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Manchester Co-op Preschool Offering NEW Summer Program

Finishing up the 2014-2015 school year, the Manchester Co-op Preschool is launching a summer program beginning June 22 for children ages 3 to 5. Having recently celebrated it 50 year anniversary and finishing up the first year of their new Young Fives program, the Co-op is continuing to modernize and expand. Shelby Chartrand, teacher & co-director stated, “We are both excited and eager to start a summer program.”

The summer program will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is limited to 20 children. Chartrand and Brandi Royer who currently teach the preschool classes, will both be teaching all of the days. The day will start at 9am and run until 2:30pm. Children do not need to attend everyday, but instead families can select the days they’d like their child to attend. Cost is $10 per day, per child. Children must bring their own lunch but a light snack will be offered in the afternoon. Registration for Co-op families began earlier but it is now open to the general public. You can download a registration packet and return completed packet to the Co-op located at 410 City Road in the Nellie Ackerson Building.

One of the unique aspects of the Co-op Preschool experience is that parents take turns working in the classrooms. Unlike the school year however, parent volunteers will not be needed in the classroom during the summer program. Parents will be asked to provide snack for the group at least once during the course of the program and will be invited to come along on walking trips around Manchester.

Chartrand explained that their goal for the program is three-fold, “Our goal is to offer a fun, interactive place for children to play and socialize with their peers while also providing them with rich learning opportunities that will make what [they] learned during the school year relevant and get them ready for the school year to come.”

While curriculum and schedules aren’t set yet, walking field trips will most likely include parks, shops around town, the fair, and the library. They intend to spend as much time outdoors as the weather permits. Themes will be child-directed but may include outer space, cooking, and gardening, for example.

Families participating in the summer program will have the option of combating “summer slide” by having their child participate in “study hall.” These 15-20 minute academic lessons will be fitted to the needs of the individual child. The “study hall” idea is based on research on retention during the summer and the loss of skills taught during the school year.

At the same time as promoting the summer program, the Co-op announced changes to next year preschool program. The Tuesday, Thursday class will remain half-day and will be geared towards 3 year-olds (as it currently is) but also to young 4-year-olds, and will include an extended day option. The Monday, Wednesday, Friday class will be open to children who have turned 4 by the first day of school and the Young Five students and will be full day for all students.

Detailed program info is on their . You can also contact the co-directors/teachers at Shelby Chartrand, 734-915-5417, chartrand.sa@gmail.com and Brandi Royer, 734-277-2447, bree11sk8s@aol.com. You can also visit the Co-op’s  which is updated daily with events and pictures.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.