The Co-op School was founded in 2003 by a group of parents who saw the need for a high-quality and affordable preschool option in the Clinton Hill and Fort Greene neighborhoods. Since then, the Co-op School has matured from a small, parent-run playgroup to a fully staffed and licensed non-profit school. The Co-op School is a parent-aided organization for which “cooperative” means just that: students’ families are responsible for the development, fundraising, and maintenance of the school. Parents share the responsibility of upholding the school’s guiding principles, facilitated through the elected Board. With the staff, parents, and student body, we continuously work towards our ultimate goal of blending community and education, with special attention to honoring our differences. After residing in two prior homes in Clinton Hill, The Co-op School moved into 87 Irving Place in the fall of 2009. In 2011, The Co-op School launched the first kindergarten class of its elementary program at 40 Brevoort Place. In 2019, we opened our doors at 644 Gates Avenue in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood—in a 3,500-square-foot building with double-height gym, a rooftop library, and two playgrounds—housing our preschool, elementary, and middle school students under one roof for joyful learning.
