University District

Don't build a preschool next to the cut

We are in our fourth year as members of the UCDS community and it's been a great fit for our family. Our second grader is happy to go to school, in part because the teachers are really good at making learning fun. Her teachers have done so much to scaffold her emotional self-regulation skills. The school has also helped her a lot with developing pro-social and conversational skills, especially via the oracy curriculum for first and second graders and also lots of ad hoc conversations the teachers facilitate between friends to work through disagreements. The school intentionally gives kids lots of opportunities to get to know other students outside of their primary classrooms. My second grader is extroverted and does well with this aspect of school. It can be a lot for some kids, definitely, but I'm told that by the time they get to fifth grade everyone knows everyone and it's a strong, close-knit group of kids.One highlight for my child was when she got to go to all school meeting. Each kid gets to take a couple turns at some point in the year going to all school meeting, which is a weekly meeting with representatives from each classroom in which they discuss important issues facing the school and faculty help them decide what actions to implement. My kid felt so empowered getting to raise a topic that her classmates had been discussing in their class meetings.The former head of school retired at the end of the 2024 school year. Jen, who was assistant head of school for many years became the head of school, and they brought in Deborah as the new assistant head of school. This leadership change has brought wonderful refreshing energy to the school. They listened to families and are introducing a revised and more robust math curriculum for the third through fifth graders this year. There are now two teachers in each classroom instead of one, which helps the teachers have more bandwidth to support students.

Our child is just finishing up her Pre-K year at University Cooperative School, and what a year's it's been. The kids are exposed to music, Capoeira, visual and performing arts, and more. They indulge in cooking projects, explore nature with outdoor play every day, and go on many field trips learning to navigate our city. They interact with the other grades, recognize other cultures and norms, and welcome families to share what is unique about them.All that said, what really stood out to me was not just that the teachers guided our kids with enthusiasm, expertise, and love (which they absolutely did); but they also supported the families. They lent a kind ear, provided knowledge and resources, and lent relevant moral and physical support as our kids went through their ups and downs throughout the year. Beyond the amazing teachers, we also feel like we belong to a real community at U Co-op where the faculty, staff, and families care for each other. Finally, to briefly address the Cooperative aspect of the school, the school needs are varied and there are many different ways to fulfill a "family job" and still meet your other work schedule. They welcome families to participate in their child's experience during this time that can go by all too quickly, but ultimately you participate when it meets your needs and wants.