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Berkeley, CA
Dandelion Cooperative Nursery School

Parents at this school would recommend this school to other parents.

Review this preschool

neighborhood: Berkeley North ·  Telephone: (510) 526-1735  · Website: www.dandelionnurseryschool.org

• Summary
• General Info
• School Philosophy
  & Day-in-the-Life
• Curriculum &
  Teaching Approach
• Quality of
  Teaching
• Home/School
  Connection
• Discipline,
  Health & Safety
• Ages, Schedule
  & Tuition
• Application &
  Admissions
• Kindergarten
  Placement&Tips

Home-School Connection

OVERALL RATING (4.1)
Conducts an open house at start of school year
Conducts a parent-teacher meeting at start of school year
Conducts regular parent teacher conferences
Provides summary of child’s learning at end of year
Provides guidance on developmental goals for the following year
Provides guidance on best Kindergarten and elementary schools

source:

Separation

OVERALL RATING (4.6)

source:

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
It's a co-op, so all parents spend lots of time in the classroom.

Parent #2
Dandelion is a cooperative school and as such there is a high degree of parent-teacher interaction and parent participation in the overall life of the school. My son adjusted very easily to preschool and loves the play-based model. We are very happy with the preschool.

Parent #3
For my child, who did experience separation issues and had always been far more attached to adults than to his own peer group, Dandelion proved to be a fantastic choice. So much care is taken to address the relations of the children to one another and my child has been able to make good friends in a comfortable atmosphere with warm and consistent teachers to guide him.

Parent #4
Dandelion has been a wonderful experience for our family, my daughter is excited to go every day and has blossomed socially and emotionally in ways I think are very much connected to being part of this new community of children and adults.

Parent #5
Dandelion is a cooperative pre-school. The parents work at the school and become very involved. The teachers keep us aware of how are children are developing emotionally and generally for their age. As parents we get to know each other very well!

Parent #6
Very active parent cooperative with wonderful, exceptional, dedicated, long-term teacher and director -- you learn about parenting and your whole family becomes known by the staff and other families.

Parent #7
The teachers at Dandelion know and communicate with every family in the school in an extremely useful and caring way. Each child is known well by the teachers and all the parents (as they work in the classroom) so each child's individual needs are met.

Parent #8
The educational philosophy of this school is both play-based and goal-oriented. The goals relate to the students abilities to feel confident in his/her interactions with classmates and teachers, exploring all forms of expression including art and music and improving physical development.

General Parent Education

Parent Community

COHESIVENESS RATING (4.8)

Parents:

- Sit on the board of trustees

- Hold social events at the school to build community

- Fundraise

- Are able to visit the school anytime we want

- Volunteer in the classroom

- Receive newsletters

- Hold social events outside of the school (with and/or without children)

- Schedule family field trips

- Pair "old" parents with "new" parents

- Encourage play dates out of school

- Shares information on matter related to our children (e.g. babysitter lists, pediatricians, extracurriculuar classes, etc.)

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Parents' Comments

Parent #1
A co-operative preschool fosters community building and depends upon the skills brought by each family.

Parent #2
We are a cooperative school - family jobs.

Parent #3
Monthly meetings.

Parent #4
All is done informally, we work with each other's children and come to know one another through these interactions.

Parent #5
We support one another through times of illness or transition (like new babies) with meals and informal childcare help; have biweekly parent coffees to talk about issues important to parents of preschoolers.

Parent #6
Dandelion has an incredibly kind, inclusive, supportive, and close community of families.

Modes of Communication Between School and Home

Parents' Comments

Parent #1
Parent meetings once/month, daily wrap-up meetings.

Parent #2
As members of a co-op, we have daily access to our children's two teachers. And on your parent workday there is a wrap-up session with discussion and learning opportunities.

Parent #3
Monthly parent meetings, weekly wrap-up meetings (after volunteering at school that day).