Who We Are
At Brooklyn Preschool, we offer a supportive, play-based environment where children can explore the world around them in their own way. Open-ended activities allow students to engage with other children and make choices about their work and play. Our focus on problem-solving skills helps children become self-directed in their activities and supports preventative discipline. Our mission is to help children develop a high self-esteem through a positive first-school experience, under the support of family teachers and the guidance of a professional educator.
Brooklyn Preschool operates under the umbrella of the Parent Child Preschool Organization (PCPO) of Oregon and Washington. PCPO offers guidance, education, insurance, and best-business practices to its member schools, operating under the shared philosophy that “children, parents, and teachers go to school together, each learning from the other.” Brooklyn is also a member of Parent Cooperative Preschools International (PCPI).
PCPO
The Brooklyn Classroom
Children learn in different ways, so our school days and classrooms are full of different opportunities for social, emotional, creative, physical, and cognitive development. During open-play time, students are encouraged to move freely among the classrooms and discover their own activities to engage in along the way. Circle time and our community snack help students learn to interact and problem solve as a group.
Family teachers are a crucial part of our classroom program at Brooklyn. Their job during the school day is to support both the teacher and students as they move through their daily activities. Our family teachers receive education, training, and on-the-job experience, to help prepare them for their own classroom experiences at preschool. Family teaching is not only beneficial to the students but also the FT. It is often seen as one of the more daunting pieces of the cooperative model but is in reality the most rewarding. Experiencing the school day with your child and their classmates tends to enrich your own insight into the mind of a preschooler. It also helps with understanding some of the stories your child brings home because you will have been involved.
Brooklyn Preschool is certified by Eco-Healthy Child Care, ensuring that our school is healthy, safe, green, and as toxin-free as possible.
The Brooklyn Community
Community is central to our school and program. Throughout the school year, we plan a number of activities and events that create community among our families and supplement our classroom program. These include community events like our annual lantern walk in December; field trips to the pumpkin patch, post office, and children’s theatre. There are also regular park meetups in the summer to maintain connections and bring new members into the community.
Our summer picnic-potluck brings new and returning families together to meet before the school-year begins. We hold garden-work parties twice a year to keep up our garden and outdoor space. Each child has a Celebration Day in honor of their birthday or half-birthday. Parents often plan activities like group coffee-talks during school hours and playdates outside of school.
While our community-building events and activities are optional, we’re happy that our members choose to attend whenever they can. It’s part of what makes the Brooklyn community great!