Locked in: Making the first preschool payment

by Kelly Leahy

i wrote a few weeks ago about the frustration of choosing a preschool. Today I mailed off payment to our "sure thing." Even though I have now invested over $200 into this school, there is still a chance that I will be switching schools for my daughter. This concept is absolutely nuts to me.

Our first choice was the French PreK3 program at Audubon Charter. Since we are not French nationals, we had to go into the Tier 2 lottery and as luck would have it, my daughter's name came up #20 out of 22 applicants. She has been wait listed. I have no idea how many kids are in front of her today as Audubon does not answer questions from an applicant's crazy parents. Period. They will keep the wait list until Labor Day. Until then, I will keep my fingers crossed.

Audubon means no tuition payments through eighth grade. In addition, the charter is looking at starting a high school which would mean that as long as our daughter was doing well, we could steer clear of the private schools until college. What a relief that would be.

There are several reasons for choosing Audubon the first of which being that I'd like my child to be bilingual. Chinese or Spanish might be more useful than French but I know French and I like the country and the language. Plus what better language for the city of New Orleans? Secondly, I like what I have seen from the kids that I know who attend the school. Lastly, it's not too far from my house. I can and have walked it several times.

Our second choice is only a second choice because tuition is required and because it is so far from my home. If I wasn't so intent on getting my child into Audubon as a means of securing the next fourteen years of her education, I would be more excited about her attending New Orleans Montessori in Lakeview. The school has relocated since the storm and is in a beautifully renovated home behind the Greek Orthodox Cathedral. I liked what I saw when I visited. The owner of the school is wonderful and kind. I have heard only good things about the school and I know that my daughter will thrive there.

The big drawback is that I am going to have to go through the whole application process again NEXT YEAR and as my daughter will be in a Montessori not French program, we don't have a leg up in the process.

Anyway, I'm starting to babble here but I thought I'd state my plans for my daughter's preschool. Heaven help anyone who is just now thinking about it. I feel for you. I promise to do a post this winter outlining more available options for private and public preschools in the city and impart any of my new knowledge on you.

How are you coping with starting preschool in your household? Where will your kid(s) be going?

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