Running Brook Children's Nursery School, Columbia

About Us: A co-operative preschool is a school established and directed by parents. Parents select and hire a qualified teaching staff, take turns working beside teachers in the classroom, and manage all the institutional needs of the program. Parent participation keeps costs relatively modest, compared to schools run on corporate systems. Co-op schools have a community feel, and families tend to form close relationships that last well beyond the pre-school years. Running Brook Childrens Nursery (RBCN) was established in 1969. Our school is based on a collaborative effort between parents and teachers, dedicated to bringing meaningful and enriching experiences to preschool children, and building a supportive community for their families. RBCN offers a preschool program for two-, three-, and four-year-old children. Our teachers are highly qualified and experienced. RBCN is a non-profit educational institution. We are an equal opportunity employer, and follow state and federal governmental guidelines for non-discrimination in hiring and acceptance policies. Our Mission: The vision and mission of Running Brook Childrens Nursery is to provide a high quality early education program for preschoolers, which is focused on support for families, responsive and sensitive to the interests and needs of the local community, supportive of social, cultural and linguistic diversity, mindful of creating and sustaining community connections, and dedicated to welcoming, encouraging, and supporting the full engagement of the families its serves in every possible way. All children, including those with special needs, deserve safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate care. We welcome all children into our program, and work cooperatively with community support agencies to offer appropriate care and education. Our program fosters a sense of belonging. We believe that children learn best when they have a strong sense of belonging and are provided an atmosphere in which to discover the world on their own, in their own time, according to their own abilities and interests. Our families and staff members work cooperatively to create a safe, loving environment. Our program is play based. It provides a child centered curriculum, based upon developmentally and age appropriate early childhood standards, supported by research and aligned with current best practices in the field. We believe PLAY is a childs work, and that the spirit of play must be present in all aspects of early childhood learning. We are committed to developmentally appropriate, research based best practices in all aspects of our program. These include attention to health and safety, social & emotional development, developmentally appropriate curriculum, careful program administration, staff development, community involvement, and maintaining a supportive, nurturing environment for all of the families in our care. We have a strong commitment to professional development for our staff. A quality program depends upon a high level of professional training. We support our teachers in activities which advance their skills, knowledge and professional credentialing in the field of early care and education. We believe in fostering active engagement of families in our program. Parents volunteer in classroom on a regular basis as members of a co-operative school. They serve as primary administrators, help to develop policy, conduct ongoing evaluations of the program, and serve as committee members to ensure the smooth functioning of the program as a whole. We promote and maintain strong ties with community agencies and resources. We recognize that community connections are vital to providing support to families and increasing the strength of our program. We have well established links throughout the broader community in Howard County and promote partnerships that strengthen our families. We are committed to ongoing program evaluation and self improvement. We strive to continuously improve the program though rigorous annual self-evaluation using the standards established by the MSDE accreditation instrument. Program-Why our parents participate: Parents are a vital part of our program. During every class, parents play and work with children, support their learning, and model the social behaviors necessary for their success. Parents participating in the co-op have three primary advantages: -The ability to see how their children interact with both other children and adults. -An opportunity to build relationships and share insights with other parents. -A setting that makes possible, through direct experience, the ability to achieve a better understanding of a preschool childs capacities in every arena-physical, social, emotional and creative, thereby providing them perspective in assessing their own children's development. -How our parents participate As a co-op, we require full participation by all parents. The success of a cooperative nursery is totally dependent on the quality of effort put forth by its members. Parents share the work of administration and management of the school. Specific responsibilities include: -Co-oping every 4 to 6 weeks, depending on class size. -Serving on the Board of Directors, or serving on school support committee. -Attending regular class meetings and general meetings. -Participating in one mandatory fundraising activity. -Participating in one housekeeping assignment, unless exempted by a designated board position. Additional benefits: -The lead teacher visits new students at their home prior to the beginning of the school year. -Parent Workshops are provided to educate the families on the curriculum and other relevant parenting topics. -A parent lending library is available to all families -Summer playgroups are held for each class. -School wide field trips, social events and end of the year picnic are planned annually. -Potty training is not required We are open from 9:00am until 3:15pm and care for children as young as 2 years through 4 years old, including children with special needs. We offer part time care. We provide snacks and offer a peanut and tree-nut free environment. Running Brook Children's Nursery School is a co-op program that requires parents' active involvement. At a minimum, our teachers have a Bachelor's degree. To learn more, please call us or send us an email. Please be sure to mention that you found us on CareLuLu.