Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool

Our goal is to create a positive, secure environment that encourages children to become enthusiastic, lifelong learners and self-confident, caring adults.

We follow the open and flexible framework of the Creative Curriculum and integrate key elements of other well-known curricula, including Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Montessori, to create a play-based curriculum that focuses on the total development of the child, including cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills and language and communication.

Our teachers observe how each child experiences and interacts with the learning environment and guides his or her learning process in a mindful and developmentally appropriate way for that child.

A child’s creativity flourishes in an atmosphere of acceptance and trust.

We encourage children to be active and creative explorers who are not afraid to try out their ideas and to have their own thoughts. Children learn best from acts they plan and carry out themselves. This helps them to become independent, self-confident, inquisitive, and enthusiastic learners.

The outdoors is central to everything we do at OCP.

The children spend a significant amount of their time outside in the play garden, which was designed to create an environment in which children can explore a natural space guided only by their imagination.

Through seasonal celebrations, outdoor planting and harvesting, and bringing nature back into the classroom, we offer an environmental education in a holistic way that spurs young children to develop a deep wonder and respect for the natural world and a desire to be caretakers of our earth.