Cinnaminson Family Co-Op Celebrates 40 Years This Fall

Family Co-Op Nursery School located in Cinnaminson is celebrating its 40th anniversary this upcoming school year.

The non-profit Co-Op lives by funding from enrollment, fundraisers, and donations.

“Our progress is in our consistency,” Communications Director Lucy Horton said. “Everything has been pretty much the same because it has been working for 40 years.”

The biggest goal of the school that was originally founded in Moorestown in 1975 is simply to prepare young minds for kindergarten. This is accomplished through academic, social, and emotional standards, Horton said.

“We are trying to teach the basics that a lot of parents do not have time to do when they’re home,” Horton stated.

The Family Co-Op reinforces values such as sharing, taking turns, and working out arguments in a positive way.

“Emotionally, we are trying to make kids feel safe and secure being away from mom and dad a while,” Horton reasoned.

The school is regulated by a five-member parent board that recycles members yearly as children come and go. The board works in conjunction with the school’s co-directors, Horton and Anne Joyce. The group is responsible for talking to incoming parents, setting up tours, and the numerous other duties that keep the school afloat.

“We all work together and we are all there for the same reason. We’re exactly a well-oiled machine,” explained Horton.

Family Co-Op has a maximum enrollment of just 44 students, so it easy for the teachers to really get to know the children personally. Nancy Rinehimer has been teaching for the Cinnaminson school since 2008. Teaching Aide Kristen Rider has been around since 2012.

“The teachers are amazing. They make every child feel special and important,” expressed parent Hilary Franklin of Palmyra.

“They are so kind, and moving, and understanding. That is what’s so important when you’re talking about 3 and 4 year olds experiencing their first times away from home,” informed Horton. “They are hands down the reason people come to our school.”

While teaching and guiding children, the school also holds an annual St. Jude’s Trike-a-thon. Family Co-Op raised close to $13,000 over the years for the organization. The event that is held in every May collected over $1,700 last month.

The school is open September through May, offering morning and afternoon sessions. Co-Op encourages parents to sign up for tours of the school to get a handle on what the day would be like for their child.

“Most people that come during the school year for a tour sign up that day because they love the feeling they get when they walk in,” boasted Horton.

An open house will be held on Wednesday, July 23 at 10 a.m. for interested parents. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit thefamilyco-op.org.