About Us
Six Joy-Filled Decades of Education
The Cooperative Advantage
In its 66th year, Mendham Cooperative Nursery School continues to educate young learners with its primary goal at the forefront of its preschool program: To provide a well-rounded, warm, preschool experience in a nurturing atmosphere that fosters emotional, social, physical, and cognitive development.
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The Mendham Cooperative Nursery School experience builds upon the traditional model of preschool by supporting the learning environment with a strong family structure. By seeing their parents active in school, children learn that the adults who love them highly value education. They learn that education extends beyond the four walls of a classroom, involving not just themselves and their teachers, but their families and community as well. Parents become an integral part of their child’s education right from the start.
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As a parent, you will get to know all of the children in your child's class, as well as their parents. You will experience your child's education and classroom environment first-hand and see how your child relates to his or her peers. The cooperative experience helps to facilitate a close relationship with your child's teacher, and parents develop relationships with other families through their work together. The involvement of our families is a large part of what makes our school so special.
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For the child, the Co-op is a place to explore, laugh, learn, and develop a positive self-image. Child-centered learning environments allow, encourage, and support young learners to ask questions and solve problems. Small class sizes with low student-teacher ratios ensure for a personalized and individualized educational experience for each learner. Community members also visit our school to provide the children with additional learning experiences. Seasonal field trips expand our program even further.​
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Our warm environment and cooperative culture support students in a multitude of ways: easing the transition from home to school, supporting strong social connections, and offering a wider exposure to a variety of people as each young learner's world expands. Children leave the Mendham Co-op confident and prepared for social and academic success in Kindergarten and throughout their school years.
Our Little Yellow School
Located in the "little yellow schoolhouse" tucked away on Orchard Street, the Mendham Co-op is a fully accredited and certified nursery school. Inspected regularly by the state of New Jersey and the Mendham Borough Health, Fire, and Building Departments, our "tiny but mighty" building has three classrooms and two well-stocked art rooms that are bright, cheerful, and comfortable for our students. The fully fenced in property also encompasses several outdoor learning areas.
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The classrooms are clean and well organized with educational and fun toys within the children's reach to keep them engaged while they're learning and interacting with each other. Each classroom is organized into five learning areas: Language, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Dramatic Play.
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Our school's playground is entirely enclosed and safe for our students, with a soft layer of mulch beneath all equipment. It has two large play structures with slides, climbers, tunnels and bridges, a spacious sandbox, a "school bus" play structure, and plenty of room for running and playing. Children access the playground with children their own age during their school day, weather permitting.
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Our little yellow schoolhouse feels more like a home than most schools, easing the transition from home to school, especially for our youngest learners. It is safe, secure, and cozy. We take pride in our welcoming environment.
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Conveniently located at 8 Orchard Street in Mendham, directly off of Main Street on a peaceful side road, our school enjoys easy access to public areas while maintaining a secluded, private space. A town playground can be found directly adjacent to our parking lot, making for a very common after-school meeting place for Co-op kids and parents. This public space also features shaded tables for picnic lunches in addition to plenty of well-maintained playground equipment.
