Comments on: Basics of CPS

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:43:18 +0000

Joining NPN (neighborhood parents network) costs about $40 but can be a good investment when searching for pre-k. They maintain a list, plus the message board is great for info.

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By: Albany park mom

Albany park mom — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:41:43 +0000

Co-ops are a good option. Our child goes to North Park Covenant Church co-op. While it is in a church, the school is secular. We love it there! Depending on your child’s age, there may or may not be a wait list. It certainly isn’t 200!

By: jrwillliams

jrwillliams — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:30:01 +0000

Thanks for your help cpsobsessed and Working mommy of 2! I’ll look into those programs.

By: Working mommy of 2

Working mommy of 2 — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:27:49 +0000

We sent our 3-year-old to a park district Pre-K program this year and have been mostly happy with it. We had applied to our local CPS school but there wasn’t space for him. I wasn’t sure I wanted him to go to school five days a week at age 3 anyway, so I wasn’t too disappointed about getting shut out of CPS.

Some pros about park district: 1) Variety of times/days to choose from. The schedule comes out at the end of July. Some programs allow you to register for the entire year, others for just one session (fall) and then you have to keep re-registering. 2) Cost. It is definitely the cheapest option of the pay options.

Some cons about the park district: 1) I don’t think the “teachers” are actually certified teachers. They will do ABCs and numbers and shapes but they lack the depth that some of the better CPS schools offer. That said, it can vary from park district to park district. For our son’s first year, I really just wanted him to get used to separating from me (it wasn’t fun at the beginning) and it definitely allowed us to do that. He is a different kid for sure than he was in the fall. 2) It’s just as competitive to get into as CPS. Better be ready to hit the button at 9 a.m. sharp on registration day.

I also have friends who were happy with the YMCA program. It’s more $$$ than park district but less than the private schools.

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:46:41 +0000

I am somewhat out of the preK loop now, but the park district used to be the go-to option before Blago gave us free preK. Yes, 5 years ago, everyone paid for preschool!
There is at least one co-op program called Families Together. Perhaps others?
Also, some preKs may offer 3 day options that are less pricey than every day options.

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By: jrwillliams

jrwillliams — Sun, 20 May 2012 03:43:44 +0000

Let me start by saying kudos on your site. It’s great.

My husband and I started researching preschools for our son in April. It seems like everything had to be in for CPS last October. We went to our neighborhood school and they said they had a 200 person waiting list! Are our only other options an expensive private school or waiting until 2013 to get him into kindergarten? What other suggestions, if any, would you have?

Thanks!

By: RL Julia

RL Julia — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:09:58 +0000

Have a co-worker with two kids at Bridge -she likes it.
Locke has a Middle Years IB program.

By: Albany Park Mom

Albany Park Mom — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:50:26 +0000

Hi all,
Thinking about moving to the Dunning neighborhood on the far NW side. Any feedback on the elementary schools there? Locke? Bridge? Canty? Dever?

Thank you!

By: RL Julia

RL Julia — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:43:38 +0000

For a neighborhood CPS school (and several non-neighborhood schools) Nettelhorst actually has good test scores.

Every math curriculum has it good and bad points, it supporters and those who can’t stand it. Lots of CPS schools use Everyday Math.

Since I believe a group of parents from Nettelhorst wrote a book about revitalizing the school and “taking back” the neighborhood etc… I’d imagine that it might be hard to find an unenthusiastic parent easily. I’d say you are pretty lucky.

Remember a school might have an awesome early education component but not such a strong middle years component

Its hard to predict what the high school enviroment will be in eight years. Honestly, what is going on there now might not even be relevant in eight years. Eight years ago Northside College Prep and Payton hadn’t even graduated their first class of students.

By: KS

KS — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:25:29 +0000

Hi guys. My daughter is 3 yr. old and we live in the Nettelhorst neighborhood. I started looking more into it and I am not quite comfortable with the academic performance/scores at Nettelhorst. In addition, I have serious issues with them using Math Trailblazers. I have a graduate degree in mathematics and this seems like “math for kids who will never do anything serious with math.” How many other CPS schools are using this approach to teaching math? Do they use Trailblazers at Blaine, Bell, Lincoln Park?

Anyway, I know there has been a lot of good publicity about Nettelhorst, and I love the idea of supporting the neighborhood school , but wanted to see what parents have to say about it. Also, do we know where kids end up after 8 years at Nettelhorst? What high schools do they get into?

Thank you!