A Balanced Approach

Valley Parent Preschool is a co-operative school. We believe the family is the most influential teacher in a child's life and we feel preivileged to partner alongside the families who attend our school. Parent involvement (family members, such as a grandparent, can participate too) is crucial to the success of our program and we look forward to working together.

Participating parents work in the classroom as an extension of the teachers. This involves supervising and engaging with children in a chosen area of the school during free choice time, and assisting the teachers in running an activity during small group time. Only staff members assist children with toileting needs or changing their clothing.

What Our Community Is Saying

  • "I love being involved in my daughter’s education. Getting to work in the classroom and watch her grow and learn was such a positive experience. I never felt like I was working and enjoyed building my own friendships with the other parents."

    - Elise A. (Yelp Review)

  • “Valley Parent Preschool is wonderful! The teachers are fantastic and Sarah, the director is amazing! [...] I’ve had a lot of “A-HA” moments when I see the way they handle different, sometimes difficult situations without missing a beat and I take that knowledge home with me."

    - Megan N. (Yelp Review)

  • “We loved our time at Valley Parent! [...] The teaching staff was amazing, tailoring activities throughout each month to the interests of the students. Using hands on activities and play-based learning as an “always” not a “sometimes” was remarkable, watching the growth of the children over the course of the year blew me away. I also loved being in the classroom, helping and being a part of my child’s education."

    - Molly M. (Yelp Review)

  • "Our family is so proud to be a part of VPP. This is definitely a place where the more you put in, the more you get out of the experience (It is a co-op and the school thrives and depends on parent power!). The community is wonderful and the teachers are knowledgeable and caring. Our son’s teachers have been dedicated to the children’s developmental needs—multi-sensory, socially, emotionally...the list goes on!"

    - H.H. (Yelp Review)

Co-Op Responsibility (Copy)

Co-Op Responsibility

In addition to helping in the classroom each month, families commit to 18 hours a year of committee work, 5 hours a year of school upkeep, and 3 evening parent meetings a year. The time and talents families put in to the program creates the strong community feel at our school.

Activity Area (Copy)

Activity Area

In the activity area, a parent might oversee an art activity, help a child make a sky scraper out of recycled materials, build a sculpture out of clay, or help children write their name in shaving cream.

Snack Day (Copy)

Snack Day

During assigned snack days each year, parents prepare and serve snack as they visit with the children and hear about their day. Morning families are assigned snack approximately 4 times a year and PM families are assigned snack approximately 1-2 times a month.

Block Room (Copy)

Block Room

When working in the block area, parents might help the children build a sky scraper, a train, or a jungle filled with animals.

Yard (Copy)

Yard

Yard parents might help children create volcanoes in the sand, bounce balls high in the air with a parachute, search for vegetables in our garden, or encourage a child as they work to climb the rocks or monkey bars.

Library (Copy)

Library

When in the library, parents might read stories, do puzzles, participate in a puppet show or play pretend with the doll house.

Clean Up (Copy)

Clean Up

At the end of the school day, parents help clean their selected area and check in with the teachers.

Drama Room (Copy)

Drama Room

In the drama room, parents might dress up as a king or queen, design a railroad, play freeze dance, open a pizza restaurant, climb the rock wall, and build a marble run all in one day.

Learn more about VPP

  • We believe that children are natural learners who are motivated by their own curiosity. Our play-based curriculum is designed to support this innate drive. It's not just about "playing"; it's about providing a carefully prepared environment where children can learn, explore, and discover through hands-on, first-hand experiences. Through their play, children are actively building the skills they need for a lifetime of learning.

  • A play-based approach is one of the most effective ways to prepare a child for kindergarten and beyond. While it might look like just fun and games, children are actually developing critical skills that will set them up for success.Through play, children learn how to problem-solve and think creatively, develop emotional and social skills, and build a love of learning. By the time they enter kindergarten, children from our program will have the confidence, social competence, and problem-solving abilities they need to thrive in a more structured school setting.

  • At Valley Parent Preschool, we believe that emotional and social development is a cornerstone of a child's early education. Our play-based environment provides a natural stage for this growth to happen organically. We support this development through a variety of evidence-based practices, including peer interaction, teacher guidance, and dramatic play. By fostering these skills in a compassionate environment, we help children build the confidence and self-awareness they need to form healthy relationships and succeed in school and life.

  • In our play-based environment, teachers are not passive observers; they are active facilitators of learning. During free play, our highly qualified teachers are a valuable resource who support children in several important ways.