MARIPOSA PRE-SCHOOL TEACHER JACKI LEE READS TO HER STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOM. T he Mariposa Pre-School Co-Op Inc. program is celebrating 35 years in existence.

The pre-school was founded over three

decades ago in the small Darrah Schoolhouse

and continued at the location until the fall of 1991 when the building was declared condemned.

With full enrollment at the time, the school was urged to find a new location quickly, but the search ended when the open arms of the afterschool program Almost Like Home graciously took in the pre-school to share its building. Now conveniently located at 3415 Woodland Drive, the Mariposa Pre-School Co-Op offers childcare services to many Mariposa residents.

The pre-school functions under the administration of Director Jackie Lee, who has worked at the school for the last 25 years, initially beginning her career there as an aid. Lee, more commonly called “Miss Jackie” by her students, recalls her fondness for childcare as a young girl herself.

MUCH OF WHAT GOES ON AT MARIPOSA PRE-SCHOOL IS BASED ON JUST PLAIN FUN. ABOVE, TEACHER JACKI LEE RIDES PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT WITH HANNAH HANSEN. Mariposa Pre-School Co-Op is uniquely designed to be a full functioning non-profit childcare service. Parents make monthly payments for each child, but are also required to provide a snack for the entire center every few weeks, volunteer a minimum of two full days at the preschool each month, and attend mandatory monthly parents’ meeting.

Lee is not only able to keep costs down, but she feels this particular program is beneficial for each child’s future.

“The reason I like doing what I’m doing now is I find that the parents who place their children in the co-op from the beginning really tend to be very involved throughout the child’s life with everything they pursue in school, sports and activities,” explained Lee.

STUDENTS FROM MARIPOSA PRE-SCHOOL HOLD ORANGES AND WAIT TO ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES DURING THIS YEAR’S BUTTERFLY FESTIVAL IN DOWNTOWN MARIPOSA. While the children engage in various activities such as Playdough, painting, arts and crafts, and singing and dancing the children are also exposed to a daily routine of reciting the alphabet, names and calendar. Although Lee says some of her pre-schoolers are eager to learn, she leaves the parents up to deciding how much education their child should get out of pre-school. Lee said, “In today’s society they push children so hard at such a young age, testing and everything. I believe that if a child is ready for the next step we can offer it, but when a child is in pre-school it is about finding where they are in this world, fitting into their surroundings and getting used to a social environment.”

With the ever-present issue of childhood obesity, Lee says it is important to make sure each child is educated at a young age about the importance of exercising and eating right.

The kids at Mariposa Pre-School Co-Op are excited and wide-eyed when the Parks and Recreation van pulls up. A program titled “Tots on Wheels” is taught by April Hawley and visits the pre-school often. The kids engage in various stretches and exercises all while having fun and laughing.

Along with all the activities the children experience at the facility, they also take monthly field trips. Each month a scheduled family field trip is slated for the kids to all go on together, accompanied by their moms, dads and siblings. Trips have been taken all over to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a bison ranch, pumpkin patch, apple orchard, bowling, the town pool, the zoo and even the local post office.

The children are also occasionally invited to attend special events on the Woodland Elementary School campus such as watching puppeteers and storytellers. A personal favorite for many of the preschoolers is taking advantage of the opportunity to go on the campus to make a visit to the school library. Getting the kids familiar with the school is a benefit of being located so close.

Shannon Hansen, whose daughter recently graduated from Lee’s pre-school stated, “It makes a big difference because Hannah gets exposed to the older kids, the library, the entire school. She is able to be more at ease thinking about going to school because she has previously been familiarized with it.”

Lee, along with the help of her aid Sarah Emmons and two parent helpers every day work together to oversee and make sure everything is running smoothly. The preschool is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. until noon. It operates in conjunction with the school year calendar taking the same snow days, late days, and holidays off as Mariposa County Unified School District.

The pre-school is becoming more of a family tradition given how many years it has been going strong. There have been parents who once attended the same pre-school at ages 3 and 4 who now send their own children to Mariposa County Co-Op Incorporated.

“I originally went to the pre-school on Darrah when I was younger so I decided to enter my kids in her program. She has never pushed a curriculum on a child and I have always heard positive things,” said Hansen.

The pre-school is definitely well-liked throughout the community, yet Lee encourages each parent to seek out the best fitting preschool for their individual child.

Directors from each of Mariposa County preschools, including Lee, try to meet monthly through Infact/Child Enrichment Services to share ideas and problem solve, and to help each other inside the common ground of child caring.

State licensed to accommodate 20 children, ages 2 and a half through 5-years-old the preschool still has open spots for enrollment this year. If interested and seeking pre-school call 742-7156 or 966-2665 or email mariposapreschool@ gm-ail.com