Port Townsend Cooperative Playschool

Program Philosophy                                                                                                                         Kids love being together! What's more, they benefit from the mental, emotional, and physical stimulation they get from being part of a group. Playschool offers a fun, safe, and nurturing environment where young children can:

• Learn to work and play successfully with children their own age.
• Build warm relationships with adults other than their parents.
• Develop self-discipline and self-confidence.
• Play with safe, age-appropriate equipment that helps them to improve their physical coordination.

Playschool offers parents a chance to get support, insight, and understanding from sharing the challenges and joys of parenting with other parents. Parents bring their children to class one morning a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The children's time is divided up into free play, guided group play, and individual manipulative play time (play dough, painting, arts and crafts).

During the first hour, all parents stay with the children. During the second hour, the "snack parent" and the assigned helper stay with the teacher and children while the other parents attend a group discussion led by a Parent Education Instructor from Peninsula College. 
                                                  
Class Times
Children attend class one day a week from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 am.

Please call the Membership Coordinator to obtain the available class days.                                                              

Age Groupings
Port Townsend Cooperative Playschool combines creative play and social interaction for kids 9 months to 3 years old.

Tuition
We are a nonprofit, equal opportunity program. Scholarships are available.

Registration: $15.00 per year; nonrefundable
Tuition: $85.00 per quarter
          
Activities
We have a beautiful play room that includes a play kitchen area and a little library. Many parents have poured hours of love, energy, and hard work into creating and maintaining a space that is cheerful and stimulating, yet flexible enough to allow different children to pursue different activities at the same time.

Activities and equipment include:

puzzles - painting - dress-up - singing songs
sensory table - small slide - cloth tunnel
pasting - matching games - rhythm instruments
rocking, riding, and climbing toys - storytelling
field trips - finger play 
                                                  
Teacher
Jessica Winsheimer                                                                                                                   Teacher Jessie comes with much experience from a multitude of teaching environments. However, the best hands on experience comes from being a mother to two young daughters. My inspiration comes from a variety of methods and philosophies when planning the environment and curriculum including Waldorf, Montessori, the Theory of Multiple Intelligences and the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Playschool seems to be a great fit for my philosophy of encouraging parents to take a hands on approach in their child’s learning experiences. The supportive environment of parents and the endless enthusiasm from the children delights me daily.I believe children are strong, rich and capable. I believe they have potential, curiosity, and interest in constructing their learning. I feel education should liberate childhood energy and capacities and promote the harmonious development of the whole child. I want to nurture the child’s deep connections and rich relationships with the world around them. I trust in the research that children learn through play. I am honored that I get to set the stage for their learning experiences by providing them with interesting invitations. I believe it is possible to create the kind of place where children, teachers, and parents thrive and head toward becoming the best we can all become through challenging our minds, engaging our hearts, using our hands and honoring each other and the world in all its complex beauty and mystery.

Parent Involvement
The Playschool is a cooperative. All Playschool parents contribute a portion of their talents, time, and energy to keep the school functioning effectively. The Board runs the Co-op business, and all parents participate in decision-making, fundraising, and planning events.

Parents responsibilities include:

• Helping the teacher
• Preparing and serving snacks
• Attending quarterly parent meetings

Serving on the board, on a committee, or doing another Coop job      

2009-04-27

Location
Port Townsend            Cooperative Playschool
Calvary Community Church      13474 Airport Cutoff Road
Port Townsend, WA 98368                                                                                                         

For more information
Contact - Tonya Cole        Membership Coordinator
Phone: (360) 385-9342

Niki Sturdivant                   Chairperson
Phone: (360)379-0723

Mailing Address:
Port Townsend            Cooperative Playschool
P.O. Box 768
Port Townsend, WA 98368   

Peninsula College
Student Services            Family Life Education
FLE Program Details

Other Parent Programs
Peninsula College     Educare Center

Early Head Start and Infant/Toddler Center

First Step Family Support Center

Lower Elwha Head Start