WHAT IS A COOP?

For 50 years OVCNS has been a parent-owned and operated cooperative nursery school. It is organized on the principle that strong families and parent-child relationships grow where there is opportunity for parents to participate in the school experience.

In a co-op environment children are offered a gentle separation process, because separation anxiety peaks with newfound independence and power. Expanding relationships and experiences are best when children are not worried about saying good-bye. Caregivers will share in their child's day, but increasingly become observers as each child grows more and more comfortable with independence.

Part of the fun of a co-op is that children have a rich and diverse array of parents assisting in the classroom. Through this involvement, the co-op becomes a supportive environment for parents to meet other parents. And these relationships often continue long after the children finish preschool. In this way, a co-op is much more than just a school, it is a community of families!