Frequently Asked Questions
We know that many of you are trying to decide whether to send your child to the Children Central full-day kindergarten, our AM/PM kindergarten enrichment program, or to the half-day kindergarten program at your local elementary school.
In our recent discussions with many of you, it is apparent that you are weighing the pros and cons and ultimately want to do what is best for your child. We want to share our answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions or concerns that have been asked by parents that are in the midst of making their decision.
Q. How many students on average will be in the local elementary half-day kindergarten compared to the full-day kindergarten at Children Central?
A. Children Central expects to enroll approximately 10 students with a maximum of 15, compared to approximately 25 students at the local half-day kindergarten.
Q. How many hours is the Children Central kindergarten program and what does tuition cover?
A. Our kindergarten program is from 9AM-3PM, a full 6 hours of daily curriculum. Tuition includes drop-off from 8AM and pick-up until 6:30PM. (Early drop-off from 6:30AM is available for an additional fee). Please contact us for tuition details and to schedule a tour.
Q. What does the Children Central kindergarten curriculum include?
A. Please see the link on this page for the detailed schedule. The schedule is also displayed in the kindergarten classroom and you may request a copy. We are proud of the fact that Children Central kindergarteners graduate having learned approximately 100 sight words, and most can read by the time they graduate. With such a small class size, our kindergarten teacher is able to work with the class on an individual basis throughout the year to help strengthen reading skills and other important fundamentals, so that students are prepared to excel in the first grade.
Q. Is Children Central a licensed program just like the elementary school?
A. Yes, Children Central obtains licensing certification and our curriculum is approved by the PA. Board of Education in Harrisburg, just like any other elementary school program. A minimum of 180 school days are required by all kindergarten programs, which we easily achieve, since we are open many more days than the elementary schools. You may request a copy of our license, or ask to see it during your tour.
Q. What happens when the teacher is absent?
A. Children Central will enlist the help of a qualified substitute teacher just like any other elementary school program. Fortunately, our kindergarten teacher is quite conscientious and rarely misses a day!
Q. If I should decide to have my child attend the half-day kindergarten at the elementary school and would want Children Central to drop-off / pick-up my child to attend the morning / afternoon enrichment program, what is the curriculum, tuition and hours included?
A. The curriculum is the ‘High Reach for Fives’ which is the same curriculum we utilize in our full-day kindergarten. The teacher focuses on supplementing fundamental skills such as writing, spelling, math, etc. The weekly lesson plan is posted at the classroom and you will receive a daily activity report. The students also get to have some fun as they will play on our large playground, do various arts and crafts activities and even celebrate the popular holidays throughout the year.
For the afternoon enrichment program, tuition includes pick-up at the local elementary school and the class starts approximately 12PM and continues until 3:30PM. Tuition also includes the after-care program until 6:30PM.
We will add a morning enrichment program based on demand. The tuition would include drop-off anytime starting from 6:30AM and the morning curriculum would begin at 8:00AM until approximately 11:30AM in order to drop-off at the school in time for class.
Please call us: 215-752-9330 for tuition details and to arrange a tour. If you should have any additional questions about the full-day or enrichment programs, we would be glad to answer them for you.