For more than six decades, families in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, have run their children’s preschool together. Now North Hills Cooperative Preschool is fighting to keep its doors open.
Founded in 1963, at the height of the cooperative preschool movement in the United States, the school works on a simple principle: parents volunteer in the classroom on a rotating schedule. They organise books, help at snack time, supervise outdoor play and join in at circle time. This keeps staffing costs and fees low, making it an affordable alternative to private preschools, where fees can reach $1,600 a month.
“What’s really so nice about the school is that it’s very community driven,” said parent Tara Tosten. “We all understand that you might wake up on your volunteer day with a [sick child], but someone will cover for you, or help your child at school when you’re not there. We all help each other out.”
Parent Robert Haberman, the school’s president, said the families have become like an extended family. “Most of our friends are [parents] from this school, and they’re basically like my kids’ aunts and uncles,” he said.
But enrollment has fallen sharply. The school is licensed for 24 children at a time but is currently at only 30% of capacity. It was forced to close for six months during COVID, and since then some families have turned to free state-funded pre-K or homeschooling. As an independent non-profit, the preschool doesn’t qualify for government funding and relies on fees, occasional grants and donations.
Help is on the way. Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee has pledged $25,000 for classroom supplies and playground equipment. The school is also looking at adding more parent-and-child classes and reaching out to alumni families for support.
“We’re in a transition period right now,” said director and teacher Crystal McGinnis. “The families that are here are really dedicated to keeping the school open.”
True to the cooperative spirit, parents and teachers are working together to find solutions while “looking toward the positive.”
