The Aledo Preschool Tour Checklist

Bring this on every tour you take.

Choosing a preschool is one of the most consequential decisions a parent makes in those first five years — and it's the kind of decision parents often make in a hurry, with too little to compare against. This checklist gives you the same questions and observations to bring to every school you tour, so you can compare them fairly. Print it, take it with you, write on it. You're the one making the decision — you deserve the same tools at every door.

Tour Details

Before You Walk In

• Look at the parking lot and outdoor space. Is it well-maintained? Fenced? Are toys/equipment in good condition? The exterior tells you how much care the school takes when no one is watching.
• Notice the front door experience. Is the entry secure? Are visitors clearly logged? Does someone come greet you, or are you left waiting?
• Listen for the building. A healthy preschool has the hum of busy children — not chaos, not silence. Both extremes are signals.

What to Notice in the First Five Minutes

• Does the director (the actual owner / leader of the school) come out to meet you? Or is the tour handed off to a marketing coordinator? The first handshake reveals the school's structure.
• How do staff speak to children in the lobby? Are they at the children's eye level? Calm voices? Do they greet kids by name?
• How do staff speak to each other? Warm collegial tone? Or stiff, hierarchical? Teacher culture filters down to children quickly.
• Are the classrooms visible from common areas? Transparency in physical design correlates with operational transparency.
• Does your child want to peel off and explore? If they're with you, watch their body language. Children are remarkable filters of "safe" vs "off."

12 Questions to Ask the Director

1. Who owns and runs this school, and are they on-site daily?
   Family-owned, on-site director = one accountable decision-maker. Franchise / multi-site director = decisions made elsewhere.
2. What curriculum framework do you use — and can you name it?
   Listen for a real, researched name (Frog Street, Creative Curriculum, HighScope, Montessori). "Proprietary" or "we do our own thing" is the dodge to watch for.
3. How does your curriculum map to the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines?
   Real curriculum maps to this public document cleanly. Improvised activity collections don't.
4. What's the actual teacher-to-child ratio in my child's age group right now?
   "At state minimum" is the floor, not the goal. Ask what's actually happening today.
5. How long have your lead teachers been here?
   3+ years is healthy. "We just hired her in March" is a warning sign about working conditions.
6. Can I see the full school calendar for the year?
   Closure days quietly multiply your real cost. A confident school hands you the calendar without flinching.
7. Can I see the complete fee schedule in writing?
   Weekly tuition is just one line item. Ask about registration, supplies, holiday camps, late fees, materials, uniforms.
8. How has tuition changed over the last three years?
   Franchise locations often have scheduled annual increases that local directors can't negotiate.
9. How will I know what happened in my child's day?
   Real daily communication (Brightwheel app, daily sheets, in-person handoff) vs. "we'll text if there's an issue."
10. How does the school handle a hard moment — a tantrum, a hurtful word, a hitting incident?
    Listen for specific, child-centered, gentle answers. Vague or punitive answers tell you what daily discipline actually looks like.
11. If faith is important to you: how is it integrated into the day?
    Real answers: prayer time, scripture, character themes, holiday meaning. Marketing answers: "we share Christian values."
12. Can I read real, recent reviews from current Aledo families?
    Google, Facebook, and Yelp reviews from families with kids enrolled now — not staged testimonials.

Red Flags vs. Green Flags

After the Tour — Your Honest Gut Check