What do I do next year?

If your child has a late spring, summer, fall or winter birthday you might have been asked this question.

“Are you going to hold them back or send them to Kindergarten?”

It is a controversial topic with no easy answer and it seems everyone has an opinion!

Part of what I love about admissions work, particularly Lower School admissions, is helping parents sort through this very question. Here are some tips.

1. Determine the age cutoffs at the schools you are interested in your child attending.
2. If your child does not make the age cutoff see if there is a program for younger students. For example, we have a Junior Kindergarten with a later age cutoff than our Kindergarten cutoff.
3. If your child does make the age cutoff for Kindergarten, but you are curious about your options, talk to the admission office. Speak to your child’s preschool teacher, talk to a friend and/or your pediatrician. We do not have a crystal ball, but it does help to think it through with people you trust.  
4. Be open with the admission director or the school about your concerns. We are here to help you with this decision.

I will be discussing this and other topics associated with Kindergarten Readiness on our Lower School campus on Friday, November 13, 2015, 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. To register, CLICK HERE or visit our Community Programs page. Bring your questions and join the conversation!

Sincerely,

Katherine



Originally from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where she attended an independent school from preK-12th grade, Katherine Carbo earned a bachelor’s degree in business and a law degree before returning right back to the independent school world. With experience at four different schools from coast to coast, she writes insights and observations from the front line of independent school admissions.  Mrs. Carbo is the Director of Lower School Admission &Financial Aid at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia.  She may be reached at kcarbo@sssas.org.