Founder Tejal Shah Talks Parenting, Tech, & Entrepreneurship
Last week’s Girls in Tech Catalyst Conference was a three-day event showcasing women at the forefront of technology and entrepreneurship. Following a fireside chat with CBS Tech2’s Kym McNicholas, KidAdmit founder & CEO sat down with theCUBE’s Jeff Frick for a live interview discussing her entrepreneurial journey.
Listen as Tejal talks about parenting and technology, the top factors in parents’ preschool searches, and the #1 myth about the role of preschool. She also shares insights about her path to becoming an entrepreneur, including how she started KidAdmit 3 years ago.
Preschool Education in Maryland [Infographic]
Maryland is one of the most progressive states in the country when it comes to education. Education Week’s Quality Counts assessment consistently places Maryland at the top of its rankings for public school systems in the U.S. In December 2014, Maryland was awarded a $15 million federal grant to help expand preschool programs for low-income 4-year-olds throughout the state.
Even with its support of early education, the state of preschool in Maryland shows a large gap between those attending preschool and those who are not. Only about half of 3-4 year olds attend preschool, and those who do are twice as likely to be assessed as “kindergarten ready” by the time they formally enter school. KidAdmit has pulled the latest data to develop the following infographic, providing a snapshot view of Preschool Education in Maryland. (Click on the image for an expanded view.)
We got waitlisted for preschool. Now what?
March is the time when preschools send out the long-awaited letters for preschool admissions. You may be one of the many families to receive notifications that you’ve been placed on the waitlist. After all the hard work of applying, you may be frustrated and more anxious than ever. So what can you do?
Even if a waitlist letter makes your heart sink, it’s important not to take it personally. It is not a reflection on you as parents or your child. There are many factors involved when schools make placement decisions—perhaps there were a lot of siblings of already-enrolled students this year, or they needed to keep an even boy/girl ratio, or they had to balance the age range within the class. The good news is that spots may still open up, and there are also other options for finding a great school for your child.
If you’ve been placed on the waitlist for your top choice(s) of schools, it’s wise to have a plan of attack.
- Remember, you may still get accepted – Waitlist acceptances can start going out within 2 weeks after the initial acceptance letters have been sent. Even then, don’t lose hope if you don’t hear right away. Spots can open up throughout the summer as people move, change their minds, or get accepted into other schools.
- Decide if you want to stay on the waitlist – If you do wish to keep your spot on the waitlist, call the school. Let the director know that you’re still interested in the school and want to be in the running if a spot opens up. It’s okay to ask about the school’s timing for acceptances and if they’re willing to tell you what your chances are if a spot opens up. (Conversely, if you select a different school or you want to be removed from the list, call the school to let them know!)
- Find out: Does the school have other options? Maybe you wanted a morning spot, but there’s an afternoon spot available. Or you were hoping for full-time but they have a part-time spot still open. If you have your heart set on a particular school, it’s worth considering other options if you—and they—are willing to be flexible.
- Don’t pester the school – When you call the school about keeping your spot on the waitlist, ask them when it would be best to follow up. If they don’t have a suggestion or if you haven’t heard anything after a month, it’s reasonable to contact the school to reaffirm your interest in a spot. Resist the temptation to nag the school every day requesting an update (that won’t help your chances!)
- Look for other openings in your area – You can find open spots for all areas by clicking on the “Immediate Openings” link on KidAdmit’s home page. Openings are refreshed on a daily basis. We’ve had many happy parents who have found outstanding alternatives by finding an open spot in a school they’d never considered!
- Consider delaying for another year – Especially if your child has a few years before starting kindergarten, there are other ways he/she can get the kind of social interaction you’d find in a preschool class. Many cities offer toddler and preschool-age classes through community centers and Parks & Recreation departments. Other programs like Kindermusik, Music Together, My Gym, Gymboree, or your local YMCA have a variety of choices that provide a class-like setting to introduce skills like following directions, taking turns, and sharing.
- Apply again next year – If you don’t end up getting into your top choices or find another high-quality program, apply again the next year. It won’t hurt your chances if you didn’t receive an acceptance the first time, and it may even give you more time to become familiar with the school, its teachers and staff. If they have a summer school or camp, for example, you may want to enroll your child to get a better sense of the school’s culture and teaching approach. Plus, it helps put faces to the names for the school when your application comes through the following year!
Remember that you’re not alone when it comes to the waiting game. We invite you to share your experience with us and other parents! In the meantime, deep breaths and an MNO (or Dads-Night-Out) can work wonders!
What’s the Difference Between Licensed & Accredited Preschools?
You may have run into these two terms along your search for a quality preschool. But is there a difference between a school that’s “licensed” and a school that’s “accredited”? The answer is yes, they’re quite a bit different.
You may be surprised to learn that the majority of preschool programs are licensed, but relatively few are accredited. Less than 10% of early childhood programs are accredited by the NAEYC, which has the highest standards among the national accrediting commissions.
“Licensing” is required by the state to pass a minimal set of health and safety requirements. The specific requirements vary by state, but the goal is to ensure the safety and well-being of the children. This includes spot checks by the state’s licensing agency to ensure the school is maintaining the required standards.
“Accreditation” indicates a program has passed a standard of excellence set by a national accreditation commission. Unlike licensing, accreditation is a voluntary process. There are four main national accreditation associations, with NAEYC setting the most comprehensive group of standards. Because the quality standards are very high, you can expect an accredited school to have staff with higher levels of education, lower turnover, and relatively small class sizes. NAEYC’s standards cover 10 different areas, ranging from curriculum to leadership and management. You can learn more about NAEYC’s accreditation process on their website.
So does that mean that you should only look for schools that have been accredited? No—there are many quality programs that haven’t applied for the accreditation process because of the time and expense. It’s often not feasible for a small preschool program to undergo the 1-2 year process of achieving full accreditation.
The takeaway from all this is to look for preschools that are licensed, at a minimum. If the school also has been accredited, you can be assured that the program has achieved a high quality seal of approval.
*TIP: You can search for NAEYC-accredited schools on KidAdmit. When typing in your search address, click on “Filters” and select the “NAEYC” checkbox.
KidAdmit & the Preschool Search – Where to Start!
Here at KidAdmit, we meet frazzled parents every day and one of the most common frustrations that gets expressed to us is that parents just don’t know where to start when it comes to the preschool search. Well never fear, KidAdmit is here to help you navigate the preschool search process with less anxiety and less stress.
Step 1 – Get Educated
The first step is to acclimate yourself to the whole preschool world. Learn the lingo, do some research on philosophies, and figure out what’s important to your family.
- Take the KidAdmit Preschool Quiz to see which philosophy types might work for your family
- Visit the Preschool 101 section of our website to learn more about the entire preschool process
- Sign up for a KidAdmit Preschool 101 webinar to learn the basics and get your specific questions answered
Step 2 – Learn the Landscape
Now that you know a little more about what’s going on in Preschool Land – it’s time to narrow down your options to ones that might be a good fit for you and your family.
- Get started with our guide to search – ‘3 Easy Steps to Searching for a Preschool‘
- Sign up for a free KidAdmit account and start searching – be sure to filter and then save any schools you’re interested in in order to compare programs
- Learn from others by reading our post ‘5 Things I Wish I Knew When Applying to Preschool‘
Step 3 – Get in there
It’s officially time to apply. Thankfully you’ve done a lot of research and preparation before this step so don’t worry, you’ve got this!
- Download our 9 Quick Tips to help you when applying to preschool
- Get the inside scoop from a Director with our 2-part series ‘Tips from an Admissions Director‘
- Apply! You can now use KidAdmit to apply to schools throughout CA, NY, TX, MD, and NJ!
Step 4 – Enroll and Relax
Until Kindergarten that is!
Kidadmit wants to take the stress and anxiety out of the preschool process so just let us know if you have any other questions or if we can help in any way!
The Parent’s Guide to Preschool – Child Visits
It may not be officially back to school season but rest assured, you’re not alone if you’re one of the many parents with anxiety over an upcoming school visit. January is a big time when it comes to the preschool search because it kicks off child visit time in earnest.
For those of you who spent last fall applying to schools (likely after weeks of diligent research!), January can feel equally stressful because now you have to prepare for a child visit… or a classroom visit… or an observation… Don’t worry, we can help! KidAdmit has pulled together a quick primer on all things child visit to help you prepare and ease some of that stress.
So what exactly is a child visit?
A child visit – also known as a child observation, classroom visit, or play date – is a short visit (typically 30-45 minutes but can extend up to 2 hours) where parents bring their child to visit the school and/or classroom that they are considering. The child visit often includes other children (a mix of applying and current students) as well as the teacher or director. It usually includes typical preschool activities (free play, circle time, etc.) in addition to one-on-one time with the teacher. Essentially, a child visit is very much like a typical playdate – just at school!
What is the school looking for?
Child visits can be intimidating but the truth is that the school really just wants to get to know you – and your child – better than they can on a piece of paper. Directors like to observe how the children play together and to plan classrooms accordingly to best suit each child’s needs as well as to assess their school readiness and identify anything that may need to be addressed at home prior to starting school. They also want to make sure that your family will fit into the community of the school – the goal here is to make sure everyone is excited about the transition to preschool and prepared to make that transition as smooth as possible. And don’t worry – they are NOT looking for your child to behave perfectly or for a certain type of temperament. This is less of a test and more of an assessment.
What should I look for?
In the same way that the Director will look to make sure your child feels comfortable around the other children and in the school environment, you should watch for that too. You know your child’s cues better than anyone, so pay attention to how he/she reacts. You’ll learn a lot about which program might be right for your family by how these visits go – and you’ll be better prepared to deal with any separation anxiety that might occur when they do start school.
How should I prepare?
- Choose a time that works for you – some schools have set visit times and won’t offer you choices, but if they do, choose a time of day when your child is typically awake and alert to avoid any nap-time crankiness.
- Don’t overdress your child – remember, this is essentially a playdate so dress your child in whatever they would typically wear to preschool once they’ve started.
- Don’t prep or “coach” them – the child visit is truly meant to be an assessment for both you and the school and is meant to be casual. Trying to prep your child will only heighten the anxiety and make them more likely to react badly. Prep by doing what you normally do to socialize your child – visit the playground, schedule playdates, and keep any class appointments you might have.
- Bring both parents, if possible – as with a tour, it can be helpful to have both parents on site during a visit. One of you can address any questions from the school while the other keeps an eye on your child and you’ll both be able to assess your child’s reaction.
We know this can be a stressful time but remember that everyone involved is looking for a good fit between your family and the school – and that there are many programs out there; if one isn’t the right fit, there is certain to be another option for you and your child.
10 Unique Advent Calendars for Preschoolers
The countdown to Christmas has begun! Advent calendars can be a fun way to help children visualize and understand the countdown leading up to December 25th. Developmentally, advent calendars also present an interactive way for preschoolers to learn number and shape recognition.
We’ve pulled together a list of some of the most unique Advent Calendars out there. Most do not involve candy or chocolate—instead, you can get creative with how you’ll fill the nook behind each door (ideas included)!
1. Little People Christmas Countdown Calendar by Softplay– Kids hang a new fabric ornament each day on the Christmas tree, which plays music when pressing the star at the top.
2. Janod Puzzle Advent Calendar – This delightful advent calendar serves a double-purpose: Each door opens to reveal 2 puzzle pieces towards creating a beautiful 48-piece Christmas tree puzzle!
3. Eric Carle’s Dream Snow Pop-Up Advent Calendar – Based on the wonderful artwork from Eric Carle’s Christmas story, Dream Snow, the calendar reveals a new decoration each day to add to the scene.
4. Old-Time Christmas Village Sticker Advent Calendar – This high-quality advent calendar includes stickers to add to the village scene each day. The stickers are removable, so it can be reused each year.
5. KidKraft Gingerbread House – This adorable wooden gingerbread house includes 24 compartments to place treats or trinkets. You can also personalize the candy cane sign on the roof with your child’s name.
6. Melissa & Doug Magnetic Advent Calendar – The wood tree includes 24 magnetic ornaments and a star. Children can decide which ornament to place on the tree each day, or mix and match to their delight!
7. ALEX Toys Craft Crafty Advent Calendar – Kids will have a blast crafting this calendar with 150 peel-and-stick felt shapes to add to the tree. The felt tree includes 24 pre-sewn pockets so parents can add their own treats or goodies.
8. Dylan’s Candy Bar 2015 Advent Calendar Tree – If you’re going to go with chocolate, you can’t get more fun than with Dylan’s Candy Bar Tree. 24 chocolate-filled ornaments are hung on the sparkly tree, which is reusable for future countdowns!
9. Squish 24 Days of Gummies – Parents may end up keeping this yummy advent calendar for themselves! Each day includes a new gummy candy discovery, in flavors a true gummy connoisseur can appreciate—Alpine Strawberry, Sour Peach Hearts, Black Cherry, and even Red Roses!
10. DIY! – If you’re feeling crafty, Country Living has 25 make-it-yourself advent calendar ideas, from matchboxes to pegboards. Many of them are so easy you could put them together in a snap. Instead of treats or prizes, try adding a unique family activity for each day!
Are you stumped for ideas for what to add to your calendar? Garnet Hill has come up with a Set of Classic Toy Stuffers with 24 little toys and trinkets to fill your advent calendar or stocking.
Do you have a holiday countdown tradition? We’d love to hear them, so please add your ideas for more countdown fun in the comments below!
Gratitude Scavenger Hunt Printable
How do you raise grateful kids?
It can be difficult for younger children to understand the concept of gratitude. It’s something that is not as easily taught as learning good manners or behaving politely with others. Experiencing a feeling of gratitude requires the ability to have some sense of perspective, some idea that the pieces that make up our life don’t just “happen” automatically.
The earlier the better to help kids recognize the feelings of thankfulness. A great place to start is to help them identify what makes them feel good. For example, a toddler can probably immediately relate a feeling of warmth or security to a favorite bedtime toy. He or she can pretty quickly recognize that “Floppy” makes him/her feel good. From that, parents can ask what other things (or situations) give them that feeling?
In the spirit of helping children make the connection between their world and what gives them good feelings (=gratitude), we’ve put together this simple printable for leading your own “Gratitude Scavenger Hunt”. Included are 10 different categories for kids (and adults!) to identify something that makes them feel grateful. You can even make it a tradition to have everyone share their “10 things”—save and repeat each year as their perspectives broaden and change!
Click the image to open the printable!
5 Things I Wish I Knew When Applying for Preschool
It’s preschool application season yet again and KidAdmit is here to help! Today we wanted to share with you a classic post from our archives – 5 Things I Wish I Knew When Applying for Preschool, from our CEO and Founder, Tejal Shah! Want more tips on how to get started and find the right preschool for your family? Join us at one of our regular Preschool 101 Webinars!
Got preschool on the brain? So do we!
Here are 5 tips that should help parents feel more prepared when applying to preschool for their child(ren). These tips are ones I have heard from several preschool directors and early education consultants.
- Every preschool is unique. I wish that all preschools followed the same process and formula but unfortunately, this is not the case. Given this, it really helps to know your audience. This means making sure you do ample research on each preschool and their process. If the school has an application deadline, make sure you apply well before the deadline. If the school requires a tour before applying, make sure every decision maker in your house attends. If you are looking into a coop preschool, make sure you can follow through on the time commitment required. Most of this information is available on KidAdmit as well as on the school’s website.
- There is no such thing as a feeder preschool. In the age of diversity, most preschools and K-8 schools are looking to attract a diverse group of families rather than pulling directly from a specific preschool or daycare. Diversity in ethnicity, socio-economic makeup, and neighborhood are all factors. Schools love to say that they attract families from all over because of their sought after program.
- But there are definitely directors who can help you navigate choosing the right K-8 school. This is very important if you need someone to guide you through the Kindergarten process. Like every other industry, it’s all about relationships. Many preschool directors have great relationships with certain private K-8 schools in which they can help families make the most out of their applications. A reference letter from a reputable preschool director can be very helpful when applying to private grade schools. As for public schools, there is no way to work the system, you get what you get.
- Make sure you are not only applying to super competitive preschools: You may have heard the horror story that your friend applied to 8 schools and didn’t get into any. This can happen when people only apply to super competitive schools. It comes down to the math. Most preschools have approximately 10 openings each year. Once you factor in siblings, you are competing with hundreds of families for a handful of spots. How can you prevent this? Keep your options open and apply to schools that are wonderful neighborhood gems but may not be listed in that top 10 list of preschools. Just because a school is super competitive doesn’t mean it’s the best school for your child and just because a schools isn’t super competitive doesn’t mean it’s not a wonderful school. There are many factors that can make a school competitive; anything from how long they have been around to how much advertising they have done. Most schools are set up to think about the kids, not always business – which is a good thing.
- Be careful when listening to advice from others: This is the #1 reason why there is so much anxiety around applying for preschool. Parents are always asking other parents tips and tricks on how to get into a school and this advice can be very misleading. If you hear that it took an exorbitant amount of creativity or money to get into the right preschool, like putting together a multi media presentation or a large donation, this simply isn’t true. Preschool directors are looking for families that are passionate about their school and are excited to be part of the community. They wish they could accept more children into their programs but ratios and ample attention to each child prevents this with good reason. If you want to make sure they know you’re interested in their program, simply ask them how they would like to be communicated with in order to stay in touch. You don’t want to be that parent constantly calling and preventing them from doing their job. You do want to simply thank them for everything they have shared and let it be known that they are your number one choice should anything open up
Lastly, there is no reason to feel overwhelmed with this process. We’ve surveyed lots of families and 90% got into the preschool of their choice. Just stay patient, keep an open mind and all will work out. Remember, no one ever asks where you went to preschool.
This post originally appeared on Recess Urban Recreation
Northern California Counties – Find Preschools with KidAdmit!
Even though some people think of the Bay Area as Northern California, we know there’s a lot more to it – and Northern California counties, we’re excited to tell you that KidAdmit now includes you as well! Whether you’re looking for a preschool in Mendocino County or a daycare all the way up in Siskiyou County, you can now use KidAdmit to find programs that work for you! Get started by entering your address on our search page or click on your city below to see the programs there.
Preschools in Butte County:
Chico Preschools
Oroville Preschools
Preschools in Del Norte County:
Crescent City Preschools
Preschools in Humboldt County:
Arcata Preschools
Eureka Preschools
Preschools in Lassen County:
Susanville Preschools
Preschools in Mendocino County:
Ukiah Preschools
Preschools in Shasta County:
Redding Preschools
Preschools in Tehama County:
Red Bluff Preschools
Don’t see your specific county or city? Don’t worry! We have licensed programs in every county so just search by your address on our search page and see what’s nearby. You can also sign up for our monthly webinars to learn more about the entire preschool process and how to find a program that works for you!
Quick Tips & a Free Webinar for Your Preschool Search!
KidAdmit recently hosted its first webinar, “Preschool 101: Where to Start & How to Choose.” Led by Susan Mees, KidAdmit’s Head of Market Growth, the 1-hour session was jam-packed with valuable info for parents facing the preschool applications process. We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout and range of fantastic questions posed by parent attendees!
Topics covered included:
- Where to start when picking a preschool
- Preschool philosophies and terminology
- How to narrow the search to find the right schools for you
- What to look for when visiting a school
- How to navigate the admissions process
We cherry-picked 9 Quick Tips from the webinar to help you as you navigate the preschool process. Just click on the image thumbnail to view at full size:
9 Tips When Applying for Preschool
Are you interested in attending a future webinar from KidAdmit? We’ll be offering a series that includes Preschool Admissions basics, differences between preschool philosophies (Montessori, Waldorf, etc.), and more based on your most burning questions. Our next FREE Preschool 101 webinar is coming up on Monday, September 28th @4pm PT (7pm ET). Don’t miss out! Register below!
KidAdmit is Expanding! Welcome CA Capitol Region!
KidAdmit is on the move and we are committed to easing the pain of the entire preschool process throughout all of California! We’re thrilled to announce that families in the Capitol Region (we’re looking at you Sacramento area!) can now use KidAdmit to search for programs, contact preschools, and even apply to those preschools that may be a fit for your family. Are you located in the capitol region or know someone who is? Get started searching today!
Preschools in Sacramento County:
Citrus Heights Preschools
Elk Grove Preschools
Folsom Preschools
Rancho Cordova Preschools
Sacramento Preschools
Preschools in Solano County:
Dixon Preschools
Fairfield Preschools
Vacaville Preschools
Vallejo Preschools
Preschools in Yolo County:
Davis Preschools
West Sacramento Preschools
Woodland Preschools
Preschools in Sutter County:
Yuba City Preschools
Preschools in Nevada County:
Grass Valley Preschools
Preschools in Placer County:
Auburn Preschools
Lincoln Preschools
Loomis Preschools
Rocklin Preschools
Roseville Preschools
Preschools in El Dorado County:
South Lake Tahoe Preschools
Need help getting started? Be sure to check out the KidAdmit Preschool Quiz, our Preschool 101 guide, and Immediate Openings in your area!
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