I am a Co-op parent of almost 3 years. It's been wonderful, fun and rewarding. When we first joined the Co-op family, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how caring and supportive everyone was, both the staff and the parent community. My son Luca could not be in a safer, more loving and nurturing environment. The Co-op has become his home away from home.

He has made long lasting friends who he will continue to grow with for years to come (and so have I).
I remember visiting the school some months before we enrolled Luca. As soon as I walked into the school, I felt an immediate sense of warmth. Co-directors (and also head teachers), Cindy and Irene were my first Co-op experience. They made me feel so comfortable and at home. I would soon find out that they are the most helpful and kind people who genuinely care and love the school and all the children in it.
Cindy and Irene set the tone for the school and the rest of the staff and parents follow it. Respect and Validation; they give the children the freedom to express themselves and make sure that their voices are heard. Children are made to feel that their "work" is important and respected. Their feelings and emotions are always validated. Our teachers are the most important aspect of the school. Their dedication to our children and their enthusiasm to work with them continue to amaze me. Our motto here is "play is child's work". And indeed both teachers and children work very hard every day. The teachers are the reason why we have the happiest children in the world at the Co-op.

The Co-op is unique to any other nursery schools in the area because the parents are directly involved in the workings of the school. This not only keeps the school running and thriving, but it creates a sense of community. Working together often becomes quite social and fun. By working together, not only are we forming special bonds and friendships, but we're also showing our children that big jobs can be done when we all chip in. It's so rewarding! Quite often, working for our children doesn't even seem like work.
I feel proud to be a Co-op parent and feel so lucky to be a part of such a wonderful community. It's truly been a gift for me and my family.

Amy Rowley (co-chair 2011-12)
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Being new to the school, I was very happy to meet other incoming families during the orientation and leave feeling comfortable enough to schedule a playdate for my son.   Now in his second year at the co-op, I see how his teachers and classmates have nurtured his social and academic preparation for Kindergarten.  He is happy going to school and I feel very fortunate that the experience and warmth of the staff complement the overall collaborative philosophy of the Co-op.  The Co-op is an ideal fit for our family and we look forward to enrolling our infant son once he is eligible for the 2s program.

Sylvia Robles, 2012
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We had just moved to Hastings when a friend told me about the coop. It has been a wonderful, loving place for our son, a new community for all of us, and a group of friends I am sure we will have forever. What a wonderful place to land!

Kit Demirdelen, 2012
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The Hastings Co-Op is a very special environment. The love, care, attention and dedication to the children is felt the minute you walk in--on behalf of not just the teachers, but also the parents, which is what makes the Co-Op stand apart. But the true testament is how my daughter has taken to the school. She just completed the first half of her first year and I had no idea she would love it this much. It's all she talks about. The Co-Op's dedication to both emotional growth and physical activity is the perfect balance. She's truly blossomed. It's great to get a peek so early on at the person she is going to be.

Lynne Schur, 2012
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Dear Cindy and Jean,

Thank you for the wonderful and immeasurable roles you and the Co-op have played in our lives this year. 

We have been excited to send Isabel to the Co-op since shortly after we moved to Hastings almost two years ago. We knew it was the right place for her--that she would be in great hands and have a great time. But our experience this year has been so much more than we ever expected.

We knew we would be happy here, and maybe make new friends. We didn't realize that the playground and the rooms of the Co-op would begin to feel like home, and that the children and adults we saw each day would begin to feel like family. 

We knew we'd see new sides of Isabel during her first year of preschool. We didn't realize just how illuminating it would be, that we would be guided to crack the code on our incredible and mysterious girl.

We knew her first year at the Co-op would have a great influence on Isabel. We didn't realize that what we would learn about her would stand to have a profoundly positive impact on the rest of her life.

We knew we would learn a lot ourselves as well, like how to be less uptight with Isabel, to let her get messy, wet and dirty, to relax and embrace her desires to be wild and free. We didn't realize we would become fundamentally better parents.

We knew she would be respected, encouraged, enjoyed. We didn't realize she would be truly loved.

We thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts, for the joy, the excitement, the precious memories, and for doing more for our child and our family than we ever thought possible.

Sincerely, Kim and Thomas Meisner, 2009