# Rethinking Public School in Montclair? The Private Pivot, Preschool Lottery & More #Slushiegate

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-montclair-pod-7145507/rethinking-public-school-in-montclair-the-private-pivot-preschool-lottery-more-slushiegate
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-montclair-pod-7145507/rethinking-public-school-in-montclair-the-private-pivot-preschool-lottery-more-slushiegate.md
Podcast: [The Montclair Pod](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-montclair-pod-7145507)
Published: 2026-02-05T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/the-montclair-pod/episodes/rethinking-public-school-in-montclair-the-private-pivot-pres
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6753786ea8461f164e67bf3a/e/698404781976ad12370aba8e/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-montclair-pod-7145507/episodes/rethinking-public-school-in-montclair-the-private-pivot-preschool-lottery-more-slushiegate
Duration seconds: 4631

## Resource

Watch the show on YouTube In this episode, Farnoosh reports from a packed preschool info session at the Montclair Public Library, where parents of young children are weighing rising pre-K costs, the Mini Mounties lottery, and what comes next for kindergarten and beyond. We hear directly from families, admissions leaders, and new data showing a surge in interest from Montclair residents exploring private and alternative school options — and we unpack what a public-to-private pivot could mean for enrollment, funding, and equity across the district. We’re also joined by tech founder-turned-educator Anand Sanwal, who’s launching a new private school in New Jersey and asking a bigger question: if we were designing school for today’s kids — and tomorrow’s world — would it look anything like what we have now? Plus, we cover the rest of the week in Montclair: ICE presence in the area and the state’s response, snow removal rules, the closing of a beloved BBQ spot, a look ahead at the spring housing market in our sponsored Ask an Agent segment — and yes, we finally get to the bottom of #Slushiegate with a real review! Learn more about  Forge Prep Learn more about  Acton Academy Snow Removal:  Read Councilwoman  Susan Shin Andersen's update Sponsor:  Order from  Pendragon’s Smokehouse  for the Super Bowl! Deal:  Use code  MONTCLAIR-POD  for 10% off (Min order $100). Order Deadline: Thursday, Feb 5 at 10 pm ET Sponsor: Karin Diana, Compass Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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