crazy expensive. Look up “Calvin Hill” at Foote- for psych ward level crazy 😜- I lived in New Haven as my daughter turned three. I could throw a rock and hit Beecher, Sheridan or Davis. My daughter was on the waiting list. Both for pre-K 3, and 4. She eventually went to the “Blake street learning center” (not there anymore) - and though it had painfully little resources, curriculum and budget compared to any magnet school, I am so happy she got the educational experience of diversity and life skills in addition to teachers who gave their all and genuinely cared- (shout out to Mrs. Duarte, Mrs. Correrea, and Grandma!) The lottery magnet school system is a racket and all about who you know, go to church with, have pull with, etc. To all the suburban families who took advantage of using the Lottery to have their kids go to Davis and Beecher, etc. for their newfound (then) academic excellence, fully knowing you were going to pull them out and back to your wealthier suburban public school or a private school for K- forward, I doubt that you thought about the struggling single working parents who lived in New Haven who had to “compete” with your child for a spot in free pre-k 3 and 4 at a school right in their own neighborhood. This was 10 years ago, I don’t know if it’s different or better now. Edit: I sound really bitter here, that wasn’t my intention!

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One-Awareness-5818 t1_j8kbd26 wrote

I actually look them up and at 100k income, you pay 10k a year which is like 1k a month which is only 200$ more expensive than the church date care, so it doesn't seem that bad. Getting in seems hard.

Edit: family of four with 70k or less, school is free

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bsthngsNflrs t1_j8fmo5m wrote

I’d look at care4kids for daycares. That’s really the only you’re going to fix the shorter hours issue

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brewski t1_j8jdclu wrote

Public schools. Enter the lottery system ASAP.

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One-Awareness-5818 t1_j8kbya3 wrote

New Haven have public schools that has pre-3 program, I think you have to find before and after school care either through daycare or babysitter. Depending on your school and location, some of the after school progyram book up fast

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chromebicycle t1_j8roymb wrote

google “New Haven Magnet Schools.” The lottery is happening now through mid march. Select schools have free PreK3 and 4. If you live in a neighborhood with a school you get “preference” in the lottery if you select your neighborhood school as your top choice. (The only school without a preference neighborhood is Montessori bc it’s so high in demand.)

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