The Car and Other News

First, the good news. The car is not totalled. Not even close. It turns out the accident destroyed the radiator, a part of the air conditioning unit, and a fan in the engine. The most expensive pieces to repair are the air conditioning coolant system and the halogen headlights (at almost $250 a piece!). I don't even need new paint (isn't that crazy?!?) because the damage was to the bumper and to the latches holding the hood on (the hood didn't crumple). Anyway, I estimate I'll have our car back in about 3 1/2 weeks (I'm giving them a week of wiggle room there).

Second, the other news. Our preschool has been sold. I write our but I don't personally own it. I feel quite invested in it. This is only Casey's second year there, but we really researched which school would be best for him. And after the disaster of his first year of preschool (which I'd pretty much like to pretend never happened), we were picky. We wanted a place that was a neighborhood school. A real mom and pop kind of place. And Casey's preschool is just that. The owners live in the area. They opened the preschool more than 20 years ago because they couldn't find one they liked for their own daughter when she was 2. The curriculum is really impressive for pre-kindergarten. The teachers are nurturing. They are accommodating (for the most part). It's got diversity. It's just a good place. But the owners want to retire, and they've sold the place to Nobel, the people who own and run Discovery Isle. We got a letter today.

Here's what makes me mad about it all. We got a letter today. When we picked up our kids from school. Dated tomorrow. And they've posted signs that explain there will be an opportunity to meet the new owners and ask questions. Tomorrow. Between 11:45am and 1:00pm and again between 3:00pm and 5:00pm. Tomorrow. During work hours. Seriously? Less than 24 hours' notice? This does not bode well. I mean, I'm all for taking time off to go on field trips or volunteer. But couldn't they have done an evening question and answer? Or given me, oh, say a week's notice?

And I do have questions. They've said they will not change staffing. Will they change the curriculum to match the rest of their corporate-run schools? Will they raise prices to match their other location nearby (how could they not?)? Will they honor deals negotiated (like our discount for having multiple children attend)? Will they open the school to child care in addition to preschool, given that their other facilities in the area are open to 6-week-olds?

My biggest concern is that this will become one of those corporate places. The kind that's a day care with a little bit of preschool thrown in. Instead of preschool with a little bit of day care thrown in. And Casey has thrived at this school the way it is. If they change the curriculum, I think the change will be hard. And if they raise the prices, we'll have to go elsewhere. I don't know. I'm just not pleased with the idea of a "corporate" feel. So I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I mean, I know there are good places that are corporate. And Casey's teachers seem committed to sticking out the current school year. But I just really liked the small town feel of this particular school. Sigh.

So yeah. I'll be taking a long lunch tomorrow (and working a little late to make up for it) so that I can show up and ask my questions. I can't imagine they will be totally straight with us, though, especially when they are put on the spot. Mm Hm. I have great faith in corporate America, don't I? Them and politicians. That's who I always turn to when I want the complete truth of things.