Carlmont Parents Nursery School

CPNS has been an amazing school for my entire family — my son and daughter for the past three years, as well as my husband and me, who have experienced just as much value, guidance, and growth from the school as our children. It has been amazing to see our son and daughter thrive socially, emotionally, and mentally. They have learned so much about simple and complex social skills, science, art, engineering, math, and literacy, all from the play-​based experiences. Thanks to CPNS, my children are confident, capable, and comfortable interacting, conversing, problem-​solving, playing, and collaborating with both children and adults. They have a strong foundation for going into Pre-​K and Kindergarten next year, socially adept and ready to focus on building on their existing academic knowledge. I strongly feel, based on our experiences at CPNS, that they are well prepared to be able to focus primarily on learning, rather than figuring out how to get along with and interact well with others or what to do with themselves when a teacher is not directly observing, involved, or giving direction.
In addition to my children’s experiences, I have seen other children grow by leaps and bounds in going from extremely shy, dependent on others, and cautious to more confident, independent, and adventuresome; challenged in working through conflict with other children to impressive in communicating needs and desires in ways that are productive and lead to positive outcomes, and much more. That is because of the CPNS community composed of parents and teachers who every school day are aware of each child’s personality and temperament and how to help them grow, blossom, evolve, and reach their full potential, thanks in large part to the commitment of the teachers. CPNS’ teachers are excellent guides and coaches, due to their strong educational backgrounds (advanced child development and education degrees and additional certifications and credentials in education), years of experience, and continuing commitment to their personal education and enrichment.
Aside from the value to our children, my husband and I have benefitted so much from the daily interaction with other parents, learning from the teachers during class time and Parent Education sessions, and being present for many situations at school that help empower us with tools to handle incidents even better with our children at home. CPNS has been an ideal foundation for being even better parents and enjoying a strong sense of community.
I cannot say enough good things about being at a co-​op — it is truly invaluable beyond any expectations one could have. It is well worth the time, effort, sacrifice, and commitment to be involved and active as part of the school, and I urge anyone wavering between a drop-​off school and a co-​op to strongly consider the benefits of being an active participant in your child’s early education. It will be invaluable to them and you, and a unique opportunity in your child’s early developmental years. I am extremely grateful for our experiences at CPNS.

We are finishing up our 7^th and final year at CPNS. We started right after my second child was born when we were looking for a nearby, play based preschool for our oldest son after he finished at Little Hands. We continued at CPNS for two years with him, three years for my daughter, and two years for my youngest.
I’m having a hard time finding the words to talk about the experiences we’ve had at CPNS. It’s almost like having an extended family available for you, while you learn and grow (just as your child is learning and growing) as a parent. The day starts and ends with a circle time (which is adapted to the needs of the class– sometimes, extra songs or a book can be read, but sometimes the majority of the class is ready to begin and the teacher responds to that need). The rest of the time is free play. There are class projects that the child can choose to participate in– there’s always a specific project going in in the art room– or the kid can go at his or her own speed. If the directed art project isn’t their speed, there’s always a more open ended choice of stickers, pipe cleaners, beads, crayons, etc. There’s always an easel set up, and play doh to smash. There’s a snack provided (by the parent on snack duty that week) that encourages the child to pour water, make choices on what he or she wants to eat, and scoop out their serving. They can play in the block room with games, dress up, roller skates, doll houses, marble runs, and so much more (including, of course, different types of blocks). They can read books in the music room, or dance, or play instruments, or do puzzles. The highlight for so many kids, though, is the outdoor space. There are trikes to ride! trees to climb! swings! waterplay when it’s hot! outdoor art projects! a wonderful playground! a ginormous sand box! The outdoor space is even open in the rain, so the preschoolers can splash in puddles and build rivers through the yard. In addition to this wonderful place for your kids to learn and grow, you attend night classes to talk about things like child development, sibling rivalry, positive discipline and knowing that you and your kid are not the only people dealing with common issues– plus, your teachers are more than happy to talk about things YOU need, whether it’s issues happening at school or at your own home. There are also all school events, like a holiday party and concert and the Halloween Spooky Social.
The biggest plus, however, are the people you meet while you’re at CPNS. You are in a community of parents and teachers who are either going through much of what you’re going through or have gone through it themselves. They are there for you when you need a spontaneous playdate, help with pick ups or drop offs, a place to vent, help with medical issues, new babies, sleep deprivation, potty training woes, etc. There is even an on site nursery where a younger non-​enrolled child can stay during your work day (for an additional fee).
Unfortunately, CPNS isn’t a perfect fit for every family. The school is part time (morning programs are 9 – 11:30 while the 4 day afternoon class is 12:30−3, with an optional pre-​k from 11 – 12:30 twice a week). You are there one of those days for your work day (where you are on a rotating schedule in charge of one of the stations). There are night classes every other Monday, and you also have a «job» to perform to help the school run.
It’s definitely a wonderful choice for preschool, and I cannot imagine what our life would be like if we hadn’t started at this school. Some of our friends from my older two kids’ years at CPNS are still close friends today. It’s definitely shaped us as parents while giving my kids the experiences they to be prepared for the years to come.

As good as it gets! We were unable to get in a year ago as the class was full but finally we got a place this year and I was wondering if it had been worth the wait. It has and so much more:-) CPNS has been an incredible place for my son to grow and learn about himself, group dynamics, music, art and crafts and so much more. Both inside and outside spaces are outstanding and I feel that there really is nothing in the area like it.
It provides a wonderful supportive environment for all types of personalities and there is something for everyone. The ratio of parents/​teachers to kids is wonderful so there is always someone to keep an eye on things but the beauty of the school is that the kids learn to figure out how to deal with conflict/​issues and will often come up with their own solutions. Teacher Jill is nothing short of amazing– just watch and learn as I have. And if the co-​op hours are an issue, don’t forget that we also have some amazing grandparents who have been helping as well. However, if you can spare the 2.5 –3 hours a week, you will not regret the things you and your child will learn or the friendships you will make. I am very proud to be part of the school.

CPNS has been an absolutely incredible place not only for our son, but for our family as a whole, and we have nothing but positive feelings to share from our two years here. To be able to drop our son off at CPNS and to know that he’s in the best of hands with the teachers and parents who we have built an entrusting relationship with is all we could hope for in a preschool. We cannot say enough about the impact Teacher Jill has had on the school. Her nurturing and loving spirit, not to mention her amazing guidance and education she’s provided to the parents, is something we will really miss since our son is moving on to kindergarten. We look forward to returning once our second child is old enough to attend!

CPNS has been wonderful for our family. We’re finishing up our third year at CPNS and feel very lucky that we have found such a special place for our children and for our family.
The community is so strong and supportive and our children are thriving and are so thrilled to go to school every day.
If you are looking for a strong community for your child and your family, a true play based preschool environment, a fabulous outdoor space, knowledgeable, caring teachers, and a place your children will love to go, CPNS is ideal. I actually worry about Kindergarten next year because nothing will ever compare to my child’s favorite place on earth– CPNS. It will be a hard act to follow.

The idea behind this school is awesome but the management and execution just isn’t there. The director of this school is completely checked out and turns a blind eye to any issues that arise. This school has major issues with aggressive behavior from students being allowed to escalate because no one is willing to put in the extra effort to handle the situation. This school has lost a LOT of families mid year to other schools because the parents lost faith in this place. Basically, this school is a mess and there are so many other great co-​op options in this area to choose from. Before enrolling here ask them how many families have left mid-​year over the last few years and how many families have begun in 2am and finished preschool elsewhere locally. The numbers will speak for themselves.

School is fine but the staff leave a lot to be desired. Too many politics and gossiping which has no place in a nursery school. Do not recommend.

We love what CPNS stands for. Unfortunately politics, and parent clicks left a bad taste, and helped us in our decision not to return for a second year. But we did make friends with good people, and glad this was our child’s first schooling experience. We learned allot from the parent ed classes.

My 2 children are graduates of CPNS, currently in elementary and middle school. We all had such a positive experience here and created great friendships and connections that have lasted years later. My children THRIVED here and as a participating parent, it is something I would never trade in a million years! The outdoor space is bar-​none the best I’ve ever seen for this age group and the overall feeling of the «community» of teachers, parents and children is pure MAGIC. Cheers! to CPNS…

Our children attend CPNS. We highly recommend the teachers, parents, and facility. We enjoy the parent education and our children thrive in the environment. They are learning socialization skills, and enjoy the «hands on» play based environment. Our children’s motor skils improved immensly in their first year of attendance, as well as, they have been introduced to boundaries. Its been fun watching them grow with the other children, and talking with fellow parents about child development. We share many of the same issues, and it’s great to know how other parents deal with those issues.

CPNS is a fantastic play-​based cooperative preschool. In just one year at this school with my son I have learned so much and he has too even though he’s «just playing». He does things I never could have imagined, like make friends, use scissors safely and wash his own hands. It sounds small but these are huge skills!
The parent education at this school is very valuable and is something I am sure I will miss once he starts elementary school. While it seemed hard at first to come so frequently in the evenings, it became something I looked forward to as a way to socialize with other adults and learn techniques to deal with my 3 year old’s 3-​year-​oldness. Both my son and I have made some great friends and we are looking forward to our second year. Plus, this school offers a pre-​k add on class to prepare the kids even further for kindergarten.
The teachers are excellent and come up with fun activities all year long and the family events are great. A truly wonderful place for children and parents.

My 4 year old son has been at CPNS since he was 2 ½ years old. It has been a wonderful experience all three years — and our younger son will begin next year. I didn’t realize there was a Unilocal page for the school, otherwise I’d have done this already. It is a great group of parents and teachers — and of course, kids. The freestyle play-​based learning is a perfect warm-​up for what is in store for the kids once they’re off to kindergarten next year. Other than circle time in the beginning and end of the 2.5 hrs, the kids get to choose what they want to do at different stations set up for exploring and learning.
So, if you have flexibility in your schedule and are considering a coop nursery school, you should definitely check out CPNS — you and your child will feel welcome there. It’s a pretty special experience to be able to see first hand what your pre-​schooler does with his or her little buddies and teachers.

I can’t say enough good things about this preschool. I looked at at least 10 schools in the area and was blown away by the facilities at this school. We actually briefly attended two other coop schools and they were just not right for us.
We have been attending CPNS since the fall, and I love everything about it. My son is in the 2am class (which meets Tu/​Thur in the morning) and he is thriving here. He LOVES it, especially the art room where there is a new, creative project every day. I feel incredibly secure knowing the people watching him, and his social and language development is blossoming. After interacting with a series of early childhood education professionals, the people who run CPNS are amazing. They are up on all the latest research and the two teachers I interact with regularly are like child whisperers, the kids love them and I have learned a lot from just seeing how they handle things.
One of the things I like the most about CPNS is the way the actual building is set up. There are a series of small rooms, each dedicated to a specific activity — art, snack, music, blocks, etc. The door outside is always open and kids can run wild outside if they want, or head into one of the rooms. The main reason I like this set up is because it allows kids to focus on one activity at a time. One of the other schools we attended was nice, but it was just one big open space which was incredibly loud and the kids seemed really scattered.
I was a little skeptical about the coop and «parent education» aspects of CPNS since I thought it would be sort of annoying to have to attend them, but they have turned out to be amazing for ME. I actually enjoy the day I work at the school — I’ve gotten to know all the kids and, more importantly, the other parents. It has quickly turned into an amazing community for me. The parent ed stuff has actually been helpful. Having a group of parents and our very amazing, experienced teacher to talk about the difficulties and confusing aspects of parenting has been a life saver.
Only thing I would add is that this preschool might not be for everyone. It is very play based which means there isn’t much direction. All the research out there says that is what’s best for little kids, but if you are looking for somewhere that your child will learn to sit at a desk and learn math etc, this isn’t it. Although they do have a pre-​k class for older kids that I don’t know much about and I know they do some science, math, reading basics there. Also, the coop/​parent ed does take time. As with any genuine community, if you want to be part of it, you have to do your share. Between working and the every other week parent ed, it is a small but regular time commitment.
That said, if it sounds like the kind of place you are looking for, I would recommend this school without reservation.

This school is amazing!!! I fell in love with it just by their mission statement and the classes and teachers didn’t disappoint. The children are some of the most well rounded and happy preschoolers I have ever seen. I am a teacher by trade and I think this school prepares its students not only for school, but life as well. There is also a lot of parent involvement and a wonderful sense of community that all moms and dads need. My daughter can’t wait for school every week and hates to leave. I recommend this school whole heartedly and will be sending my younger two children there as well.

CPNS is a parent-​run, cooperative part time preschool. They have classes 2-​mornings (Tuesday/​Thursday), 3-​mornings (Monday/​Wednesday/​Friday) or 4-​afternoons (Monday-​Thursday) per week. My son went to preschool here for a year, and now my daughter is here for her second year. The grounds are absolutely amazing, the largest and prettiest outside area I’ve seen around here. The staff is great, we’ve enjoyed all of the teachers. The most amazing thing about CPNS, though, is the community. We have all become friends and allies in raising our children the best we can. There are people you can call on for help or just company and playdates. It is truly a wonderful place.