The "Kindergarten Roundup"

by Don Wheeler

This is something of a coda to a four part series I wrote about exploring Kindergarten options for our daughter, Sarah, and what I learned along the way. Our choices narrowed to Kennedy Academy - discussed here and Hay Primary Center - discussed here .

Comparisons were somewhat difficult because we were not allowed access to Kennedy while classes were in session. We attended two program sessions - which had a low grade militaristic feel. At Hay, there were no formal programs, but the Principal - Mr. Craig Haenes - spent nearly two hours with us. By the time he was done, I was pretty clear that this looked like a great place for Sarah. My wife, Paddy, was pleased with what she saw and heard, but wanted to explore the Kennedy option a bit further. It was her understanding that once our daughter was accepted, we would then be able to see the school in actual operation.

Our situation became a bit more complicated when we received a rejection for our daughter's application. This didn't worry us overly. Sarah is considered a top student in a top-notch preschool (Early Childhood Development Center at St. Mary's). She also suffers from congestion in her ears when she has a cold and hears very poorly then. She was in such a state when she "tested" at Kennedy. We pointed this out at the time, but those folks didn't strike us as great listeners.

We were confident of a successful appeal, but eventually even Paddy began to question whether it was worth the effort. We might get Sarah admitted, get a better feel for the operation and still have the same not-so-positive impression of it. For example, does it really seem like a good idea to assign a five year old homework after the child has been in school all day? And I really don't want Sarah's life to be all about discipline and regimentation. We work on manners at home. And Sarah loves to pick out her own clothes and delights in wearing some weird combinations now and then. It's one of the few things she has control of in her life.

So we made the choice for our very highly rated neighborhood school, and last night was the "Forest G. Hay Primary Center Kindergarten Round-Up".

I won't bore you with all the details, but it was wonderful and fun. The children got a short spin on the school bus and a tour of the classrooms. The parents got to hear from just about every teacher and staff member likely to interact with their child(ren) - all of whom seemed to like kids and each other. We left mighty pleased with our choice.

Sarah was too.

Our experience is a reminder that one shouldn't be afraid to challenge conventional wisdom. Thinking for one's self has an upside.