Hello! Does anyone have any experience with the Wheaton Park District pre-school? I plan to send my son next fall as a 3 year old. Any other suggestions for this area?
I heard that one year they were great and the next year with new teachers was quite unorganized. I would suggest sitting in on one of the classes before you decide.
I have a lot of neighbors' children that attend pre-school at First Presbyterian and love it.
Hi E.. I know some Moms who have kids at the WPD preschool. They have said its fine, teachers are nice. If the class is held at Rathej Park I would discourage you from sending your child there. This is the same park the Wheaton Police lure internet predators to for arrests (and they usually do it on weekday mornings).
My children go to Gary United Methodist Preschool on Main St. While the curriculum is very similar to other preschools, I feel the teachers there are what sets this school apart from the rest. While I was shopping around for a preschool 3 years ago, I also toured Toddler Campus and 1st Presbyterian. I found Toddler Campus to be a little too impersonal and the teachers didn't give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. 1st Presbyterian was a little too strict - I sat through a whole class and got to see the 3 yr old's teacher loose her temper at one point. I did like 1st Presbyterian's drop-off/pick-up (you don't go into the school, you pull your car up and they bring the child out, nice if you have another smaller child).
We love St. James the Apostle in Glen Ellyn (on Park Blvd near COD). The teacher is amazing!!
If you are on the west side of Wheaton I would recomend Hope Lutheran Preschool. It is right off Route 59 and Joliet Street. Mrs. Whitney is terrific, she treats the kids like they are gold. This may be too far for you, but thought I'd mention it just in case.
Hi E. - I don't know anything about the Wheaton Park District preschool, but since you also asked for other suggestions for this area ...
M oldest two kids, ages 3 and 5, attend Carol Stream Christian Academy, which is a preschool through elementary school at Schmale and North Ave. in Carol Stream. My 3-year-old son is in his first year of preschool there, and my 5-year-old daughter, who is now in kindergarten there, has attended since she was in 3-year-old preschool. It is an amazing school, and I love the continuity of the same kids growing up together beginning when they are 3. I don't know of any other preschool in the area that continues on to kindergarten and elementary school. We have families that come from all over Chicagoland to send their kids there - one even lives in Indiana and drives over an hour each way. My daughter learned to read there when she was in 3-year-old preschool and now, in kindergarten, reads around a second or third grade level. My 3-year-old is learning to read this year, just like his sister did there at his age.
I can't say enough praise about the school - the teachers, administration, and academics all combine to make it a place of excellence, or I wouldn't send my children there. You can see from their website (www.carolstream-christianacademy.com) a little more of what the school is about if you are interested, and I'd also be happy to tell you more about it. Their website is badly in need of updating though (which I have volunteered to do with their "webmaster"), so, on that issue, I'd have to say don't judge a book by its cover!
Jefferson preschool is awesome too.
Both of my kids went to the Wheaton Park District Wide Horizons preschool at Rathje park. They (and I) loved the program. The teachers changed a bit over the 4 years that we went there and I don't know the current teachers. But, I can't say enough positive things about the experiences we had with the program. I don't know anyting about the community center location.
Hello, again. Felt that I had to edit my response after seeing the response cautioning you against this location. I spent 4 years at this location at morning preschool and I NEVER saw any police there. I also NEVER saw anyone hanging out at the park who did not have preschool children with them at the park. This is a neighborhhod park nestled in the midst of many homes and I never suspected suspicious activity going on there. We have also spent tons of time there in the winter ice skating at Rathje park pond. This is in a wonderful neighborhood.
