About

About The Cooperative Preschool

The Cooperative Preschool holds a unique place in Boise’s early childhood educational history. It was the first secular preschool founded in Boise in 1969. The school began as a grassroots effort to bring families together to collaborate in their young children’s first educational experience.

Over the years hundreds of children have started their school experience at The Cooperative Preschool. Today we have parents who once attended the school as children. Over the 50 plus years, children’s play, learning, and community are still at the center of everything we do.

Please take some time to read through the website to learn more about our program and our school.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

The Cooperative Preschool has several goals that all play an important role in how the school educates its early learners; however, none are more important than play!

Free play is the very essence of preschool education and early childhood development. Play stimulates a child’s natural curiosity, wonder, problem solving skills, and ability to collaborate. We see the value of play in the lives of children at school in two primary ways:

By giving children time for play that is as uninterrupted and respected as possible shows children that we, as adults, value their choices, interests, and ideas.
By observing children’s play, adults come to know children’s interests, questions, and ideas about the world. This kind of observation by the teachers prompts curriculum planning that represents the children in the classroom community. In this way, we are able to introduce projects, new experiences, materials, skills, and even problems into their play and exploration.

Play-based learning gives value to children and allows for their natural development socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically!

THE COOPERATIVE MODEL

As members of The Cooperative Preschool, parents share responsibility for the decision making and operations of the school. While commitment levels vary by position, all parents are responsible for:

Helping in the classroom 1- 2 times each month, which involves preparing the space, spending time with the children, and cleaning.
Weekend cleanings once or twice per year.
Joining the Board of Directors or being on a Board Committee.
Participating in fundraising activities for the school, including providing one item for the yearly auction.
Work days as needed to maintain the school and materials (usually once or twice per year).