We offer two developmentally-appropriate, child-centered programs in a safe and nurturing environment. Each program has a Program Director, Program Teacher, and two Parent Teachers. Parent Teachers enable us to maintain a ratio of one adult to five children. Each program runs for four hours, five days a week.
| Morning Program | 8:30 am - 12:30 pm |
| Afternoon Program | 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm |
| Layover (optional extended care between programs) | 12:30 pm - 12:55 pm |
In general, first-year children begin with three half-days per week. If space is available and the Program Director agrees, another half-day may be added to a new child's schedule after enrollment begins.
We accept children who are potty trained, from age 2 years and 9 months up to 6 years old, regardless of race, creed or nationality.
We are a year-round school. However, we close for the two weeks prior to Labor Day, two weeks around the New Year, one week in the Spring, and the typical public holidays throughout the year.
For a few weeks in the Spring, each program runs "Kindergarten Club" for children who will be entering Kindergarten the following Fall. During Kindergarten Club, children practice some of the basic skills used in Kindergarten (listening attentively to the teacher, using scissors, writing their name, etc.) for roughly 30 minutes on selected days.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition is $80 per weekday, per program. Teaching parents receive a reduced rate per month. For example, monthly tuition per program:
| Days per week | Non-Teaching | Teaching |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | $420 | $252 |
| 4 | $336 | $168 |
| 3 | $252 | $84 |
Layover (optional extended care between programs) 12:30 pm - 12:55 pm: $3 per day
Scholarships are available; information on applying for financial aid is included in the acceptance packet.
Family Involvement
Our families are responsible for every aspect of operating the school. To ensure the success of our programs, every member family must:
- Perform a school job using their skills and interests (such as enrollment, fundraising, newsletter, maintenance, curriculum, etc.)
- Attend the monthly membership meeting
- Provide snack for their child's program once a month
- Be available to substitute teach once a month, if called in an emergency ("last call")
- Complete maintenance and housekeeping duties
- Participate in fundraising efforts
Participating in activities and the running of the school builds a sense of community and also empowers parents to influence their child's education. More specifics can be found on member responsibilities by clicking here.
Rewards of Parent Teaching
We rely on a strong foundation of parent teachers. Unlike many co-ops, Miraloma doesn't require all parents to teach weekly, but there are many benefits to being a Parent Teacher. Working closely with our trained teaching staff, Parent Teachers enhance their ability to interpret child behavior and to influence it constructively. They also grow more objective about their own child's development by observing and understanding many children.
Teaching Parent duties:
- come prepared with an enrichment project to do with the children;
- lead a snack group; and
- provide supervision, nurturing, and support.
Here is the Teaching Parent Agreement.
As many Teaching Parents can attest, this is a unique and rewarding opportunity to get directly involved in your child's education.