Haven's new preschool... maybe!

We went and visited Haven's new preschool on Monday.  It is seriously my dream preschool.  The place was AMAZING, the teacher was AMAZING, and I was completely blown away by the place!!!  It is a Montessori preschool in the basement of a woman's house that has been completely done up to look like a preschool with different centers and stuff.  We went during the morning while class was in session during one of their "free choice" periods.  You would not believe the kind of things these kids were doing- so incredibly awesome!  There are NO traditional "toys" there whatsoever.  Just super-awesome-amazing Montessori activities.  So even though the kids are having fun, they are learning and working on large/small motor skills, etc at the same time!  I seriously want to cry wishing that Venily was in that class right now and the previous year.  She would fit in SOOOO great there!  Even though I love her 4K class, it is seriously lacking in its ability to teach to her level.

The kids are mixed ages 3,4, and 5 (and Haven would be starting at 2, turning 3) and there is a heavy focus on reading and math activities and concepts.  Lots of sorting and stacking, rearranging, and putting things in order activities!  They also learn time, continents, Spanish, etc, etc!  And in the 7 years that the woman has been teaching, ALL of her students go to kindergarten already knowing how to read!  There were 5 years old preschoolers in the class reading at 2nd grade levels!  And all of the kids come in at different ability levels.  So fricken cool!!!!!  Everything the teacher said was EXACTLY in line with my way of thinking and teaching young children.

So why "maybe"?  Jason doesn't want to.  He doesn't think we can afford it.  He doesn't want to have to drive that far (it's like 25 minutes away).  And he wants me to homeschool her for preschool.  I want her to have the experience.  I think it will be what is MOST beneficial to her and I am willing to sacrifice big time in order to send her there.  So, we shall see...  I need to send in her registration form and money ASAP b/c there are 20 people on the waiting list after us (I'm SO glad I got on the list back in October)!!  *fingers crossed* I can get Jason on board b/c my heart literally hurts thinking she might not go there! :(  I think I'm going to try to get her in for 2x a week instead of the 3x (even though she really discourages parents from only going 2x a week).  I can homeschool her on the other days and it will cut down on costs, driving, etc.  Now I have to try to run it by Jason...