Families Together Cooperative Nursery School (FTCNS) gives children an wonderful first school experience, in which educators partner with parents to foster children’s self-confidence, encourage respect for others, and instill a lifelong enthusiasm for learning.
FTCNS offers a welcoming community with outstanding teachers; a research-based approach to learning through play; a commitment to supporting, connecting, and involving families; and a focus on diversity, social justice, and anti-bias practices.
Families Together offers caregiver and child classes, for ages 18 months to 3 years, and half-day preschool classes 2, 3, 4, or 5 days per week for ages 2 ½ to 5. Enrolled students can participate in our lunch program and summer camp in June.
As a cooperative school, all families at FTCNS have at least one adult family member assist in their child's classroom on a regularly scheduled basis and serve on a school committee.
TUITION
Families Together Cooperative Nursery School (FTCNS) is committed to offering a high-quality early childhood program while paying a competitive living wage to our staff and being financially accessible to families of different means. Annual tuition is based upon a sliding scale relative to a family’s income level and can be paid on an annual, semi-annual, or monthly basis. When/if our sliding scale is not affordable for a family, we may also offer additional financial aid. Learn more about tuition at Families Together HERE.
FINANCIAL AID
Financial aid recipients often already qualify for some of our lowest tuition levels. Aid is also sometimes granted to families at higher tuition levels who are facing financial crisis or whose current financial circumstances are very different from that which is reflected on their tax return.
See our class schedule and apply HERE. Classes run from early September through May with two weeks of summer camp in June.
Business Review
"Our son's joy at being a part of this school is as great as my own joy at being a part of this community. There is so much trust, care and safety built into the environment created here, as well as a true commitment to diversity and inclusion. As a co-op, Families Together offers particularly special opportunities for parents to be a part of the community, interweaving our children's "home" and "school" spheres into a single supportive world for our kids.
If you are looking for a place to nurture your growing child to learn important lessons through play and joy, create friendships, and learn how much fun it is to learn, you will be thrilled with Families Together."
-Caitlin G.
"Families together is a wonderful, inclusive, nurturing, play-based preschool. Our first daughter spent two very happy years here and our second daughter will be attending this fall. I can’t say enough about the wonderful community here. The staff is wonderful and highly experienced (there is very little turn-over at the school). Tuition is sliding scale, and this is just one example of the school’s dedicated efforts to make such a great preschool experience accessible to all. In the process of choosing a preschool I visited quite a few in my neighborhood. Families Together is a 15 minute drive for us but I’m willing to do it because nothing else I visited can compare. Really cannot recommend highly enough!"
-Betsy B.
"My daughter loved her experience at FTCNS and as a parent I loved being a part of the co-op community. The teachers are excellent- caring, passionate, dedicated and nurturing. As a parent who also assisted in the classroom for the duration of the year I also had a unique opportunity to see my child in action while learning from her peers as well as her teachers. I can’t recommend the school highly enough. The community of families is respectful, curious and they step up in times of need to help and support. The emphasis on financial aid for families that cannot afford full tuition also made the school possible for me as a sole parent. My daughter grew and flourished there."
-Lisa K.
"This preschool has exceeded my expectations. My daughter is prepared for kindergarten socially, intellectually, and emotionally because of the time the teachers have spent planning, collaborating, and working with each child. Some of the ways this is accomplished are: -The teachers do a wonderful job following the students’ internets. -The kids learn through play. -Each child is taken seriously and given the space they need to develop compassion for themselves and others. I could go on and on about how wonderful this school and community are!"
-Meredith B.
