Last Saturday the Ellenville Cooperative Nursery School opened its doors to the community for its second Open House of the year. Prospective students as well as alumni attended the event, which was held at the cooperative's 23 Washington Avenue location. In offering the community the opportunity to tour the facility and meet the staff, the event raised awareness about the changes to the cooperative's upcoming fall schedule, which is intended to offset the decline in enrollment that the school has experienced over the past few years.

“Years ago people would come and stand overnight to get in,” recalls 'Ms. Sally' Minich, who began teaching at the Ellenville Cooperative Nursery School in 1977. “Now, parents need more than two-and half hours of childcare a day, and it is difficult for them to be involved.”

As members of the Cooperative, parent involvement is required; in addition to acting as a 'Parent of the Day' once monthly, families also take part in the operation and maintenance of the school and its grounds, as well as various fundraising activities.

“I called this year 'the year of the grandparents',” said Ms. Sally, “As more and more parents have to work during the day, we've noticed much more grandparent involvement.”

In an effort to accommodate the area's changing families, the Cooperative has surrounded its traditional cooperative-style education classes with before school and after school childcare. The schedule's newest addition, the 'Early Bird Session' begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 9:30 a.m. Afterwards, the cooperative's two regularly-scheduled sessions take place, surrounding an hour-long 'Mid-day Break', which is followed by the 'After School Program' which begins at 3:30 p.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m.

'The schedule has changed since parents work more now than they used to,” explains 'Grandma Gail', who began working at the Cooperative in 1997, “but the love and involvement are the same.”

Beginning in 1949, primarily as a play-group, the Ellenville Cooperative Nursery has transformed, evolving with the changes that have occurred throughout the community over the last half-century. “When I first started, we were the only nursery school in the area,” says Ms. Sally. Now, in addition to direct competition from similar businesses, organizations like the Ellenville Cooperative Nursery must also compete with public school pre-kindergarten programs.

Fortunately, after fifty-eight years in Ellenville, the school has established community support, as well as support from its alumni. “We've worked here, we've volunteered here,” explains Ellenville resident Susan Conklin. Conklin's son, Chad Joseph, is a 1985 alumnus and now his son, Chad Michael, is a prospective student. “I think the school offered a great introduction to kindergarten, in a great environment,” adds Conklin.

“For now, we're trying to find our place in the new world of public pre-k,” says Ms. Sally; “Like every new year, we're looking forward to new beginnings, new friends, and new families to work with. We hope we can continue to be a vital part of the community and honor the history of the school, while still meeting the needs of modern times.”

For more information about enrollment or programs offered by the Ellenville Cooperative Nursery, please contact the school at (845) 647-6405.

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