Walking into a classroom at Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church Cooperative Nursery School is like getting one big warm bear hug! From the dedicated and caring teachers to the engaging and developmentally appropriate curriculum-DNPCCNS’s philosophy is rooted in putting children first. That is why for over 40 years, the school has been so successful in helping children build their socialization skills while sparking their curiosity and love of learning through fun and interesting activities.
“We look at every child as an individual with their own learning style and personality, we provide a multi – discipline curriculum which gives every child a chance to succeed,” said Barbara Fruh, DNPCCNS Director of Education and veteran teacher of 24 years. “At DNPCCNS, children feel loved, appreciated and supported as they begin to explore the world around them in a classroom setting.” One thing that has remained absolutely constant over time at DNPCCNS is the school’s commitment to small class sizes for its students. The class sizes range from 10 to 18, depending on age, with each class having a teacher, assistant teacher and helping parent, far exceeding the state mandate.
DNPCCNS provides children a positive transition from home to school by actively involving parents in the classroom and management of the school. “One of the best parts of being a cooperative school is that our parents are involved in their child’s education from the start, working alongside teachers in the classroom,” says current DNPCCNS Administrative Director, Kim Kelly, who was both a student and a parent with the school.
“Meeting other parents who share the value of being directly involved in their children’s education is another wonderful characteristic of DNPCCNS,” Libby Vinson, an alumni parent whose third son is currently enrolled at the school stated. “Not only do I love being engaged in my sons’ classes, I’ve met and formed close friendships with other DNPCCNS families by doing so. It’s a nice way to get involved in your children’s education and meet people in the community at the same time. “
While DNPCCNS prides itself in being the oldest nursery school in the area, the school places strong emphasis on continuing to adapt to meet the needs of its rapidly growing and diverse community by offering a secular curriculum that embraces the different cultures of our families. “Our unique structure allows us to offer flexible programs for our families like our Buy Out agreement which can reduce the amount of time spent in the classroom. As a result of our parents’ feedback, we recently added a three-week summer camp that was full enrolled in its pilot run. And in September, we will be introducing a Kindergarten Extension Program that runs three days a week, mornings and afternoons” says Mrs. Kelly.
DNPCCNS offers a variety of enrichment programs to extend the child’s experience at the school. Three and four year old students can choose to participate in enrichment programs which expand the regular classroom curriculum through a variety of activities like drama, cooking, science and more! They also have the opportunity to participate in the school’s “Lunch Bunch” program, where the children enjoy spending an extra hour with friends, learning good table manners, a special story-time, open play, and games.
The school also runs “Friday Fun” classes that are designed to expose children to a broad spectrum of activities that spark curiosity and a love of learning beyond the classroom. And as a cooperative, there are several whole-school events thrown throughout the year for parents, students and families to enjoy.
“What we love about DNPCCNS is that there are always so many extra activities to try out! We’ve participated in Terrific 3’s Enrichment Program and my son raved about learning how to “milk a cow” and “acting” in Little Red Riding Hood! We relaxed at a great parent/child yoga session with Friday Fun and he still talks about Mrs. G’s Science Spectacular,” says Katy Coyle, whose son is currently enrolled at DNPCCNS.
DNPCCNS is a great place to start your child’s school experience. If you’d like to learn more, tour our school and meet our staff, please joins us at the DNPCCNS Open House on Saturday, October 22 from 9a.m. to 11a.m.
154 South Mill Road, Princeton Junction, NJ 08550.
Administrative Director Kim Kelly and Director of Education Barbara Fruh, as well as many of the classroom teachers and school parents will be on hand to meet families and answer questions about the school.
Come and find out what we have to offer for your child in the 2012-2013 school year! If you are in need of a school this fall, DNPCCNS is currently accepting applications for the 2011-2012 school year.
For additional information, please contact the school’s administration office at 609-799-9490 or visit the school’s web site at www.dnpccns.org.
