From Lesley R.:

 

"My three children all attended Benson Hill Co-op Preschool and they all have done exceptionally well with their formal schooling. Not only were they academically prepared but also socially and emotionally as well. They came to Kindergarten ready to learn, aware of classroom expectations, and comfortable interacting with adults - not just their teacher but also parent volunteers, office staff, and teachers aids. Benson Hill Co-op Preschool’s child-centered philosophy tailors learning to each child’s specific interests and abilities. This allows each child to feel successful, engaged, and involved in how they learn about the world around them.

 

I believe that my children’s experience at Benson Hill truly prepared them for elementary school. They were all able to work independently, interact with peers in an empathetic and fair way, and meet or exceed academic requirements. Being involved in a co-op preschool also prepared me! I was a confident advocate for my children because being involved in their preschool education allowed me to really get to know them as learners and see how they interacted with peers and teachers. I can’t think of a better preschool than Benson Hill Co-op!"

 

From Lisa T.:

 

"Our three children enjoyed a collective 14 years at Benson Hill Co-op Preschool. The co-op philosophy of learning through sensory experiences and hands-on manipulation of the environment greatly appealed to our family, and it prepared our children well for school. The school provided many unique, fun and enriching activities for our preschoolers and helped the children learn conflict resolution skills (and taught us, by example, how to further this teaching at home). Equally important was our opportunity as parents to be strongly involved in our children’s preschool experience and getting to know their playmates because we had regular in-class duties. Our participation in co-op helped us meet many other parents, and we realized we weren't alone in our challenges.

 

The other perk of co-op was the information and support we received from our wonderful Parent Ed instructors, who taught us about ages and stages, expectations, and how to help our children learn, not only academically but emotionally as well.

 

We are grateful for the opportunity we had to give the gift of cooperative preschool to each of our children--and to ourselves.  It gave us all a solid foundation as a family, as parents and as individuals."

 

From Courtney J.:

 

"All three of my kids attended BHCP. It is a wonderful beginning to a school experience with lots of socialization and exposure to beginning concepts of reading, math, and science, as well as circle time and more structured "table time" for learning in smaller groups, all of which are critical for kindergarten readiness. It has been absolutely wonderful to watch all three of my kids grow in the program with new friendships, the ability to sit and follow directions, explore their world in a safe place and have a fun time doing it-- ALL of which are such important aspects of being ready for school. I believe in the co-op model and have highly recommended BHCP to anyone seeking a top notch preschool!"

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From Colleen H.:

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"We love BHCP! I feel so lucky that our family found this school! The teachers are amazing at preparing wonderful learning themes, crafts, songs, and field trips. The parent-ed is a wonderful addition and the best part of this school is how involved you can be as a parent. You truly have the opportunity to help shape your child's early education and be there to witness those wonderful learning moments. We have met amazing families and friends along the way. We just couldn't ask for a better place for our son to have his first school experiences! Our son is SO EXCITED to go to school! There is such a sense of joy and love in this school. Highly recommend!"

 

From Michele D.:

 

"This month Mason started kindergarten. As we walked in he seemed so ready. He sat at his desk ready to listen. Now me, I wasn't so ready. I will miss knowing his classmates as well as we did at co-op, I'll miss the always informative and helpful parent ed, I'll miss being a part of the classroom and feeling like it was my school too. I am so thankful that we were a part of co-op. It was an experience and a time in their lives that I will cherish. They had so much fun, it was a loving environment, and they made amazing friends."