preschool update

My good intentions to write up notes from our preschool visits have fallen by the wayside, as we've been navigating busy or disrupted schedules and colds. Note to self: try really really hard to keep Luke healthy before daylight savings time changes.

In the past two months, we have attended 8 tours and/or parent nights. Luke has now played at four different schools, and he'll visit another one on Friday. And it still feels like we are pretty far off from finding a preschool spot for him next year. Our "sure thing" was a neighborhood school which, while not the kind of school we'd fall in love with, was a nice, convenient, fun school about 3 blocks from our house. It has spacious classrooms, outdoor play space, all the "right" stuff like different play centers (books, puzzles, treehouse for climbing, art, etc.). Totally fine, if a little larger and more chaotic than we would prefer. We brought Luke in for his visit yesterday, and were surprised (shocked really) to see peanuts being served at snacktime. Because of my allergy, we are very cautious about Luke, and would prefer a preschool that bans peanuts. Even if Luke isn't allergic, my allergy is severe enough that it's a risk for Luke to eat peanut butter and then come home and kiss me. Since I don't want to curtail toddler kisses, we have decided that we need a preschool that offers a full ban on peanuts. It's funny that this school doesn't offer that, because nowadays with so many kids being allergic, and this being liberal San Francisco and all, the peanut ban seems pretty standard. Except, of course, at the one preschool where we were pretty much guaranteed of getting in. Sigh.

Of 14 schools on our "hit list," it looks like we'll apply to six or seven, most of which will have up to 100 applications for just a few open spots. Here's the latest rundown:

Apply
Glenridge Cooperative Nursery School
Room to Grow Preschool

Upcoming visits
Miraloma Cooperative Nursery School
Maria Montessori
Centro Las Olas (spanish-immersion)

Trying to schedule a visit
Sweet Peas
Crayon Box

Decided not to apply
Glen Park Montessori (program too rigid)
Little Bear School (peanuts--ack!!)
Noe Valley Cooperative Nursery School (word on the street is that it's really disorganized)
Wind in the Willows (1/2 day program; we decided to consider 1/2 days only if it was at a co-op)
The Preschool (ditto on the 1/2 day program)

Struck out
Trevor Martin Montessori ("don't call us, we'll call you")
Buen Dia Family School (tours already full for the year)