Garden Cooperative Nursery School

We are exceptionally pleased with Garden Nursery School. Our older daughter has been there for three years, and our younger daughter will be starting next year. The teachers are highly experienced, consistent, and incredibly attentive to the children. They encourage curiosity and creativity by supporting each child’s interests through thoughtful, project- and play-based learning experiences. The school has also been wonderfully flexible with our family’s changing schedules over the years—we’ve done full-time, part-time, and varying day combinations, and they’ve always been accommodating and supportive. What truly makes Garden Nursery School unique is its amazing parent community. Parents are encouraged to be involved in the classroom, and families regularly connect outside of school through playground meetups and birthday parties. It is a warm, welcoming, and genuinely inclusive community, and we feel so lucky to be a part of it.

I can only say positive things about GNS. The teachers and the director, Tracilee, are simply wonderful—very professional and competent, very attentive and supportive. Our son is now starting his third and final year there, and he has always loved going. Every day, there are great play activities, and the facilities are set up with so much care. It’s a wonderful community where children form real friendships, and the parents know and support each other. The only downside is that they don’t yet offer a toddler group; otherwise, my daughter would be attending too :-) Thank you, GNS, for being so wonderful—without you, starting the day wouldn’t be nearly as bright.

Our daughter is in her second year at Garden Nursery School and it has been such a wonderful and supportive first school experience for her. We love that it is play-based and emphasizes socio-emotional learning, and the community that is created through the cooperative structure. It is such a welcoming environment with teachers and a director that truly appreciate the uniqueness of each child. Being new to the area, we have appreciated the chance to get to know the other families beyond a hello at dropoff. Our daughter has so much fun with all the art projects, and being able to run around with her friends in the garden, and as parents, it has been the perfect opportunity to have a part in sharing the experience with her. We love GNS!

GNS is a rare gem. The director and teachers have years of experience and a wealth of creativity... and they're allowed to use it! The children at GNS play all day, and they learn so much thanks to the emergent curriculum that follows their interests. GNS is a place where children develop curiosity and empathy. Speaking as an elementary school teacher myself, this is what school should be for every child.

Our daughter has been enrolled at GNS for about 6 months and we could not be happier with our experience so far.  She attends the two-day program and every day she wakes up asking if it is a school day because she can't wait to go back.  The facilities are bright, fun and extremely clean.  Our daughter especially loves the outdoor time and spends a lot of time in the sandbox and mud kitchen cooking up lots of creations. For my husband and I being able to be a part of the school and her education through the cooperative program has been amazing.  We've both done one day of parent helping so far this year and it was so fun to be able to see our daughter in her school environment and helped give us a better sense of what her days at preschool look like.  Finally, the teachers are absolutely amazing.  We love that they use an emerging play curriculum and are always so impressed with the activities they come up with for the kids.