I have an infant, but it's been very a long time since I've had to deal with preschool issues for a child.

I'm sort of incredulous at the idea that a child has to be well-prepared for kindergarten. What on Earth does that mean? I'm serious and not trying to find fault. Back in the day (like, when I went to kindergarten), toilet training was the only preparation necessary. Please advise before my child reaches that age, and I'm labeled one of those "bad mothers" for letting her play too much without the structure, purpose and academics (!?!?!) that a well-run daycare can provide.

Kids are being pushed harder and harder. Kindergarten is the new first grade. If your child does not his ABCs and 123s before kindergarten, they are at a disadvantage.
By the end of kindergarten some of the things your child must have mastered are:
Writing the alphabet, capital and lowercase, know the sounds these letters make.
Write consonante/vowel words, (pat, sat, hat,cat)
Reading short sentences,(She has a cat, I pat the cat, We pat the cat)
Recognizing a bank of 100+ words (Days of the weeks, Months of the year,ect)
Know your addres and phone number.
Recognizing and writing numbers up to 100
Basic addition and subtraction (1+2=, 2+1=)
Basic shapes and colors
Using scissors and glue independantly
Tying shoes, buttoning buttons, zipping zippers.
If it's Catholic school, you must know the Our Father and Hail Mary.

__________________
What American accent do you have?
Your Result: Philadelphia
Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak!

Wow. I guess I'm starting trouble here by saying that I have a hard time believing that Sacred Heart gets 5yo children to accomplish all this.

from what i've been told, a child has to pass certain tests to be admitted into the school's kindergarten. this is why it's getting to be more important that a daycare/preschool be geared toward more academic issues rather than just play time. they have that as well, as it's important, but they will always have playtime after school as well.

read to your children up till 2 yrs old and your children will have a head start ps the school was closed for having rat eating at there trash there a empty lot next door to the school that where the rat came from
?

Mikey.,....what are you talking about....what school-First Beginnings? When was it closed?

I absolutely LOVED First Impressions! I sent my son there and he loved not to mention how smart he was by the time he left there. It was so important to me that he receive a good education in the beginning because it sets the stage for the rest of his life. I do not know what mikey is talking about because there is no empty lot next door to the school, but anyway it is a phenominal place unlike any that I have seen!!!

i'm sorry the school was call down town children center at moymaning and snyder near 4th

I can't speak for Sacred Heart, but my niece goes to Christopher Columbus and is in kindergarten and can absolutely complete this list. She is also learning Italian.
I do homework with her every now and then and I am always surprised. Things have definitely changed since my days in school! They have raised the bar as far as educational expectations are concerned.

If we're still here by the time my younger dd goes to school, we would probably want to send her to Christopher Columbus. I've been looking into the different charter schools in Philly, and one or two really appeal to me.