About the Co-op

Sunnylea Co-operative Nursery School (SCNS) was founded in 1984 by a group of parents and a dedicated teacher whose children were the first students of the school. SCNS is a non-profit co-operative nursery school licensed by the Ontario government under the Day Nurseries Act.

As with any co-operative corporation, SCNS is owned and managed by its members, who are the families of the children enrolled in the school each year. At SCNS, teachers and parents work together to create a positive and gentle environment, which sets the foundation for your child's first steps towards independence.

Parents of the children attending the school are members of the co-operative. These parents operate and manage the school by participating in the business of the school through various committees. The parents employ the teachers, equip the school, maintain the equipment, meet monthly budgets, maintain maximum memberships and work with the teachers in the classroom.

SCNS is unique among the co-operatives in that it operates without any debt and has done so for many years. It is situated in Sunnylea Junior School in one of the classrooms, which offers a built-in school setting preparing the children for junior kindergarten. SCNS is one of the only above-ground co-op classrooms offering natural light, gymnasium and easy access to outdoor activities.

Teachers
The school operates with assistance from parents and two permanent teachers in each class. Our warm, friendly and positive teachers are ECE qualified. Rose, supervisor teacher, has been teaching at SCNS for five years and Pina, assistant teacher, has been teaching for six years. Pina has also had the unique experience of being a parent member of the school as both her teenage sons attended the nursery school.

Benefits of a co-operative

  • Lower Costs
    Since the school is managed and operated by the parents of the children enrolled in each year, the cost of operating the school is significantly reduced. The cost of SCNS is significantly lower than a privately owned nursery school.
  • Involvement
    Parents have input into the school's operation during the time their child attends the school. Parents have a unique opportunity to be directly involved in their child's first educational experience.
  • Meet Other Parents
    Parents have the opportunity to meet other parents and share their experiences.
  • Time with Child
    Parents have duty day responsibilities which means that they assist the teachers in the classroom approximately once every five weeks. Being in the classroom with your child, enables you to spend time with your child in a learning environment to observe your child's development through creation, play, interaction with others and learning opportunities.
  • License Requirements
    Sunnylea Co-operative Nursery School is licensed by the Ontario Ministry of Community, Family and Children's Services and adheres to the regulations set out by the Day Nurseries Act. Licensing addresses the issues of staff qualifications, programming, child/adult ratios, behavior management, nutrition, sanitary practices, space requirements, and emergency procedures.
© Sunnylea Co-operative Nursery School