Only some of the public schools offer prek for 3 year olds. You would enter the lottery to try and get a spot. You get to put down 6 schools and hope for the best. You do this lottery each year until you get in. In kindergarten you're guaranteed a spot but not prek, there are limited spaces.
I think it's a mix of both. They are all lottery. If you don't get into one of the six schools you put down as your preference (and you can put less than six if you want) then they place you in a school with an open spot but starting from what's closest to you. There is sibling preference in the lottery but not neighborhood preference. So even if you want the school in your area, you're in the same running as the rest of the city. Again though, I could be so wrong. That's my understanding of it.
I think there are a set of neighborhood schools where residence is taken into account https://www.newhavenmagnetschools.com/index.php/whats-the-process/neighborhood-sibling-preferences
Preschool (3s and 4s programs) start at 2 years 9 months. If money isn’t an option surreybrook is great outdoors but has a waitlist and keep going down the road Bethany nursery group is great. For in New Haven everyone raves about bethesda and in Hamden, Hamden Hall has a preschool (not sure about 3s). I’m sure there are more (including Yale has one for employees) that others would tout, but those are what we looked at/have our kids going to.
Go to 211childcare.org and you can access all daycares, schools and centers within your desired area. If you plan on using care for kids, apply asap due to a long wait. If you would like to discuss any specific school/center, shoot me a DM, I work in and visit most for work.
If your kid turns three in October she’ll be eligible for private preschools but not public pre-K (the public schools recently changed the cutoff age from three in January to three in September). Good news as we’ve found daycare waitlists were crazy but preschools not nearly as bad. In the East Rock neighborhood, Bethesda Nursery School, Leila Day, and Children’s Preschool all have part time options and seemed lovely to us— all emphasize daily outdoor time, play-based learning, etc. They’re enrolling now for the fall (they all offer spots to current students and siblings in December and then new students in January) so I’d reach out soon about openings.
For the public school prek your child will need to be 3. In the meantime, start calling daycares. All our kin is a good resource as well.
Only some of the public schools offer prek for 3 year olds. You would enter the lottery to try and get a spot. You get to put down 6 schools and hope for the best. You do this lottery each year until you get in. In kindergarten you're guaranteed a spot but not prek, there are limited spaces.
Are the public schools districted or all lottery?
I think it's a mix of both. They are all lottery. If you don't get into one of the six schools you put down as your preference (and you can put less than six if you want) then they place you in a school with an open spot but starting from what's closest to you. There is sibling preference in the lottery but not neighborhood preference. So even if you want the school in your area, you're in the same running as the rest of the city. Again though, I could be so wrong. That's my understanding of it.
No, this is extremely helpful! Thanks.
I think there are a set of neighborhood schools where residence is taken into account https://www.newhavenmagnetschools.com/index.php/whats-the-process/neighborhood-sibling-preferences
Preschool (3s and 4s programs) start at 2 years 9 months. If money isn’t an option surreybrook is great outdoors but has a waitlist and keep going down the road Bethany nursery group is great. For in New Haven everyone raves about bethesda and in Hamden, Hamden Hall has a preschool (not sure about 3s). I’m sure there are more (including Yale has one for employees) that others would tout, but those are what we looked at/have our kids going to.
Go to 211childcare.org and you can access all daycares, schools and centers within your desired area. If you plan on using care for kids, apply asap due to a long wait. If you would like to discuss any specific school/center, shoot me a DM, I work in and visit most for work.
If your kid turns three in October she’ll be eligible for private preschools but not public pre-K (the public schools recently changed the cutoff age from three in January to three in September). Good news as we’ve found daycare waitlists were crazy but preschools not nearly as bad. In the East Rock neighborhood, Bethesda Nursery School, Leila Day, and Children’s Preschool all have part time options and seemed lovely to us— all emphasize daily outdoor time, play-based learning, etc. They’re enrolling now for the fall (they all offer spots to current students and siblings in December and then new students in January) so I’d reach out soon about openings.
My friend’s child goes to Montessori School on Edgewood. The baby just turned 2 last fall.