Now What?

My new job has on-site day care. That site is still being built and isn't ready to show but I made an appointment today to meet the director and visit their other site. I was not impressed.

Here are the pros and cons of each. I have a couple of weeks to make a decision. Help!

NEW DAYCARE

Pros:
* in my building (I can peek in on her at any time and maybe we can have lunch together?)
* $180 a month cheaper (I pay $1,000/mo. now--well, plus $45 biweekly summer camp surcharge-- but it drops to $780 when she turns 26 months, next month. The new daycare will be $600/mo. so it's significantly less than I pay now and will be $180 cheaper than my current place will be in the fall.)

Cons:
* director seemed to lack knowledge of child development and education (He said that 2 year olds learn all their numbers, letters and sounds and by three they can write their name and read. I asked what curriculum they used to teach these skills and he said, "There are all sorts of curriculums [sic] out there like Creative Curriculum... but we just kind of do our thing." Huh?! Then I said, "Well, my daughter is a second language learner and such an academic curriculum may not be developmentally appropriate for her. Do you differentiate and if so, how?" And his response: "No, we don't differentiate. Don't worry your child will be able to do it." Wrong answer.)
* too academic, not enough play (saw three year olds doing worksheets)
* they watch videos once a week (why??)
* saw a kid being dragged in by his mother (he clearly did not want to be there)

Unknowns:
* Will the fact that it's in a school setting in a very involved neighborhood and community make a difference in what or how they are taught at the new site? I can't imagine the school community and neighborhood families putting up with a uncreative, worksheet-driven, fly by the seat of your pants curriculum. But they won the bid to be in my building so maybe whoever made the decision to bring them onsite was impressed with something.
* What will the classroom set up be like? There are only going to be two rooms allotted for the daycare for 2, 3 and 4 year olds. I know the two year old classroom will have 12 children. I am assuming the 3 and 4 year old classrooms will also have as many kids. That is sounding very crowded and chaotic but then again, that's what my current daycare is like as well and it seems to work.
* If I am ultimately unhappy with her care, will expressing my concerns create a rift with my new colleagues? This concerns me. The daycare is right down the hall from the Kindergarten classrooms. We all need to get along. Will expressing my concerns about my child's happiness be met with understanding or will it create problems?
*I don't feel terribly comfortable changing her caregivers again. She has had a lot of change in her short little life and although she may be fine, I don't think it's beneficial.
* And most importantly, will she be happy and I stress-free? I am starting a new job and I can't have her unhappy or me worrying about her daycare be on my list.


CURRENT DAYCARE

Pros:
* she seems happy and likes to go each day
* they don't seem to stress academics until age 4 (or at least at Naomi's age they learn through play)
* I believe the staff to be knowledgeable about child development and loving

Cons:
* they feed her junk food
* they blare music
* it's $200/mo. more
* it's not on-site (it's 5 minutes away from work, adding ten minutes to my commute)

The biggest issue is the new site isn't built yet so I can't see her actual classroom or speak to her teachers directly, so it's hard to know if she or I will be happy with it. The problem with waiting til September, though, is it will most likely be full. Basically I need to decide in the next couple of weeks where I want her to be without having full information. And where ever I choose, she will most likely have to stay the following year as well as both places will likely be at capacity next year.

Any comments or suggestions would be very helpful! Thanks.