What We Do
School Session
Steele Cooperative Preschool is in session for nine months during the year, September through May. We roughly follow the calendar of Denver Public Schools. Check your Parent Handbook for holidays, Parent Meetings, and Special Events.Tadpoles
Our Tadpole classes consist of 2-1/2 – 3 year-old children. They attend class once a week, in a two hour and fifteen minute session. There are two sections offered per week.
Polliwogs
Our Polliwog classes consist of 3 and 4 year-old children. They attend class twice a week, with each session lasting two and a half hours. There are two sections offered per week.
Frogs
Our Frog classes consist of 4 and 5 year-old children. They attend class three times a week, with each session lasting three hours. There is one section offered per week.
2010-2011 School Year
We are currently enrolling students for the 2010-2011 school year. The First Round of applications has closed, but if you would like to have your child placed on a waitlist, please contact the school by email.Getting To Know Us
We encourage you to explore our website to get a feel for our school. Please feel free to schedule a tour while school is in session - it's a great way to see us in action and to address any questions or concerns you may have. You are welcome and encouraged to bring your child with you during the tour.
Steele Cooperative Preschool has as its goal the establishment of an environment that allows the children enrolled to know that people care about them, to know that they can accomplish tasks and make choices, and to learn about themselves and the world around them. Through the guidance of qualified teachers, the children have the opportunity to explore and enrich their world physically, emotionally, and intellectually. The children are encouraged to know, accept, and honestly express their own feelings, wishes, aspirations, capacities, motivations, and fears. Our school acquaints the children with the ideas and expectations of their peers and interested adults. The learning approach is meant to foster recognition of self-worth and individuality is fostered.
Enrollment Process
We begin the enrollment process in January for the following school year that begins in late August. For example, for the 2011-12 school year, the process begins in January 2011. Our First Round Application becomes available on the website in January, and prospective and current students must submit it along with a non-refundable $35 Processing Fee ($10 for each additional child in a family) by the middle of March. If there are more applicants than number of spots, a lottery is run, with priority given to children of our Board and Staff, returning students, siblings, and alumni, in that order.
Students offered a spot from the First Round Application Process have one month to accept their spot, and two additional weeks to submit a Full Application and a non-refundable deposit of one month's tuition to secure their spot. Waitlisted students will be notified by email, and updated as necessary after these deadlines. Students wishing to gain admittance after the First Round has been completed automatically go on the waitlist, unless spaces are available. Students may remain on the waitlist during the entire school year, but waitlists do not carry over from year to year.
Age Requirements, Potty Training, and Adult-Student Ratio
- Students in the Tadpoles classes must be 30 months old on or before October 1st of the year of enrollment - for 2011-12, born prior to April 1, 2009. Children do not need to be potty-trained. One qualified teacher and two parent aides must be present for each class of ten students.
- Students in the Polliwogs classes must be 3 years old on or before October 1st of the year of enrollment - for 2011-12, born prior to October 1, 2008. Children must be "in training" for toilet usage - at the stage where Pull-ups or the like are being used. Children in the Polliwog class who experience continued issues with bathroom accidents may be moved to a Tadpole class, if space is available, may require a second parent-aide to be assigned to their class, or be temporarily dismissed from the school until the issue is resolved. One qualified teacher and one parent aide must be present for each class of 12 students.
- Students in the Frogs class must be 4 years old on or before October 1st of the year of enrollment - for 2011-12, born prior to October 1, 2007. Children must be fully potty trained and fairly independent at using the bathroom. One qualified teacher and one parent aide must be present for the class of 12 students.
Nondiscrimination Policy
Steele Cooperative Preschool does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, cultural heritage, political beliefs, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status in offering admission or scholarship tuition assistance to children and their families.
2010-2011 Scholarship Application
You can download the 2010-2011 Scholarship application here [PDF].
2008–2009 Parent Handbook
Download the 2008-2009 Parent Handbook [doc]
Colorado Immunization Form
The State of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment requires the school to maintain up-to-date immunization records for all its students. If you don't have a current immunization record for your child, you can download a blank immunization record form here [PDF] and take it to your child's doctor to fill out. Please bring this completed form to the school during the pre-school-year parent meeting in August.
Aiding Tasks and Expectations
Want to know what you should do when aiding a teacher in class? Download the Aiding Tasks and Expectations document here [doc].
Board Roles and Responsibilities
Find out what the roles and responsibilities for each Board position are in this document [doc].
Committee Roles and Responsibilities
Every family has a role in the smooth operation of the school by participating in a committee. Find out more about the various roles and responsibilities of each committee here [doc].