Village Preschool

Village Preschool has a rich history as a cooperative play school that has been around since 1955. Our school was created by parents in Southwest Portland who came together to form a community where their children could grow and play together and parents could maintain meaningful involvement in their children's early learning.

Our intent at Village Preschool is to help each child become their most authentic self. Children are heard and accepted. Their feelings, ideas and opinions are dealt with respectfully. Rules in the classroom keep the children safe and healthy and encourage consideration of others. These rules are enforced without rewarding, punishing or praising, and free of manipulation.

I am a former Village parent myself. I chose Village for my own family because of the supportive community, and chance to be a part of my child's early learning years. In the Spring of 2013. I became the Assistant Teacher and trained under former Lead Teacher, Mary St Martin. Upon Teacher Mary's retirement at the end of the 2014 school year, I was promoted to Lead Teacher and I have been at Village ever since.

Village offers a combined class program for children ages 3 to 6 years old. Because we recognize that the physical, emotional and social development and needs vary between preschool aged children, our children are considered to be Juniors (ages 3-4 years) or Seniors (ages 4+ years).

Our class provides the predictability and consistency of a daily routine that helps our younger children learn and thrive, while also allowing for new and more complex ways to extend play for our older children (e.g., art and science projects, field trips, optional Lunch and Play).The curriculum at Village is planned by Teacher Jamie and follows the natural changes in the seasons and rhythms of the year.

Village offers two classrooms for play and exploration: our Block room and Art room. Both rooms are arranged into areas that provide students with repeated access to the five essential experiences of early childhood development. Each area within the classrooms is filled with carefully chosen materials that have been arranged to encourage exploration, support development and promote independence.