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Guide to North Shore Preschools

One of the things that attracts people to the North Shore is its excellent schools. Usually when we talk about schools we are referring to elementary through high school. But if you have very young children, the more immediate concern is finding the right preschool. There are many outstanding ones on the North Shore to choose from. So many, in fact, that it can be daunting to try and select the right one.

I’ve compiled a list of some of the best preschools on the North Shore, organized by location. See the links at the bottom of the post information about preschools in each community.

How to Choose a Preschool

At the end of the day, choosing a preschool boils down to which one is the right fit for you and your child across a number of different dimensions. Here are some of the things you should take into consideration:

Days/Hours of Program
Many preschools are for a half day only (or less) and may be 2,3,4 or 5 days a week. Typically the program is more days and/or more hours as children get older. If both parents work, you will want to explore full-day programs or preschools that offer extended care options.

Credentials
Is the school accredited by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children)? Are the teachers trained in early childhood education? Do they know CPR and first aid? What is the student to teacher ratio? A good rule of thumb is one teacher to seven children for 2 and 3 year olds and one teacher to ten children for 4 and 5 year olds. Make sure to ask the director about teacher turnover, too. You don’t want a school that’s a revolving door.

Philosophy
Different schools follow different philosophies of education. Some are more play-based and others are more academic.  The important thing is to choose a program that feels right to you and fits your child’s particular learning style and personality.

Secular or religious?
Some schools are totally secular and some have a religious component. However, don’t assume that all church-based schools have a religious curriculum. Usually this will be communicated on the school’s web site, but it is something you should get clarification about from the director, if this is important to you.

What to Look For When You Tour

Try to do three things when you visit a school:  tour the facility, meet with the director and observe a class in session.

When touring, this is what you should see:
The indoor environment is clean, neat and well-organized. It should feel spacious, bright and inviting. The equipment and materials should be in good condition and age-appropriate. There should be an outdoor play area that is large enough for children to run and jump. There should be a variety of climbing structures, riding toys, balls and other play equipment.

Ask the director about the school’s philosophy, curriculum and daily schedule. Does it offer a good balance of child-directed play and teacher-led group activities? Do the children get to engage in a variety of activities every day?  Is there outdoor play every day? How is discipline handled?

If you are able to observe a class, try to spend at least 20 minutes, but stay out of the way so that you don’t disrupt the class. Are the teachers’ interactions with the children positive, consistent and fair? Do they encourage critical thinking and problem solving? Are they patient with the children and sensitive to their different needs? Are the kids happy and enthusiastic about what they are doing? Is there enough variety in the curriculum to keep them actively engaged?

After you’ve done your research and spent some time at the school, you will have formed an overall impression about whether it’s a good fit for your child. Above all, trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right to you, then it’s probably not the best choice. You know your child and what he or she needs better than anyone, so go with your instincts.

Read more about choosing a preschool here.

Go to links below for information on preschools in each community:

• Winnetka Preschools
• Glencoe Preschools
• Kenilworth Preschools
• Wilmette Preschools
• Highland Park Preschools

Guide to North Shore Summer Camps

Tags: Preschools

Harper School Inaugurates Science Exploratorium

Last fall, principal Sue Kick submitted a grant proposal to District 39’s Educational Foundation for a “Science Exploratorium” for Harper School. Her goal was to provide a dedicated lab that would enrich the elementary science curriculum by facilitating more hands-on learning. At the elementary level, science is typically taught in the individual classrooms.

The Exploratorium was recently completed and, as the first dedicated science lab in our district’s elementary schools, it is serving as a pilot program.

So far, the new Exploratorium is getting two thumbs up from teachers and students.

Teachers love it because they have access to equipment that is too big or too costly to have in each individual classroom. Plus, it’s much more efficient for them to set up an experiment in a separate space where they can leave it up throughout the unit than to try and cram it into a corner of the already crowded classroom.

The kids love it because going to class in a special science room makes science itself more special and more fun. All the equipment and models and collections are out and available to use and explore. The study of science is a lot more hands-on and experiential, so the kids are encouraged to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking skills. They are encouraged to become scientists, rather than just  sitting in class passively absorbing the lesson like so many little sponges.

Yesterday when I visited, a group of first graders were engrossed in a unit about matter, taught by Scientist in Residence, Judy McKee. She was showing the kids how heat or cold changes matter. Things melt or evaporate or solidify. She talked about volcanoes and lava, and then asked the students what they thought would happen to different types of materials when subjected to heat. The kids were bouncing out of their seats trying to share their ideas and hypotheses. Then came the hands-on work where they were able to test their hypotheses by heating up various substances to see what would happen.

It was fun to see how engaged and excited the kids were about science. A lot of it had to do with Judy McKee’s passion and enthusiasm, but the Exploratorium allowed her to make the science lesson come alive.

Tags: District 39, District 39 Educational Foundation, Gripp Grant, Harper Elementary School, Science Exploratorium, Wilmette

New Trier Referendum: Get the Facts Before You Vote

I realize that there are two sides to every issue and the referendum for the renovation of New Trier High School is no exception. I have my own point of view and I respect the fact that not everyone shares it.

Having said that, I do think that it is our responsibility as citizens to be informed voters. So, before you cast your vote this coming Tuesday, please make sure you have the facts. There is a lot of false and misleading information circulating. Here are some examples:

1. There will be a big balloon payment at the end of the project, at the taxpayers’ expense.
FALSE.
FACT: There is no balloon payment.That financing option was rejected. The increase to tax bills will be approximately $299 per $10,000 tax bill over the life of the project.

2. This is the largest school referendum in Illinois history.
FALSE.
FACT: This is NOT the largest school referendum in Illinois history. In 2006 alone, 4 larger capital referenda passed, approving bond issues of $185 million in Dundee, $225 million in Lincoln Way, $252 million in Plainfield and $450 million in Oswego. Also, it’s important to understand that new construction is cheaper than renovation because there is not demolition involved, nor the need to provide for continuation of classes and student activities while construction is going on.

3.At $300/sq ft. the cost of the renovation is more than the Trump Tower!
FALSE
FACT: When you compare apples to apples construction costs (not including furniture, temporary classrooms, demolition costs etc.), the cost of the New Trier renovation is $239/sq ft, which, needless to say, is significantly less than the Trump Tower.

4. This is just the first in a series of referenda that will increase our taxes.
FALSE.
FACT: The changes and upgrades being proposed are anticipated to see us through the next 20+ years without another capital referendum. In fact,  this is the first “bricks and mortar” referendum for the Winnetka campus since 1953. If the last one was 57 years ago, why do we think there are more planned in the foreseeable future?

5. The project is completely focused on athletic facilities and has nothing to do with improving the academic curriculum.
FALSE.
FACT: A new field house is one piece of the project…why? Because New Trier does not have adequate space for its athletic programs. It is virtually the only high school in the area that does not have a field house.

However, there will also be more and bigger classrooms that can use technology and are better suited to modern teaching methods,  a new cafeteria that can accommodate all students, a bigger library with more quiet study space, new science labs and new music, visual and tech arts classrooms.

It should also be noted that the renovation will correct a long-standing problem of inaccessibility: 30% of the campus is not ADA compliant.

5. The cost of the project will result in lower property values. (I got this one as a broadcast voice mail the other day)
FALSE.
FACT: One of the biggest draws for people to move to our township is the schools, particularly New Trier High School. As our high school gets more outdated and further behind the curve of what is the standard for excellence for high school education and facilities, New Trier township will become less attractive to prospective buyers, and THAT will cause home values to go down.

6. The renovation features excessive and frivolous things like heated indoor parking spaces.
FALSE
FACT: There are no heated underground parking spaces.  The new plan includes underground parking to replace current staff lots lost in the construction project and to preserve green space on the land-locked campus

To learn more about the proposed renovation, take the tour of the Winnetka campus. There are tours Saturday, January 30 at 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 1:00 and 1:45. Visit the New Trier facilities web site for a virtual tour and more details about the project. Read the top ten reasons to vote “yes” on February 2nd.

Then make your decision. If you still think the proposed renovation is wrong-headed, we can agree to disagree. That’s the beauty of democracy.

Tags: New Trier High School, New Trier Referendum

How Would You Feel?

How would you feel if your child were disabled and went to a high school that was not accessible to him or her?

That’s the case for disabled students at New Trier High School’s Winnetka campus.  A full 30% of the campus is not ADA compliant.  Watch this video made by Corin Atwell (2008) about what it’s like to be disabled at New Trier… then decide if you think this is a problem that should be corrected.

Now watch this video to see how this problem will be corrected if the Feb. 2 bond referendum is passed.

Related posts
New Trier High School Renovation: Yay or Nay?

Tags: New Trier High School, Winnetka

New Trier High School Renovation: Yay or Nay?

On February 2 residents of New Trier Township will vote on a referendum for the renovation of New Trier Township High School. The proposal has been three years in the making and has sparked quite a bit of controversy. Several alternative plans have been explored, including a total tear-down of the Winnetka campus, expanding the Northfield campus and moving the upperclassmen there, a partial renovation of  the Winnetka campus and maintaining the status quo (making repairs to the existing plant on an as-needed basis)

In a nutshell, what’s currently being proposed is the replacement of the oldest, least accessible and least coherent buildings on New Trier’s Winnetka campus, which are on the east and west sides of the campus. The Tower and north buildings would be retained. The estimated cost of the project is $174 million and the impact to the taxpayer will amount to about $250 per $10,000 tax bill. This is the first “bricks and mortar” referendum for the Winnetka campus since 1953.

There are two web sites dedicated to the issue. Our New Trier is pro-renovation and provides some compelling arguments in favor of the project. New Trier Choices is against the project. Rationale includes project cost as well as impact of construction on surrounding homes (noise, congestion, short term property values).

I have read everything I could find on both sides of the argument and I have taken advantage of the tour of the facility that is being offered almost daily through January 30th. If you can’t make the tour in person, you can take a virtual tour here. In fact, even if you can make the physical tour, take the virtual tour first – it provides a helpful overview of what you will see and hear when you go on campus. The tour I took was led by Principal Tim Dohrer and was extremely informative. We saw all of the problem areas and the plans to address each of them. I was  impressed with the thoroughness of the analysis and work that has been done so far to explore alternatives, respond to concerns and to make this project as cost-effective as possible.

For me the facts overwhelmingly support going ahead with this project. New Trier has long been recognized as one of the best high schools in the country, and is one of the reasons many of us moved to the area. However, some of the buildings date back to the early 1900s. They are expensive and inefficient to maintain. They are not designed for modern technology or for today’s teaching methods. Much of the campus is inaccessible to those with disabilities. New Trier is one of the only high schools in the area without a field house.  If we want to continue to provide top quality education to our children we need to address this obsolescence. As for the price tag? No one wants to pay more in taxes, but we have chosen to live in one of the most expensive areas in the country. What’s another $250/year to ensure that our children and future generations have the kind of education that they deserve.

Wherever you ultimately come out, if you are a New Trier resident you owe it to yourself to become informed on the issue and to vote accordingly, because the decision will have far-reaching implications for our community and for the education of our children.

Tags: New Trier, New Trier Township, Winnetka