Hi M.,
I would strongly recommend John Knox Presbyterian Church's Preschool. We are not members of the church. My son was in the 3 yr program last year and is currently in the Pre-K program. We do not live in North Olmsted, but were having a difficult time finding a preschool in the city we live in and did not know where else to turn. My husband and I both work and as most people are not made out of money. My husband is a North Olmsted school employee so he took the opportunity to talk with the kindergarten teachers in the district. He spoke with all of them at different times and we were shocked to learn that all of them recommended the program through John Knox. Each of them said that the children that go through the John Knox program are much more ready for kindergarten academically and socially. We took their advice and checked out the school and have been extremely happy ever since. Our child was an only child and my husband and I had no friends/siblings with children. Our son really need help socially. They were great with him....very patient. He did not talk for the first 6 months to anyone while he was there, but he would come home and talk up a storm about what he did and who his friends were. Then one day he decided to talk and the teachers said he has never stopped. As I said they were great with letting him adjust on his own schedule and I can not say enough great things about the individuals over there. We currently have another child and they will even let her join in on the activities when it is appropriate. They will give her a snack & let her join in reading circle time (if appropriate) and they don't have to do that. Let me know if you would like the teachers phone #. We signed our 2 year old up for the 3 year program next year already we have been so happy with them. Oh ya, the price is comparable to the other programs in the area as well. I am still sticker shocked, but I guess it is what it is.
We do have two areas of difficult. The one is that they do a few fieldtrips during the year, but they do not do transportation so if you want your kid to participate you have to figure out a way to get them there. The second area is sometimes the communication to the parents to a bit slow. When the parents pick up the child, the teachers discuss anything they need to tell you. We can not pick up our child due to work so we don't hear the details of what is going on from day to day or what is coming up. This is just our circumstances and the teacher does send home an activity log each day so I have an idea of what is going on. However, they are having a picnic next week and I found out about it on Friday that they need ideas on Monday for the picnic through an email. They also cancel school through email. Well, I don't have email at home so I don't find out about these things until much later than everyone else. That reminds me the preschool follows the North Olmsted city school schedule so they are off for Christmast and Spring Break. That is a bit tough sometimes. However, I am grateful for what they have done for my son and what (I am positive) they will do for our daughter next year.
