Cooperative Preschools in Austin

G. -

I recognize you asked for recommendations for a good cooperative preschool...which from reading the postings looks like they have long waiting lists. Perhaps as an alterative you could look at Bluebonnet. They are located in Cedar Park and are accredited. I toured the school recently and really wanted to enroll my son but they did not have an opening until the end of August. You might want to check them out.

Welcome to Austin...and yes it has changed quite a bit in the last 16 years!

A.

Although you posted this question more than a year ago, I wanted to mention Westminster Presbyterian Day School as an amazing cooperative preschool in Austin. It was founded more than 30 years ago and most of its staff has been there in excess of 10 years, with several there for 15-20 or more, including our last and current directors. WPDS and All Austin are generally regarded as the finest co-op programs in Austin. I have all of my children at WPDS and can't imagine a better environment for my young children. It has also informed my parenting dramatically; I am learning something new every day and love being involved in their learning, knowing the teachers and other parents through my "helping parent days", and most importantly, being able to see first hand how my children interact and learn with their peers (and getting to know them!). It is truly a special place. We have several parents who were also students, if that gives you any indication of the loyalty and passion for WPDS. FYI, it is centrally located Tarrytown. Best wishes, A.

The All- Austin Cooperative School is a good one, but they have a long waiting list. Their website is http://www.allaustincoop.org/

Other good programs:
Starbright (Waldorf/Motessori mix) http://www.starbrightpreschool.com/

Olive Tree Learning Center (Reggio-Emilia) http://olivetlc.com/

Austin Montessori School
http://www.austinmontessori.org/

Hi G.,
Me and 3 other moms just started a co-op because we wanted an affordable preschool for our children in an intimate setting with a teacher who believes in positive reinforcement. We hired an excellent teacher who has previously run an in-home preschool co-op, taught in the public schools and taught at a private preschool. She is trained in the Reggio-Emilia philosophy of child-led activities that focuses on arts, nature and exploration. Hours are 9am-1pm, and we have an opening for a student to attend 2, 3, or 4 days a week.

If you're interested email me at ____@____.com and I can give you some additional information.

Good luck on your search.
N.

Hi G.,
I would highly recommend the All Austin Cooperative Nursery School. All 4 of my kids went there and I loved it. It is small, sweet and loving. The teachers are true professionals.

Good luck to you! The waiting list can be extremely long, so I would not hesitate to put your kids on the list. It can take several years before you get in.

K.