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[Mahreen]

In our search for the perfect UPK program next year, we've learned some interesting things that I thought would be useful to share here.

First, we haven't ruled out Ellwanger-Barry, but I think it is going to be very difficult to find someone to care for my youngest while I volunteer in the class (Ellwanger-Barry is a co-op program).  On the other hand, if my older daughter attends one of the city UPK programs during the afternoon, then my husband can be home with the baby (because he teaches in the mornings) and I can be free to volunteer in her class a couple times a week while the baby naps.

So...that's what has lead us to look at the City-wide UPK programs!

So far we've visited RCN (the Rochester Children's Network) and liked it well enough (but honestly I wasn't blown away.  We went to a morning class, and I think I need to see one of the afternoon classes before I make any final decisions about RCS).  I asked about the curriculum just out of interest and our guide said that they follow the guidelines set by the RCSD.  She said that there were a number of things the children were expected to learn over the course of the school year and the Pre-K program followed "themes" to achieve that goal.  She wasn't more specific than that.

I also had a chance to speak with Ellen Donovon, the director at the Asbury Pre-K, and she was lovely.  She mentioned that their morning session is full with a waiting list, but that there was still room in the PM class, and that she was planning an information session for the month of April for interested families for next year's UPK program.

I was so excited to hear about the information session that I forgot to ask about anything else, so I had to call back later to ask my other questions.    That time I spoke with another very nice woman (whose name I have of course forgotten) and she told me that the UPK program is undergoing a bit of a change.  She said that up until this year, the Asbury Pre-K followed the "creative curriculum" model, which was based on a child's interests (I think this is what has set Asbury apart and what I've heard the most about).  However, the RCSD has mandated that all UPKs in the city become more uniform, and that means that the curriculum will be changing (she didn't sound very happy about this).

Apparently the UPK teacher, Amanda, is trying very hard to keep the unique aspects of Asbury's program intact, and has found another curriculum called HighScope (you can see more information about it here: http://www.highscope.org/index.asp).  This year she is piloting the HighScope curriculum in the Pre-K class, and my impression was that if the RCSD is okay with it at the end of the year, this is the curriculum that the 2009-10 UPK class will follow as well. 

So...things are kind of up in the air right now with Asbury, but I felt like the staff was very intent on keeping the current culture of child-lead learning alive.  I have a message in to talk to Amanda and will be setting up a tour during class time, so that we can see the pilot HighScope curriculum in action.

More than curricula, I think we are looking for a nurturing and supportive place for our daughter next year...but still, we are learning so much about the school district and all the unique programs in the city - it definitely has been giving us food for thought for when our daughter goes to Kindergarten in two years!

[PamintheWedge]

don't know how i missed this post! i think i wasn't around for a bit earlier this spring...

while i can't say we are looking for the perfect preschool experience, i am thrilled that you are, and that you have honed in on asbury.

i first fell in love with ellen (after touring RCN which came highly recommended but left me unimpressed) when looking for 3-day-week full day care for my 2nd child back in 2002. incidentally, i used EBNS for my first & second child for a total of 3 years prior to that and i *loved* the experience. great school culture.

i'm in a different place in my life now and my current 4 year old has attended WRNS for 2 years and we are about to enter our first ever year of UPK in the city.

my friend and i visited asbury back in january. it has the same director (ellen) and the co teacher in the UPK room is someone i remember from 8 years ago. nice guy... we immediately signed up and were told there were only 4 slots in the a.m. outside of the children that already attend the full day program. we left feeling very fortunate to be there.

i tout this as yet another example (the list grows longer as time goes on) of the *excellence* of city schools and city choice. my daughter is attending a top notch preschool program in a top notch school 5 days a week next year.......................for free.

i will look for you at that meeting and hope that they add an afternoon program!

pam

[ksheils]

My daughter is completing the UPK program at Asbury currently (and my older two went there as well).  I can't say enough good things about their program.  The teachers (Amanda and Michael) are wonderful and balance each other very well.  I believe that the pilot program of Highscope went very well and the RCSD will likely adopt it as UPK program.  Though it is a curriculum, it doesn't feel like a curriculum per se as the kids have lots of fun and are very creative (how cool is a science project for St. Pat's day where each child makes their own leprechaun trap!).