Cathy A - The only real difference between the stages is the contact hours (stage 2 is double that of the 1st) and 1st stage kids aren't automatically included in the 'transition to K' for the last term (where the preschoolers spend a few hours/week actually in their future K classroom).
mnmom23 - Thanks for your understanding. I guess it's the 'late but before the birthday cutoff' issue that has me most disheartened. I was honestly hoping that after all this waiting, he'd just go to preschool, enjoy the more stimulating environment than is offered at the child care centre, then off to K. My boy has stood at our front window, watching older kids walk to school everyday and begging me to let him go with them, for so long now. The children that we know and have playdates with (that are DSs age) have all been stage 1 this year, and preschool said no vacancies for DS. Now, next year DS still won't be in the same class as them. It's so hard to try and keep explaining why he can't be with his friends because quite frankly, I don't know why! We are very geographically isolated (it's at least a 4 hour drive each way to the nearest town with a school) but on the upside, when he turns 4 there are some sporting groups around here he can join. I'm not concerned about the 'academics' of preschool either, more the 'school experience' you speak of. He's had a lot of practice with open-ended, play-based learning so 'structured learning' would be the new experience in preschool for him.
I'm guessing we should just accept their initial placement offer and see what happens from there. Who knows, maybe by some stroke of good fortune, it'll all sort itself out by the start of school in January!
