Our Mission | Teacher Bio | Testimonials
Children’s Co-Op Preschool is a nonprofit, parent co-operative school that is affiliated with Whatcom Community College (WCC) for children ages two and a half to five years. It is one of four co-operative preschools under the larger umbrella of WCC. Our preschool has been running for more than forty years, and some of our first students have now returned as parents!
At Children’s Co-Op, the parents serve as administrators and staff of the school. Our teachers plan the curriculum and guide the parents working in the classroom. A facilitator is provided by Whatcom Community College who offers professional support for the teachers and families, trains new board members, and leads the parent education program.
Our curriculum is developmentally appropriate to support young children’s learning. Based on seasonal themes where children actively explore our different learning centers, the children learn by doing. Through active involvement with their environment, children learn to make sense of the world around them. Our role is to create a community within our classroom that invites children to observe, to be active, to make choices, and to experiment.
Being in a Co-Op means:
- Working in your child’s classroom (approximately once a month depending on the child’s age and the size of the class)
- Attending the parent education meeting once a month
- Performing a parent job (board positions, fundraiser, newsletter, etc.)
- Participating in fundraising
- Building lifelong friendships for you and your child
Our Mission
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Our mission at Children’s Co-Op Preschool (CCP) is to provide a safe, nurturing, and rich learning environment for both parents and children to build confidence and a solid foundation as their first school experience.
We believe that young children learn best through hands-on, open-ended, and creative play. We nurture and respect the whole child. Therefore, our classroom environment is thoughtfully created to encourage and support each child’s unique social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development.
Children’s Co-op Preschool does not discriminate and warmly welcomes students and families of any race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, national origin, or sexual orientation. We are a non-profit and equal opportunity organization that is affiliated with Whatcom Community College parent education.
Teacher Bios
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Heidi Peterson
Heidi has been teaching with the Children’s Co-op since 2000. She has a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in ECE. Before coming to CCP, she was a kindergarten teacher for the Bellingham School District. Her daughters were a part of the Co-op program. Some of her passions, along with teaching, are gardening, cooking, reading, and enjoying family time.
Deb Walrath
Bellingham is Deb Walrath’s childhood home and she is thrilled to be home again! Deb earned her degree in Elementary Education with an ECE endorsement from WWU, taught for 10 years in the public school system, spent 10 years at home raising her own children, and caring for the children of friends and neighbors. Eventually, she found employment as the director of a small preschool in the Seattle area, teaching and managing in ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program), and coaching childcare providers. Finding her passion working with young children, Deb returned to school at North Seattle Community College to deepen her understanding of this age group, and continues to be a lifelong learner. With two grown children, Deb and her husband enjoy settling into their new-to-them home, hanging out around the backyard campfire, and all that Bellingham, and life in general, has to offer.
Testimonials
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I love getting to work in the classroom and see how the kids interact together. I also have made great friends thru the CCP where it feels like you are part of a larger family.”
childrenscooppreschool.com 