Preschool Recommendations in Howard County MD

hi E.,
i spent over a year researching options for my two children and finally decided on Columbia Montessori School. The school is WONDERFUL! I can't say enough about the teachers. My kids are 7 and 4 1/2, and both started at 2 1/2 there. My 7 yr old is reading at a 3rd grade level already b/c of the great foundation she had there.
My niece, nephew and neighbors have go there too b/c of the recommendation. The school administrator is Maria Garcia and you can let her know that the Wong family referred you. Their website is:
www.columbiamontessori.com

10508 Marble Faun Ln
Columbia, MD 21044
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Good luck!
-S.

Hi E.
My children have all gone to Glen Mar United Methodist Pre-school - my youngest just had his orientation into the 2 year old class today.
The school has a great program and my older children were very well prepared for entering kindergarten. I think there are openings in some of the classes for this year, and they start taking registrations for the next year in February.
L. P

I would start the process in November of the year before they will start. So if you have a child that will be 3 in 2009, I would start looking this year. There is a preschool fair in River Hill in January that showcases most of the preschools.

I absolutely love East Columbia Preschool. I have had all my 3 children attend the 3 year old and 4 year old programs. I am also a daycare provider and have had almost all my preschool age kids attend. In fact, this year, I get to co-op for one of my daycare children! I can't wait.

It is a co-op school, so you do help out in the classroom, but I would do that anyway. . .It is a wonderful experience for the entire family. Here is their website http://www.eastcolumbiapreschool.com/ECPHome.html

Althought there is the preschool fair in January, it is toward the end of January and most preschools do their registration beginning to mid-January. So be prepared to decide on a school by that time. But in the November search time, many schools will allow you to observe the classroom.

Good luck
K.

If you're looking in the southern half of the county, I'd recommend Emmanuel Methodist Preschool http://www.emmanuelpreschool.com/ . We've had both our kids there and really like their program. It has a good balance between playing and academics with a big focus on learning how to get along with classmates and follow directions for later success. It is a church affiliated program but is not overly religious if that's not your thing. They do have a waiting list you can put your name on at any time without obligation, but I believe there are currently openings in most age groups.

Howard County public School system offers a preschool thru their RECC programs as well as a prekindergarten program. You do have to start in February of the year that they will be starting preschool though. The RECC program is for children with special needs but they have peers in the class. My son did this program for 2 years and he received a lot of 1 on 1 attention from all his teachers and in both his classes the child/teacher ratio was 3:1 or 4:1 at most. My son was a peer in their MINC (multiple intensive needs curriculum I think it stands for) and it was wonderful for him. Plus the price was great. With the Pre-k program it is income qualified, then English as a second language and then it is opened up to other children in the school district. There may be a 3rd qualifying criteria I'm not sure. How they also place the children after qualified kids are placed I'm also not sure. But check with the school you are districted to and they can tell you. Good luck