Moving to Chicago | Imamother

amother

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 4:55 am

Hi,

We are most likely moving to Chicago from EY next year, though we haven't officially made a decision yet. My older daughter would be turning 4 in november, after the start of the next school year. We kept her back a year here from gan shalosh because she needed the extra year for her self-confidence etc. I wanted to know first of all, how does the education system work in america? What is the difference between preschool and nursery, and kindergarten? Does anyone have any recommendations for the school for that age (but keep in mind that we would like to place her where a 3 year old would go, not a 4 year old, we want her to be among the oldest - and yes we're doing this with our rav's advice)?

Also, when do schools do registrations for the coming year? If we're moving, we thought of coming by pesach time to check out the community - would that be too late to regsiter?

Thanks!

m in Israel

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 5:08 am

I'm not from Chicago, but I can tell you the basics. Outside of NY (which includes Chicago), "kindergarten" refers to the year before 1st grade -- what we would call "gan chova" here. It is generally for kids who will be turned 5 by the "deadline", which varies by location and school. Some schools may want the kids to be 5 as early as the beginning of the school year, some will accept kids with birthdays until the end of Dec., and occasionally even a bit later.

The year before that, the "4 year old" year, is usually called "Pre-K". That would probably be the age appropriate group for your daughter, but yes, she would be among the younger ones in the class. If you want her to be the oldest, you would go down a year to what is usually referred to as "nursery". Here's where you really need someone local, because in OOT U.S. sometimes the regular schools run "preschool" programs which may go as young as 3 year olds (nursery), some only start with Pre-K, and some may only have K, in which case for the younger kids you would have to find independent nurseries or preschools with a nursery class.

I would definitely NOT wait until Pesach to look into your options and register. Again, I don't know Chicago but many schools in the U.S., especially OOT register closer to Chanuka time. You can do your research by phone and then speak to the specific schools you are considering to find out when is too late for them.

amother

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 7:03 am

What's your hashkafa? On the far right there's Joan dachs bais Yaakov for girls and yeshiva tiferes Tzvi and the veitzener Cheder (it has a more chassidish leaning than ytt) for boys. In the middle there's arie crown with both a boys and girls division. To the left, while still being more or less orthodox is Hillel Torah and the Schechter schools.

nylon

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 9:20 am

Not exactly - Akiba Schechter is Orthodox but has non-Orthodox students, AIUI. It is down in Hyde Park, the only Jewish school there. The other Schechter schools (any school in the US named after Solomon Schechter) are Conservative (this would be the one in Northbrook/Skokie).

Also, US school cutoffs are earlier. Many places now use September 1. So many places do a 2 1/2 year old class, or a 2 yo class. my younger DC was born in September and will get 3 years of preschool.

Many frum NYC schools (not so much MO IME) use different names.

so the equivalents, with ages by Sept 1:

2yo - no formal name - don't know Israeli equivalent
3yo - nursery (may not have formal name) - trom trom chova
4yo - preK, NYC kindergarten - trom chova
--
(this is USA preschool). PreK is a relatively new name - when I was younger it was still just "nursery school" or "4yo preschool" so you may hear that from older people.

Here USA elementary starts:

5yo - Kindergarten, NYC Pre-1A, gan chova

Private schools may group the kindy with the preschool/early childhood but in the regular public system it is elementary school, so schools that do not provide a preschool will start with kindy and not first grade.

Annie

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 10:25 am

If she's turning 4 in November, most of what you're looking for in Chicago is a 3yr old playgroup, unless hashgafically you fit with Arie Crown or HIllel Torah in which case they have 3yr old nursery programs. Depending on where you live, and hashgafa, there's also the JCC which runs a 3yr old program.

Nursery is for 4 year olds, with deadlines ranging from 4 by 9/1, 10/1 or 12/1 depending on the school. Most people I know with October-Dec birthdays keep their kids back.

If you give me more information on what you're looking for I can be more specific. Schools take registration starting in December, usually, and playgroups (especially the better ones) fill up very quickly, and some take registration after Succos and are full by chanukkah.

busydev

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 11:44 am

It depends what school you go to but in JDBY the deadline is 12/1 to be 4 for nursery, then comes kindergarten and then 1st grade. registration opens in Dec I believe, but you should be able to apply later as well. I would do some research before pesach tho.

so if you want your daughter with 3yr olds you have to look into playgroups/pre-nursery. Playgroups can fill up fast. Registration opens around Chanuka IME (tho I havent had experience with THAT many groups). There is ACHDS that has a 3yr old program and also the JCC has a preschool program for that age which you can probably get her into later then the playgroups in peoples basements. So if you want to go that route you should start doing research after succos. Do you know what neighborhood you would want to live in? Probably would want a place closer to where you live then across town. There are many playgroups for this age.

So I guess the first step would be to determine which school you would probably fit into and go from there.

amother

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 2:17 pm

Hi everyone, Original poster here!

Thanks for all the information. We identify as charedi and would be sending to the bais yaakov.

So if I want to send my daughter to a 3-year old playgroup for a charedi hashkafa, which one would be matim and when/how do I register? Does the Joan dachs bais Yaakov have a pre-nursery/playgroup for this age?

Can I register from out of the country? Do I need to do anything in person there?

If we do decide to move, it would most likely be to west rogers park.

Thanks again!

busydev

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 2:30 pm

amother wrote:

JDBY does not have anything for pre-nursery. They start at nursery which is for children who will be 4 by December 1st.

There are many playgroups in WRP for charedi/yeshivish children. I will get you some names from an old thread here. I would say to call them after succos and ask them about their group (how many kids, how many teachers, basic curriculum, what makes them different, will they reserve a spot for someone who is hoping to move this summer, when does their registration open, etc... )

busydev

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 2:33 pm

3yo playgroups in Chicago:

Quote:

Freydah Adelman in PP, Merry Berkowitz, Esther Friedman, Shira Ruben, Deb Lichtman, Sori Hochberg, Yael Draiman, Miriam Spector, Chana Shapiro, Alexa Friedman and Lera Etzman, Sara Malka Krinsky, Tziporah Niehaus, Nuchie Kirsch, Sorah Malka Broyde, Aliza Kestenbaum, Zeesy Posner (Skokie), Fishbane, Shaindy Meisels, TAmi Shultz (Skokie), Tova Keller,

from this thread: http://imamother.com/forum/vie.....group
which you may want to read anyway.

PM me for more info about any of them-some I know about some not, but at the very least I can get you numbers to call them. or get yourself an acheinu.

amother

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 2:34 pm

busydev wrote:

Thank you!! That would really, really helpful. I would appreciate it so much.

Do you live in the area? We're still deciding if we're moving. I've heard great things about it, but we're so hesitant to leave EY...

mha3484

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 2:40 pm

busydev wrote:

3yo playgroups in Chicago:

Quote:

This is a big mix of ages. The 3 year old groups are: Freda Adelman, Sori hochberg, Miriam Spector (mix of twos and threes), Nuchie Kirsch, Fishbane (my DS goes there), tami Shultz and Tova Keller.

Any one can correct me if I got something wrong.

busydev

Thu, Sep 18 2014, 2:52 pm

amother wrote:

I live I Chicago. Not in WRP tho. I love it but ive also been all but born here (moved as a very young infant and never left). So I never got to experience the moving here knowing no one and how the community welcomes you or living in WRP (tho I have gone there for shabbosim).

Oops mha3484 you are right I didnt really read the list carefully (at all- just skimmed till I found it cause I knew it was there)

Some people may be hesitant to sign you up if its not for sure. I dont know.

also other 3yr old groups (both not in WRP tho) are Shaindy Meisels (my DS is there now- hes the youngest at almost 3) and Kestenbaum (forget her first name but shes for older 3's)

amother

Sun, Sep 21 2014, 4:21 am

Thank you so much to everyone for all your help! If it becomes relevant, I will ask you for contact information for the people you mentioned.

Another question - what is the difference between the west rogers park and peterson park communities? I was under the impression they were the same, but it sounds like peterson park is more charedi? Just trying to find the best community for us. We want the most right-charedi community Smile

Thanks!

OOTBubby

Sun, Sep 21 2014, 12:19 pm

amother wrote:

Thanks!

Peterson Park is a much smaller geographic area and is a self contained residential area (no stores; just homes). No apartments either, a few condos, mainly private homes. That allows it to be much more high density frum.

It has evolved into somewhat of a "fancier" area and particular with the newer kollel that came there (5-6? years ago) has definitely moved to the right.

It would probably be considered the most right-wing area, but West Rogers Park isn't so different. However, if you will need to rent an apartment, you will not find that in Peterson Park. There are a few houses available to rent. We were recently looking to buy or rent in PP (house) and there were only a few things on the market -- and anything reasonable gets grabbed up right away. Because West Rogers Park is larger there is more housing available.

I speak from first hand knowledge. I've lived in West Rogers Park for 40 years. My in-laws lived in Peterson Park. We recently sold our home in West Rogers Park to move to Peterson Park (to be close to most of our kids). It took many months of looking until we found something -- something very small on a large, but funny shaped lot which we will tear down and build anew on.

amother

Mon, Sep 22 2014, 2:23 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

Hi OOTBubby - thank you SO much for this information! It was really helpful!