Oneonta Cooperative Nursery School

Our second year here and I will not recommend this school.

If they can’t talk to you nice on phone how can you trust them with your child. They were rude to share any details on phone both the times I called. With background noise of kids playing I can figure out if kids see the way they are talking on phone these kids are getting wrong things to learn.

I thought this was a good school, and my son’s first year was okay, but after the directorial change, we had to move him. Director was advising behavioral mod therapy, OT, all for an energetic boy. We moved, and he is THRIVING and passing all the goals we had set, after the Oneonta debacle. There are many other co-​ops, I would continue researching if I were looking.
Shocking results after changing schools.

We LOVE this preschool! My son is an active and rambunctious little guy who loves all things kineshetic. This school provides not only the structure needed for academic success in elementary school, but it also provides lots of opportunities for the kids to run, jump, and have fun! They have 3 different outdoor play spaces the kids visit daily… That’s my son’s favorite thing about Oneonta.
We attended Sunrise Preschool pasadena at the same time as Oneonta for the month of September. (I missed the cut off day to get a refund of September tuition at Sunrise) By the second week, my son clearly preferred Oneonta. He told me that at Oneonta, «the teachers talk to me, and that I have lots of friends, and at Sunrise I have no friends and the teacher only talks to me a little bit.»
At Oneonta, there is a ratio of 1 adult per 3 – 4 children… I love that. The children get so much more individualized attention.

Please keep in mind that all these great reviews were written before this school year, and there is an entirely different direction and director now, as well as new teachers who are great, but there are not nearly enough of them. If you are looking for the experiences as reviewed below, you might want to really make some inquiries.
It seems to me, with an energetic child of my own, they were quick to treat problems in a very general old-​school way, (the new director has a background in everything *except* co-​op) and VERY quick to suggest every sort of therapy short of medication. They are short staffed and unequipped to handle much variance in budding personalities.
And they won’t call you when your child asks to come home, leading to, in my case, a panic attack in a 4yo boy, where the outcome in class is horrible for everyone and unfair to the teacher and students.
After response:
Yes yes every teacher is great. But I’m glad she wrote back– so you can see all the academic power and not enough of the children’s power. And notice, too, that the whole thing talks about everything but HERSELF. I almost fell asleep trying to read it.
Everything I said I still stand by. He’s flourishing in a different school– they say ‘you act so surprised when you find out he had a great day!’. Such a difference. Blessed. I never, ever would say anything about the wonderful teachers.
Btw, there was No call when ‘child is in distress’ that morning. If it’s ‘documented,’ show me.
So sorry that you say you’re ‘sad’ but if you felt an ounce of sadness and distress that I felt, perhaps you’d understand. Of you could put yourself in a parents shoes, with their first baby, If you had a child, perhaps you’d understand. If you had called with the final news, or even written the email, perhaps I wouldn’t have felt so lost at sea. If you hadn’t passed your dirty work on to a board member to email me, perhaps I would have thought of you as a strong, definitive, empathetic, kind person. It’s not the school, it’s not the teachers, it’s no one but the director. Irrefutable.
IMHO.

My daughter attended Oneonta for two wonderful years, and our family has benefited tremendously from the experience. For our second year I reluctantly agreed to serve on the parent board, but I’m so glad I did, because I learned so much from that endeavor. This week my little one started kindergarten at our local public school, and I’m finding that because of our years at Oneonta, giving my time and energy to her new school has become second nature to me. It was excellent training for a lifetime of good parenting and good learning. The cooperative preschool model is the best: you get out of it what you put into it, but even giving just the minimum amount of your time will help your family and the entire community to thrive. I am so grateful to all the wonderful and committed Oneonta teachers, staff and families, for this extremely rewarding first school experience. Thank you Oneonta!!!

My son just «graduated» from Oneonta with a lovely closing ceremony. Our whole family, including grandparents, have simply loved our years at Oneonta. The staff is wonderful and the play areas are phenomenal! The teachers and director are certainly in an enviable position. I’ll definitely recommend Oneonta to my friends.

My daughter is finishing her third year at Oneonta and we couldn’t be happier with her education. I am a credentialed teacher with my masters in education and I definitely took my time to tour many other preschools, with much disappointment, before I found our wonderful Oneonta.
I really like the co-​op environment at Oneonta. With parents helping in the classroom, the teachers can focus on curriculum and content rather than setting up snack, cleaning, etc. And being involved in the classroom has been so special for both me and my daughter (and now my son, who just finished his first year at Oneonta).
The volunteer commitment is just right – for a two-​day-​a-​week class, a parent is required to work in the classroom about once per month. There are a few other service days and projects required, too, but I’ve been able to choose responsibilities that interest me.
My daughter has had every teacher in the school over her three years and we have loved them all. My daughter will be more than prepared for kindergarten, and it was definitely the right choice for our family.

Love this school. My little one looks forward to each day of school and comes home with a big smile. The environment encourages creativity, has lots of play space, a wonderful staff and great parents that want to be involved. Btw, the director is awesome, great choice by the parent elected board of this non-​profit.

After leaving another preschool late in the school year, we thankfully landed at Oneonta Co-​Op almost two years ago. What an amazing Gem. As a first time parent like me, you of course may be anxious and worried about every little thing when leaving your precious one for a few hours of fun at their first preschool experience. I know I was. Everything from snack, to how potty time would be handled (yes that was a big deal for us when we started) was calmly explained not only with grace, but never made me feel like I was being overly excited.
The classrooms are an energetic and tidy blend of art, learning tables and play. The Teachers and Aides in each and every class are nothing short of Saints. Reina, is a down to earth Director, whose door is literally always open – pop in or call at any time. I had many questions that first few months and she gave me her mobile so I could be connected. A Co-​operative is a place of love, learning and pure dedication for all involved, not earning the big bucks, trust me.
I think a Co-​operative environment may not be for everyone. We wanted to be involved in the school experience and welcomed the participation. I remember the week before school started in a general board meeting, we were told that we would look back on these days with our children and other parents fondly, I look back at just the last two years fondly! I am not a stay at home mom. I work (from home) and am back in school, so the participation can be done – even with busy schedules.
I have met my very best friend here, our children were born on the exact same day and we instantly bonded working in the class together – trading stories over where we were when we went into labor that day!
Working in the class will give you not only a peek at your own little one busy at «school» but you will get to know a instant group of kids that your child has formed friendships with. I think it is tremendously helpful to see your own child working through things developmentally inside the classroom.
What else can I say? We are very happy.

Oneonta is terrific community and nursery school. We sent our youngest child here as we wanted to be more involved in the classroom. We have been completely thrilled. The teachers are exceptional and the leadership is extraordinary. In our opinion we could not be more pleased with the children (families), school and especially the care and attention the teachers and director give every child.

We toured all the preschools — coops and otherwise — in Pasadena, South Pasadena and East LA. Oneonta was our first choice and we have been delighted with our daughter’s time there. The teachers are nurturing and warm, while still remaining specific and direct with the students. The director, Reina Rogers, is a lovely, smart, kind woman. Case in point — my daughter left her beloved blankie in her cubby hole on Friday and Reina went to the school (at 6pm on a Friday night!!!) retrieved the blankie and hand-​delivered it to our house. If that doesn’t say it all! Our family has loved our time at Oneonta. If you are looking for an environment in which your child will thrive — look no further. Oneonta really is the best. And we did our research!

I would not send my child to this school under the current leadership. One wonders how many families will leave, how many people will be abused, how many children will be gossiped about until the parent board decides to place blame where it belongs. The school is a wonderful model, it suffers under the leadership of the current director. I am hopeful that the parent board will change the director. I look forward to revising my review when that happens.
Update: I received the following through Unilocal recently. It is a good example of the negative culture the director perpetuates.
Just a Note 5÷20÷2012
New!
Lily B.
South Pasadena, CA
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You’re obviously a hateful person. I don’t know your agenda against Oneonta but it is an absolutely fabulous school. What kind of example are you setting?

I heard about Oneonta from my friend Jennifer. I came to hear her daughter sing Halloween songs when she was in V3 and I helped Jennifer set up the Christmas party the first year she was in charge of it. I thought the school couldn’t be more charming and close knit. She started encouraging me to take my son to Oneonta right away — I mean, right after he was born right away.
My husband and I went to the open house last year — my friends were there helping out — and you see that everywhere you look at Oneonta — parents show up and participate and work together — it really does make this school great. As soon as we took the tour, we wanted our son to go — I encourage anyone even considering Oneonta to call and arrange a tour — you will get a strong sense of what this school is about just from walking through the play yards and seeing the classrooms.
We are not in our second semester in V3 — our son loves it, we love knowing all the other kids and parents. As much as I stress myself out to make crazy imaginative snacks when I’m snack parent, I love it — it is a great day spending three hours at the school with all these sweet kids — watching them play and create and learn.
Like Aurora said, this is a co-​op, you must commit to being involved — I just helped with the tour for this year’s open house and I told my group that it seems like a lot when you first hear what you need to do — you work in the classroom 3 – 4 times over each two month period, you choose a parent aide position, and there are mandatory meetings — but once you go to your first meeting, work your first classroom shift, etc, it all levels out and it doesn’t feel like that much. It is definitely do-​able — my husband and I both work and there have been a few times we had to juggle things around to make it all happen — but you figure it out. It is worth it to know the teachers and the other parents and the kids as well as you will get to know them.

Oneonta is a longtime, highly respected South Pasadena co-​operative preschool. Co-​operative is the key word here, meaning tuition rates are kept relatively low because parents are required to work in their child’s classroom on a regular, rotating basis. The payoff is that as a parent you get a unique view of your child as you observe them in the classroom setting, getting to know their friends the teacher, and the other parents as well. The school is large and clean, well-​stocked with the latest toys and equipment, and on the grounds of a large church (a former estate) however the school is nonreligious. The educational philosophy is developmental, and each class is staffed by qualified teachers and aides, in addition to two parents per day. The learning themes vary in each classroom, but are chosen with age-​appropriate interests in mind. The classrooms are large, and the school has a huge Bike Yard, and amazing outdoor Play Yard complete with swings, sand, climbing structures, a «jungle», a play house and a fire station. Must be seen to be believed! Each parent takes on an aide position in the school which sounds like a lot of work, but actually you feel much more a part of the school this way. Dads are made to feel very welcome in the classrooms, as well as Moms. There are parent education classes and one big fundraiser per year (a dinner and auction) held in the spring, which is actually a fun night out because by then you have gotten to know so many parents in the school. The key to getting into Oneonta is attending the annual Open House held in March (this year it’s March 2^nd, 2012 9:15−11 am Adults ONLY) Once you tour the school you’ll receive an application and from then on it’s a race to get your paperwork in, as the spaces go FAST. The school sounds like a lot of work, and in a way it is, but it’s completely worth it for the experience both you and your child will have.

Don’t let the word «Cooperative» scare you. Yes, you must be able to work in the classroom about two or three times in a two-​month period, and help the school in other ways (aide positions, maintenance). It may not be right for households where both parents work (although there are many families at the school where this is the situation, and they are able to participate because their schedules allow some flexibility).
We feel that the amount of time you spend at Oneonta is not overwhelming, and it is a lot of fun to see the kids in the classroom environment. The teachers are fantastic. The play yard is the nicest one I looked at in the area, thanks to the talented parents who build and maintain the equipment. We sent both of our children to Oneonta, and we have met some great families here. If you are up for volunteering and can contribute a little time to the organization, Oneonta is a very rewarding place for your child to begin his or her education.

This is my son’s third year at Oneonta and each year seems to get even better! Some basic facts: 15 students in each class, 4 classes total, for a total of 60 kids in the entire preschool. For the 3-​year old class, you can choose either a MWF or TR schedule. For the 4-​year old class, you can choose either a MWF or MTRF schedule. There are four adults in each classroom (one teacher, one assistant, and two working parents). This is a traditional nursery school with morning classes only; there is no after school care offered.
There are three outside play areas, and each one is AMAZING!!!
The play yard is all sand, and many of the structures were built by Oneonta parents. There is large play structure with a climbing wall/​tower/​bridge/​slide, fire station, swings, dramatic play house, river with running water, and a play kitchen with a working sink, and more.
The bike yard is actually a completely enclosed full-​size basketball court. There are 30-​some bikes/​trikes/​scooters and even a skuut bike. This is the only school that I visited that had a dedicated bike yard where the children could ride around and around to their heart’s content with more than enough bikes for each child. Most schools only have a few bikes and a limited area to ride. Many children learn to ride a two-​wheeler at school because of this great exposure in the bike yard. In addition to riding bikes, there are also roller skates, hula hoops, and an assortment of balls for the children to play with.
The patio is connected to the three-​year old classroom and also completely enclosed. It features a reading loft, water play, wooden blocks, vegetable garden, train table, science center, art easels, and some other rotating activities.
I appreciate that the classes are kept separate. When the children are playing outside, there is only one class in each play area. When my son was not quite three years old and just starting preschool, I felt that this was important in making him comfortable at school. With four adults watching the fifteen children, you feel that your child is safe and well-​cared for. There is always someone to interact with the children, whether it is to push on the swings, play in the kitchen, label artwork, read a book, etc. I also appreciated that during my son’s more difficult first year of preschool (he was a new big brother), one of the the teachers would always be there to hold him and play with him when I dropped him off.
Classroom time is very organized. When you drop off your child, they start off in the classroom and there are four tables set up with different activities with an adult manning each table. One of them is usually a craft, one is usually a game, and the other two are skill-​building tables. I liked the fact that the teacher always wrote the name of each child on the back of the craft BEFORE class started so we were always able to make sure each child did the craft/​art activity that day.
As a co-​op preschool, it has been really fun to work in the classroom and get to know the children, parents, and teachers better. You can imagine how great the teachers must be to have two parents watching their every move each day! It has been wonderful to see my shy son talk to other parents and tell me about them at the end of the day. It has also been fun to get emails from other parents telling me something funny or cute my son did that day. My son has made new friends and a new best friend each year… but still keeps in touch with his old best friends. He can’t wait for his younger brother to start school here as well!

There are a number of great preschools in South Pasadena and Oneonta is definitely one of them. Like any other school, it has its pros and cons. We choose this school because it worked for us as a family. It has much to recommend itself; good teachers, beautiful grounds, and a friendly, involved parent community. They have a solid play-​based, age-​appropriate curriculum. Price-​wise, no one can beat it.
On the other hand, it’s a co-​op which means you must commit to being «hands on». This entails working in the classroom at least once a month, attending mandatory meetings, committing to an year-​long aide or Board position and finally serving on a work crew twice per school year. Classroom hours are limited and there is no before/​after care.
Overall, this is a great school with many attractive qualities. If you can invest the time in your child’s education and you’d like to watch first-​hand as she/​he grows as a pre-​schooler, this is the place for you.
⁹⁄₂₀₁₂: Edited to add a star. After our first full year, we are very pleased with this school. The excellence of the community and teachers far outweighs any negatives.
In regards to the parent culture, I believe that it is what you make of it. A cooperative is a diverse group of people working together for a common goal. As with any preschool, it’s important to find the right fit for both your child and your family.

This is our son’s first year at Oneonta and it’s exceeded our expectations. Oneonta was incredibly helpful in preparing our son to transition into attending school by setting up multiple meet and greet picnics with the teachers and the other families as well as encouraging playgroups with families who have already attended the class our son was entering. Because of this, our son transitioned so easily, right from the start. The staff is great with the kids and come up with a lot of activities that stimulates their interest in learning. Additionally, they are extremely responsive to any questions or concerns the parents may have. Plus, being a Cooperative Nursery School, we can see firsthand and participate in our child’s activities while at the school.
Sending our son to Oneonta was the best decision we could have made for him. He’s made so many friends and his social skills and creative play have really blossomed.

We love Oneonta Coop! Our son has a fantastic time at school. The teachers are amazing and do an incredible amount of work to prepare great classroom activities for the kids. The families that make the school work are very dedicated and create a great sense of community.