About Us

* Our Philosophy

* Affiliations

* How does it Work?

* Curriculum

* Pre-Kindergarten

* Benefits

* Through Shopping

* Real Estate

* Endowment

Fun Stuff

* Surprise Your Mouth

* Recipes

License Number 360904605

Our Philosophy:  The Aims of Our Group

Bear Valley Community Nursery School was founded in 1963 by a small group of 12 families and has grown since then.  Located on Highway 38, between Baldwin and State Lanes, the school provides a peaceful and creative atmosphere for the children.

We wish to provide our children with a rich play life in an atmosphere of affection and cooperation. By actively and consciously pooling the talents and abilities of every member family, we can offer our children far more than each of us could provide alone. In this way the nursery school is an extension of the home.

We wish to create in our children a zest for life. We wish to encourage curiosity and the ability to cope with a variety of situations. The method of achieving these aims is to allow a free, happy atmosphere in which a large variety of experiences with all types of creative expressions are offered to the children. The individual child sets his own pace, choosing in which of these experiences he will engage. We wish to let each child be himself.

There is no place for rigidity in the creative atmosphere of a cooperative nursery school. While a curriculum is planned, a maximum of flexibility is sought and emphasis is placed on free, creative, and varied experiences that are offered to, not forced on, the child.

We wish to aid our children in attaining social maturity, maximum physical growth and development, and emotional stability. The children are given an opportunity to experiment in safe surroundings that are geared to their level, unhampered by restrictions and the inevitable tensions they encounter at home. While they are being given a stimulating and rich play life that adds to their present happiness, they are also being given a basic groundwork for happy and effective living through life. The cooperative nursery school is a training ground for democratic living.

Affiliations

Bear Valley Community Nursery School is licensed and inspected by the State Department of Health and Social Services.  We are affiliated with the regional and state Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

How Does Our Co-Op Work?

Each family shares in the planning and operation of the school in the following ways: perform a chairmanship job throughout the year, attend monthly parent meetings, assist the professional nursery school teacher in the classroom (ratio of adults to children is 1 to 5 or better), contribute time to the repair and maintenance of our facility and participate in fundraising events.

Our school is supported by parent’s tuition and fundraising events, which keeps the tuition fee low.  We are not sponsored by any church or governmental agency. 

Options During Times of Full Enrollment

Occasionally Co-op in the Pines Pre-School reaches full enrollment status, and may not enroll additional children. In the event that 24 children are already enrolled, your child may be placed on a waiting list and become eligible for our drop-in program. Children on the drop-in list will be allowed to attend school during days that we don’t have full attendance.   Our waiting list is honored on a first come first serve basis from the time that a completed application packet and registration fee is received. Please contact the Admissions Chairperson for current openings and drop in status at 585-2444.

*Registration fee covers a Co-op in the Pines T-shirt for each enrolled child.