Serving La Canada Since 1949
Here at La Canada Preschool we believe in doing the reverse of a waiting list. We have created a school where you can come in, take a tour at your convenience, and join us for preschool by registering in January for the following school year. No waiting list, no lottery, no wondering if your child will get in. Send us an email to lacanadapreschool@gmail.com. We are waiting or you.
When families enter preschool for the first time it is normal to have issues with separation. It is important to ask a preschool what there policy is, as I find it best to feel you as a parent, are comfortable with how this is handled.
We have a small preschool, which allows us to be flexible with families. By this I mean if a parent wants to stay for a few minutes to assist in the separation, that is good with us. Our issue is that we need the parents to drop their child off in the front yard of the school, as we are in a residential neighborhood.
When you bring your child to school be sure to have a routine where you bring them to school the same way each time. Say goodbye, do not sneak out, and if your child is sad reassure them you will be back.
At our school we hug children, give them space, look for their comfort cues, and stay close to them when they are sad. We sing a song about how mommies and daddies come back.
Today a little guy wrote a letter when he was sad about mommy leaving:
Dear Mommy,
I don’t like it when you leave. Come back now.
After he wrote the letter we took three deep breathes and he went off to play.
At preschool we will take the time to sing a song, write a letter, and take three deep breaths to help with separation.
And lots of love…
When looking for a private preschool the choices can be confusing. There are different philosophies of early childhood education, with many time schedules, tuition costs, and fees. Here is what you need to consider when looking for a preschool we will call the Four E’s.
Energy: what is the energy of the school say? Are there lots of rules, is it quiet or loud, does it feel open or closed?Spend a few minutes observing the feelings you get.
Education: What is the education of the staff, as well as the director of the preschool? Some directors have a Masters degree while some have taken as few as 12 units in early childhood education.
Environment: It has been said that environment dictates behavior. Are children allowed lots of freedom, are they moving freely though a relaxed setting, are there lots of materials? Observe the environment quietly for a few minutes.
Eyes: look in the eyes of the children. Are they engaged, connected and communicating?
Energy, education, environment and eyes of the children. That is a good place to start:)
When I think about the process parents go through in looking for a preschool I can understand understand how overwhelmed you all feel. We are in a time where every school has a waiting list, creating fear that if you are not on one of these “lists” , you may not get “in”. How did this happen? Is it supply and demand, is it to make work easier for the preschool directors, or was it created to the scare parents into believing there is a shortage of good preschool programs?
While all of these reasons apply, my hope is to combat this fear based society we rotate in and have a no waiting list environment at La Canada Preschool. Here is where we want to be the change we would like to see in the world. Why not create environments where parents feel supported and wanted from the get go. Every year we place families in a friendly, relaxed manner, accepting their registration on a first come first basis. The process reflects a respect for the families we serve by accepting everyone who wants to be here, without the fear of exclusion because you are not on a list.
Preschool placement needs to support families with inclusion based on acceptance when placement is needed. It sends a message when we ask parents to wait to be chosen, when we say that you were not on the list in time, and when we create more fear for parents to deal with. Isn’t it enough that you all are faced with the overwhelming stress of raising children? My hope is that at La Canada Preschool, we are breaking the mold by saying welcome, come on in, we’ve been waiting for you:)
Please come join us for our annual Back to School Family Day on Saturday October 17 from 9: 00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. This is a morning for your family to come in, meet the teachers, and get to know us better. We will have the childrens art work on display, a book fair presented by Once Upon a time Book Store, and a morning for your child to bring you to preschool:) This is a drop in event, so please come by and see us at La Canada Preschool.