Parents camp out in bitter cold to secure spot at Jersey City preschool

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- The snow may be gone but the bitter cold is still here and it's going to get worse.

Imagine camping outside in these temperatures.

Dozens of parents did just that in Jersey City, all to get their children into preschool.

They spent the day and the night before wrapped up in blankets and camped out in front of the Concordia Learning Center.

Scores of parents, and some children, who thought they would have to spend Friday night outside as well, just to get one of about 80 spots available for their children in the preschool.

It's what parents do.

"For my son, Jonah Buzzy Price, it's important to get him started on the right foot," said John Price, a parent.

But then at 3 p.m. on Friday, the school started signing parents up right out on the street.

"We were expecting to do this at 7:30 tomorrow morning, after staying out here tonight when it's going to get down to 17 or 18 degrees, so they saved us a rough night for sure. Last night wasn't fun anyway, wet, noisy, pretty cold," Price said.

"It was the cherry on top, saved us from the cold, it's going to be like minus five tonight, so it's like a big victory for all of us," a parent said.

They had all been there a long time.

Vijay was waiting outside with his wife and Ira, who will be going to Concordia in the fall. They waited since Thursday at 5 a.m.

"I feel like I have given something for my child," a parent said.

This scenario unfolds every year, however the harsh cold weather is unusual, so the school decided to sign people up one day early.