Preparing for a Private Kindergarten or Primary school visit

Planning for your first visit to a new school is exciting and should not be a source of anxiety for you or your child.

I've found these quick tips help you get the most out of the visit. Here are some hints I share with parents visiting our private junior kindergarten (JK) or primary school program about their child's upcoming school visit. These recommendations generally apply to most preschool/preK, JK, kindergarten and elementary school aged children.

Aim for an early bedtime the night before and a great breakfast in the morning.
Prepare by telling your child, "You and other children have been invited to visit a school. You will work with some teachers and play with children just like you do at preschool." Top kindergarten and primary schools have prospective students work one-on-one with a teacher, in a small group with other students, and in a large group as well. Sharing with peers, listening to directions from an adult, and following directions are important parts of their visit. Preparing them to anticipate this will help.
If your child separates from one parent or caregiver better than another, consider having them drop off for the visit day/playday. In addition, the best teachers have fun and creative activities to ease the transition for children entering new situations and environments.
Ask the Admission office about the arrival time. Timing can be tricky when navigating Alexandria and D.C. area traffic so I recommend arriving a few minutes early - but no more than ten minutes. If you come too early your child may run into another group leaving or have to wait for their visit to begin - which can be overwhelming for your child.
Check on what type of clothing your child should wear. I recommend children wear play clothes and comfortable shoes. On your visit, you want your child to have an opportunity to be comfortable to run around, transition to different rooms and play.
Give your child a big warm hug when you reunite. Resist the urge to ask an adult how they did when you are reunited. Teachers look at different skills and recognize that your child is going to have wonderful strengths and areas where they need a little support.
Finally, take a deep breath!

In the end, you should begin to determine if that school is a good environment for your child to be cared for, if you feel a safe community where your child is cared for and see if your child has fun. You are evaluating the school as much as the school is observing whether they can best serve your family's needs. All of the information gathered from the school visit will be helpful in determining what is best your child to become ready to thrive. Wishing you a wonderful visit!