Arlington, VA
Arlington Unitarian Co-op

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
My son started preschool in mid-September. Since then, I have learned that being part of a cooperative preschool means that I, as a parent, am very aware of what goes on in the class room and of the other parents.

Parent #2
An excellent community experience. The program is healthy, the care for our child is top notch and the program is excellent (with a small adult:child ratio). The co-oping and volunteer responsibilities are a big commitment but our family gets back two times what we put in. And, best testimonial of all: our son absolutely loves going to school.

Parent #3
There is a true sense of community at AUCP which benefits children and parents alike. Parents get to see how their children interact with their classmates & develop a network of parents who they can trust to help with their children, answer questions, etc. The staff is incredible and positive and do an amazing job teaching our children through play. AUCP appreciates that all children are different and meets them where they are developmentally.

Parent #4
AUCP is an amazing school. The amount of respect for the children, parents and teachers cannot be matched! There is such a strong focus on providing a positive, nurturing and supportive community for everyone.

Parent #5
+ Child oriented, parent education and involvement, well-qualified teachers, strong community.
-cooping requirements -- not for parents unable/unwilling to commit the time to being an active part of their child's preschool experience.

Parent #6
The survey does not indicate which is level 5 and which is level 1. Unable to complete, but I would give it a 5.

Parent #7
Strengths: Nice community, excellent parental involvment, strong Board of parents
Weaknesses: Uneven teaching, too much classroom work by parents, director without an educational background in early childhood

Parent #8
Amazing community: almost all of the teachers have kids in teh school and are incredibly gifted in the classroom. They bring incredible creativity and love to the kids. The parents are also fantastic. With our co-oping schedule, you are in the classroom a couple of times per month, which enables you to see what your kids are doing and hearing, get to know your children's friends, connect and learn from your teachers, and learn some great parenting ideas from both the teacher and your co-co-oper. It's a bigger time investment than a dropoff program, but incredibly rewarding.

Fantastic philosophy: affirmative commands make for a more positive environment (e.g., instead of "don't run" we say "use walking feet, please" or instead of "don't slide down on your tummy" we say "is that the safest choice? maybe sliding on your bottom is safter"). For discipline, we focus on vocalizing what is wrong and working through challenges instead of time outs and punitive punishments.

AND the kids eat lunch as part of the school day, which makes for a fantastic afternoon!

The only disadvantage is the time investment in both committee work and classroom time. But again, that's what makes this place so special: an incredible network of highly committed parents.

Parent #9
The school's philosophy is wonderful and the teachers are experienced, creative, and compassionate.

Parent #10
AUCP is a close-knit community that feels more like a family than a school. This can feel intimidating to new families, but most people quickly feel at home there.

Parent #11
AUCP is a phenomenal community and offers a wonderful experience for both parents and children that is often overlooked because people have a hard time even considering carving out enough time to coop. But the time invested is paid back ten fold. You learn so much about your child, yourself and gain valuable exposure to tools teachers use with children to help them help themselves. Rather than saying â??NOâ?? or trying to redirect all the time.

Parent #12
Fabulous community and environment for learning about being a new parent. Very warm and nurturing teachers and classes. Lots of opportunity in the classrooms to learn about conflict resolution. Big emphasis on self help skills, independence and building self-esteem.

Parent #13
AUCP is a wonderful, caring community for children and parents.

Parent #14
Exceptional teachers who provide safe environment for children to learn and develop socially. Strong, supportive community. Very cooperative nature of the school lends to a sharing and caring environment.

Parent #15
AUCP is a wonderful, caring place for children and parents alike to grow and learn!

Parent #16
Great play based school. Lots of parental involvement (too much at times)

Parent #17
Strengths are the tight-knit child and parent community; child-centered approach to education; and the opportunities to be involved in your child's education. The weakness is that if you are not prepared to devote a lot of time and energy in the school the demand on your time can feel overwhelming.

Parent #18
It is a wonderful, caring, learning environment for children and the concept of a co-operative is wonderful to get to know the other parents and children that your child interacts with on a daily baisis

Parent #19
A great way to be involved in your child's preschool development and get a hands on experience in the classroom. Parent's learn a lot. Teachers are great. Kids get a very one on one feeling with the teachers and co-opers. The discipline is gentle and nuturing. The children get some great experiences - field trips, in class activities, etc. Science class, spanish, music, pre-k class.

Parent #20
AUCP feels like a real community. As a parent, you really get to know the teachers, other children and parents in the same class. Parents are given excellent advice for dealing with children, and are required to complete 8 hours of continuing education. Most work at the preschool is done by volunteers, which can sometimes lead to gaps if the job is not done adequately.

Montessori? Waldorf? Play-based?

What school type is right for your child? Is one model better than another? What does the research say?

View an example from the Savvy Source guide to learn more.

Trace around your child's foot, with shoe on, on a piece of white construction paper or card stock. Have child cut out the shoe print and add a spooky face. Glue it to a popsicle stick and you have a ghost stick puppet!

Comment (3)

Share From Send A Link To Your Comments:

Take Our Expert Quiz

how is your toddler or preschooler progressing developmentally?