Montclair Cooperative School

This Pride Month, we’re celebrating values that have always been at the heart of Montclair Cooperative School: belonging, acceptance, and the freedom to be yourself.

We believe every child deserves to learn in a community where they are seen, valued, and supported exactly as they are. ✨

We’ll be celebrating with our community at and would love to see you there. Stop by our table to learn more about how cooperative education helps children grow into compassionate, confident, and engaged citizens of the world.

Because now more than ever, the world needs kindness.

The world needs community.

The world needs the Co-op.

Happy Pride! 🌈

It is learning festival season here at the Co-op! Today we visited the Pre-K classroom for their Bear Fair. This year the class has focused on bears for part of tbeir theme study, and invited us in to see all of the hard work they have done.

We played “pin the snout on the bear”, we played an original board game created by the children, we guessed how many baby bears are in a jar, we played honey bottle bowling, and admired the hand sewn stuffies and papier-mâché bear heads that the children created. The stuffies and the bear heads were both accompanied by original stories to go alongside the bear characters. We also visited the blubber station and stuck our hands into the ice, cold water, we had some berries and other yummy bear snacks and created some bear crafts of our own to take home.

Wow, so impressive Co-op Pre-K! You’ve certainly had a busy year!

There’s really nothing better than a good book and a cozy nook to read it in! ☀️📚

They say the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach — and at the Co-op, we can confirm that’s also the way to make people feel truly appreciated. 💛

Last week, our parent-organized Appreciation Committee treated the Co-op staff to an incredible pot-luck lunch that was as thoughtful as it was delicious. The spread featured cuisines from around the world, beautifully reflecting the diversity of our community and the cultures we’re proud to represent.

What a gift to gather in community and feel so cared for. We’re still smiling (and full)! 🌎🍽️✨

Each year, we look forward to the Southwest trip as the culmination of the overnight experiences students have participated in since 2nd grade, and each year it proves to be transformative. Spending more than a week away from home, traveling alongside peers and teachers, and experiencing the awe-inspiring landscapes of the Southwest together reinforces the independence, resilience, collaboration, and sense of responsibility students have cultivated throughout their years at the Co-op.

From waking before dawn for sunrise hikes and early morning runs, to working side by side on a labor-intensive community project, students were challenged in new ways each day. The trip offered countless opportunities to deepen their independence, strengthen their connections as a group, and gain a greater appreciation for Hopi and Navajo culture and traditions.

As our 8th graders prepare for graduation, they return carrying new skills, greater confidence, and a deeper understanding of themselves. ✨

Our Class of 2026 is just a few short weeks away from graduation, and we can hardly believe it! 💙

Many of these students have grown up together since Kindergarten, while others joined our Co-op family along the way, and each one has left a lasting mark on our community. We are so proud of the talented and hardworking young people they have become!

As they head off to these incredible high schools, we know they will continue to do amazing things while carrying the Co-op spirit in their hearts wherever they go.

Congratulations, Class of 2026. 🎈 Your futures are so bright! ✨

We’re getting ready for Pride on June 13th with some really great giveaways! 🌈✨

Than you for publishing and distributing books that represent, support, and celebrate LGBTQ+ youth. 💖📚

Stop by our table at Pride, say hello to QSA, give the wheel a spin, and pick out a fun surprise while celebrating community with us! 🏳️‍🌈