Where Play Is At the Heart of Learning

Founded in 1959, Cedar Lane Nursery School is celebrating its 48th year as a co-operative nursery school where parents work together to create a joyful educational experience for their children. At the heart of our school is respect for children and their ability to learn through play. Under the leadership of Cedar Lane’s teacher-director Bernadine Occhiuzzo, we encourage our children to explore, experiment, ponder and create. The school’s program and physical resources offer children ample opportunities to develop a sense of belonging, competence, purposefulness and responsibility.

Cedar Lane is a non-sectarian school housed in Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, located in a beautiful wooded setting adjoining Rock Creek Park. Our three classrooms are spacious and bright with reading nooks, easels, room for large block and vehicle play, as well as dramatic play, science and other activities that encourage learning through play. The school has a large playground with a variety of equipment, including swings, a sandbox and several different kinds of climbers, allowing for active and imaginative outdoor play.

Parents at Cedar Lane play an integral role through their participation in the classroom and in all aspects of the school’s administration. The degree of parent involvement and the school’s size, limited to 20 three- and four-year-olds, make possible an intimate and nurturing program focused on each child’s developmental needs.

Hours

School hours are Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Three-year-olds attend school three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday), and four-year-olds attend school four days a week (Monday through Thursday). Lunch Bunch is available from Monday through Thursday and runs from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. Finally, our Extended Day is (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The 2-year olds attend school two days a week (Tuesday & Thursday) from 9:15 – 11:45.

Daily Schedule

The school day generally begins with a brief free play period before children join together for the daily gathering. During this time they may sing, play or move to music, listen to a story, share news from home or talk about events at school. After a break for a healthy snack, the children enjoy an extensive outdoor recess where they can run, climb, swing, play in the sandbox or participate in organized games or imaginary play. The children then return to the classroom and choose from a variety of developmentally appropriate activities, including art, dramatic play, building with blocks or other materials, books, games, puzzles and science discovery. The children work together to clean up and then choose books to take home and prepare for pick up.

Field Trip and Visitors

Field trips, visits from guests and the participation of our diverse and talented parent population offer the children an opportunity to explore and learn about our community and its rich resources. To enhance these experiences, field trips and guest visits are designed as an integral part of the curriculum. For example, in preparation for a tour of the Garrett Park Post Office the children set up their own classroom post office and wrote letters to their families to be mailed during their tour.

Parent Participation

At least one parent from each family assists in the classroom an average of two or three times each month. In addition, membership meetings are held monthly, and each family is expected to take responsibility for some aspect of the school’s administration, such as arranging field trips or coordinating the parent participation schedule. Over the course of the year four workdays are planned for families to help set up the classroom in September, conduct general maintenance during the year and close the school in June.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the 2007-2008 school year is as follows: $170 per month for two years olds, $200 per month for three year olds, $265 per month for four year olds. A $75 application fee must accompany each application. If a child is accepted into Cedar Lane Nursery School, the first month’s tuition is due by March 15 to reserve his or her spot in the class. A $75 fee for supplies and equipment and a $75 dollar activity fee are due the first month of school. The first two tuition prepayments are non-refundable. The first prepayment is due at time of admission. The first month's tuition covers the two weeks of September and the two weeks of June. May 2008 tuition is due at the June 2007 membership meeting. Subsequent payments are due at the monthly membership meetings, starting in September. Lunch Bunch is $5/day and Extended Day is $12.50/day.

Application Process

Applications are currently being accepted in a rolling admission process for the 2007-2008 school year. If you are interested in visiting the school, please call Doreen Bunten, our admissions chair, at (301) 530-5443 to make an appointment. By mid-February, we will send decision letters to all families who have submitted applications.

Cedar Lane Nursery School is a member of the Maryland Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools and is the first accredited co-operative nursery school in Maryland by the State of Maryland Department of Education.