What do I need to do to start a preschool coop in my neighborhood?

Question

I need to know what I need to do to get started. I live in NYC and could have the preschool at my home but would prefer some other ideas on location. Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks-

Answer 1

Co-ops are great, but a lot of work to organize. If you want a real preschool you will need a qualified teacher. The parents act as assistants. On the other hand, you could call it a play group and rotate among people's homes. I suspect that location is going to be a big problem. I'd look around first and see if it is even possible.Churches are a good place to start. You'll need a Board of Directors. Start with parents, but invite a few community members with experience in fund raising and education. Before you even look for a teacher you must reach agreement on what kind of program you want. If half the parents envision a play based program and the other half want a lot of academics it will be difficult. Check with Bank Street School on the upper west side to see if they know of resources to help you.Also, there is a national organization for coopes. Go to preschool.coop..