About the Nonprofit
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The Mission of the San Diego Cooperative Preschool is to provide the
highest quality care, while creating a nurturing and supportive community
of children, parents, and highly skilled staff. Through a play-based
program that attends to the whole child, we provide a model of community
that will sustain and enrich our children throughout their lives.
How SDCP is unique. As a cooperative, SDCP encourages and supports play-based learning through a nurturing and supportive community of children, parents, and highly skilled teachers and staff. SDCP’s high quality of education and care are attributable to its community, who play an active role in students’ experiences and development. Parents, guardians, and grandparents volunteer multiple times a year to support the SDCP community through in-classroom teacher assistance, cleaning and repairing toys and play areas, serving on the SDCP board of directors, fundraising, and donating supplies and tools. In addition, SDCP strives to work with potential families to ensure students and their families are supported in every way possible. This has resulted in a diverse student body that includes families of different religions and cultures, students with developmental delays and those on the Autism spectrum, foster students, and families of various economic status. SDCP’s model of community sustains and enriches SDCP students and empowers each child to joyfully develop at their own rate.
Classrooms and programs. SDCP serves children ages 6 months to 5 years old in five separate classrooms, each with their individual play yard. Classrooms include 2-3 teachers who are knowledgeable in the field of child development and provide appropriate developmental experiences and opportunities for each child through careful planning and observations of their group of children. In addition to regular programming, students engage in regularly scheduled, age-appropriate activities such as music and learning Spanish.
In room 111a, infants ages 6 months to 2 years old build trust through nurturing relationships with caring teachers. Their environment allows them to build their muscles and coordination while moving around freely in a safe space. Infants can explore objects and begin to make sense of their world. Teachers interact with children and offer them enjoyable experiences that lay the foundation for learning.
In room 109, toddlers ages 18 months to 3 years old socialize, develop and learn with teacher encouragement and guidance. Teachers create strong, positive bonds with the children to help them feel secure and important, allowing them to explore, problem-solve, and test ideas through play.
In room 105, young preschoolers between 2 and 3 years old explore and experience independence. Teachers support children as they continue to develop physically, socially, emotionally, verbally and cognitively. Children begin to recognize and manage their own feelings and behavior as teachers help them build effective communication skills through listening, talking, problem-solving, reading and writing, and play.
In room 107, older preschoolers between 3- and 4-years old build communication skills. Teachers support children as they further develop their thinking skills by providing interesting materials to use and plenty of time to explore them. They will offer suggestions that encourage more complex play, as well as asking questions that stretch a child’s imagination.
In room 103, pre-kindergarten students are between 4 and 5 years old. As the students are getting ready to transition into kindergarten, they will explore a more complex curriculum allowing them to inquire and investigate. Further development of a child’s cognitive skills will allow them to think more complexly and make decisions and problem solve.
