abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, Children's Books, Educational Consulting, Hill Schools, Kindergarten, Learn to Read, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, NYC Public Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Public Schools, Reading, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor

Do NYC Private Schools Teach Reading in Kindergarten or First Grade?

Times writer Sarah Maslin Nir addresses a key issue on many prospective private school parents' minds today, when NYC private schools teach reading:  Reading at Some Private Schools Is Delayed. At some, often more progressive private schools, teaching reading has historically been on a more relaxed timetable, sometimes not until first grade.  In the last few … Continue reading Do NYC Private Schools Teach Reading in Kindergarten or First Grade?

abacusmom Admissions, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools

NYC Kindergarten Waitlist Blues

People are asking me if more people have been waitlisted this year at NYC private school kindergarten.  From my perspective, waitlists are longer than usual as it seems there are fewer flat-out rejections.  If your child is on a kindergarten waitlist, take ownership of the process and don't merely rely on your preschool director.

abacusmom Admissions, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, Hill Schools, Ivy League, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, NYC Public Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor

NYC Private School Kindergarten D-Day: The Wall Street Journal Weighs In

Thanks to Shelly Banjo at the Wall Street Journal for her article Kindergarten D-Day Arrives. Banjo writes: Official data won't be available until March, but schools across the city including the Friends Seminary and Poly Prep Country Day School report an increase in applicants this year. Meanwhile, admissions directors and consultants say there are even fewer … Continue reading NYC Private School Kindergarten D-Day: The Wall Street Journal Weighs In

abacusmom Admissions, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, Hill Schools, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, NYC Public Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools

NYC Private School Kindergarten: Decision Day is Today! Acceptance or Waitlist?

It's Friday February 11th, and NYC private school kindergarten decisions have been emailed or snail-mailed!  As expected, with the move to the shorter one week kindergarten decision period, more and more schools are moving to email notification. As of this morning, our Private School Admissions Support clients have let us know so far about emailed … Continue reading NYC Private School Kindergarten: Decision Day is Today! Acceptance or Waitlist?

abacusmom Admissions, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, Hill Schools, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC ISEE, NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools

NYC and Westchester 6th Grade and Private Middle School Decisions are Out!

We're thrilled to announce that our clients applying to sixth / 6th grade and middle school at NYC and Westchester private schools have been accepted so far to: Riverdale Horace Mann Fieldston Hackley Friends Packer Grace with more good news coming in daily! Congratulations!! For help with next year's sixth grade and private middle school … Continue reading NYC and Westchester 6th Grade and Private Middle School Decisions are Out!

abacusmom Admissions, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, ERB Prep, ERBs, Hill Schools, ISEE Prep, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC ISEE, NYC Private Schools, NYC Public Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Public Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, SSAT Prep, Westchester Private Schools, Westchester Public Schools

NYC High Schools: Selecting the Right Schools for You, Public and Private

The NYC Department of Ed announced this today for the NYC public school high schools: Students and their families are invited to attend the New High Schools Fair this weekend. At the fair, students will be able to meet with representatives from the new small high schools scheduled to open in September 2011.  The fair will be … Continue reading NYC High Schools: Selecting the Right Schools for You, Public and Private

abacusmom Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, Hill Schools, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, NYC Public Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Public Schools, Reading, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools, Westchester Public Schools

Kindergarten Redshirting: Should I Hold My Child Back? He Has a Summer Birthday.

Kristina Dell, of Newsweek and The Daily Beast, authored this insightful story today: The Problem With Holding Kids Back from Kindergarten. Dell writes: Holding back kids so they'll enter kindergarten at the ripe old age of six has become such a common practice there's even a term for it: redshirting, a word borrowed from the sports … Continue reading Kindergarten Redshirting: Should I Hold My Child Back? He Has a Summer Birthday.

abacusmom Admissions, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, Hill Schools, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools

Do NYC Private Schools Want First Choice Letters? Yes.

ISAAGNY's (Independent School Admission Association of Greater New York's) website clearly states: First Choice Letters ISAAGNY does not encourage formal expressions of first choice. ISAAGNY may not now officially "encourage" first choice letters, but many individual Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Riverdale private schools still do.  This year, as always, first choice letters or verbal commitments are … Continue reading Do NYC Private Schools Want First Choice Letters? Yes.

abacusmom Admissions, Educational Consulting, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools

Avenues The World School Set to Open Sept. 2012

Avenues: The World School is education entrepreneur Chris Whittle's new for-profit Manhattan private school.  Whittle has hired an all-star team of educators including Gardner Dunnan, Tom Bonnell and Libby Hixson from Dalton and Nancy Shulman from the 92nd St. Y.  Avenues plans to open for nursery through 9th grade in Sept. 2012 and expand one grade … Continue reading Avenues The World School Set to Open Sept. 2012

abacusmom Admissions, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, ERB Prep, ERBs, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools

ERB: Understanding ERB Score Reports (WPPSI III and WISC)

My clients often ask me to interpret their ERB score reports, both for the WPPSI (the ERB test given to kids applying to kindergarten and 1st grade) and the WISC (for kids applying to 2nd through 4th grades). ERB score reports always contain a performance section comprised of performance subtests and a verbal section comprised … Continue reading ERB: Understanding ERB Score Reports (WPPSI III and WISC)