2 1/2 year old terrible transition to new preschool

My 2 1/2 year old daughter is very intelligent, speaks two languages fluently and amazes anyone who meets her.  She has been in a home daycare situation since 18 mos. and though her transition at that time was terrible, she got over it and was very happy with the daycare, and had no trouble sleeping there, and stayed everyday until 4pm.  This year I have moved her to a new preschool (preschool - 8th grade private school) because there were a few things I was unhappy about with the home daycare.

The class is from 9am-12:30 pm.  It took her about a week of frantic crying but then she had no problem saying good-bye.  Now comes the part I'm worried about.. For those children who nap there and stay until 3:30, they are moved to a different class, and one out of the 3 teachers that are there in the morning, go with the kids to the next class. There, there are other kids who stay for the daycare portion, and two more teachers.

The first two days she was taken there along with 4 of her classmates, she slept, but was very frightened waking up.  I started by picking her up at 2, then at 2:30 and so on.  Now, she doesn't want to sleep there anymore, and cries frantically until I come to get her.  I ask her why and she says because she wants me.  She frequently talks highly of her teachers and has no problem going in the morning, though now she's reluctant for me to leave in the morning too.  She's suddenly become so clingy that I can't even go to the bathroom without her screaming.  After she was doing so well in the morning, now she's starting to periodically cry in the mornings too.  She's now frightened of things she used to be frightened of when she was younger....seems like all her old anxieties came back suddenly.

I'm frustrated and I don't understand why she was able to be away from me for so long last year...but now she cant.  I show her when I pick her up, how all the other kids are sleeping and playing and she agrees, tells me that she wont cry the next day, but she does.  Everyday seems to get worse and worse.

She has not mentioned that anything bad has happened there, and I've asked her numerous times, but she sais its a fun place.

I don't know what to do, Its been close to 3 weeks now...please help....

Thank you

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Re-surfacing of separation anxiety is not at all unusual in a child of thirty months. Her history is the most reliable predictor of what to expect. That is, you have witnessed her recover normally from separation anxiety; she will do the same this time. Remember, she is undergoing a major transition - her world has been turned upside down, if you will. It is very normal for young children to display some regression in the face of major changes in their lives. Be patient and supportive, and do not alter the routine or schedule based on your daughter's reaction. She'll recover and become more stable, as long as you stick with the routine.