Pre-K
Pre-K is a year for growing confidence, independence, curiosity, and readiness for what comes next. Children continue to learn through hands-on play while taking on longer projects, richer conversations, early academic experiences, and increasingly complex social challenges. The goal is not to turn preschool into kindergarten, but to help children arrive there excited, capable, and ready to learn.
"By the end of Pre-K, my child wasn't just ready for kindergarten. They knew how to join a group, solve problems, make friends, and feel confident walking into something new."
Pre-K at a Glance
Age
For children who turn 4 but are not yet 5 by August 31.
Schedule
Four class days each week.
Participation
One class day each week with an adult; remaining class days independently.
Children's Program
Pre-K children are ready to think deeply, ask big questions, collaborate with friends, and take increasing ownership of their learning. Our classrooms build on the power of play while introducing new opportunities in literacy, math, science, fine-motor development, and social studies.
Children might dictate and illustrate stories, experiment with writing words, explore patterns and numbers through games, conduct science experiments, create with increasingly complex materials, investigate curriculum themes, and work together on projects that develop over several days.
Just as important, children are strengthening the social-emotional skills kindergarten teachers value most: listening in a group, handling frustration, solving problems with peers, reading social situations, taking turns, expressing boundaries, and building friendships.
Pre-K prepares children for school by helping them become confident learners, thoughtful friends, and active members of a classroom community.
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What Class Looks like
Each class follows a predictable rhythm designed to help children feel secure, engaged, and ready to learn through play.
Large-Motor Play & Exploration
Depending on the location, children may play outdoors, use a gym, take neighborhood walks, play cooperative games, or explore nearby parks and nature.
Opening Circle
Children gather for teacher-guided conversation around curriculum themes, plans for the day, calendar and weather, and other shared routines.
Choice Time & Learning Centers
Children choose from rich classroom experiences in art, literacy, science, building, dramatic play, math, and other learning areas. Projects often grow across multiple days as children investigate ideas together.
Clean-Up & Classroom Care
Children take increasing responsibility for shared materials, learning how to care for their classroom while preserving special creations and ongoing projects when possible.
Stories & Literacy
Children listen to books, share stories they have created, revisit ongoing class projects, make predictions, discuss ideas, and build early literacy skills in meaningful ways.
Snack & Conversation
Children share a healthy snack family-style, practicing independence, conversation, manners, and community.
Music & Movement
Singing, dancing, rhythm, tempo, and active movement give children opportunities to use their whole bodies while learning to share space with others.
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Support for Parents & Caregivers
One adult from each family enrolls through South Seattle College as part of the co-op program.
The year before kindergarten can bring a whole new set of questions. Is my child ready? Will they be able to manage a larger group? Can they follow directions, make friends, handle frustration, or sit and listen when they need to?
A South Seattle College parent educator participates in the program and helps families understand development, behavior, school readiness, social-emotional growth, and the transition into kindergarten.
Families can ask questions, share experiences, and learn practical strategies that support children both at preschool and at home.
As children prepare for their next school community, adults are preparing too. Co-op gives families information, perspective, and a trusted network to carry with them into the kindergarten years.
How Families Participate
Co-op works because families are active participants in the classroom and the community.
In Pre-K, your family's participation includes:
Working in the classroom one class day each week, alongside the children’s teacher.
Helping provide snack on a rotating basis.
Participating in a monthly class meeting that combines preschool business, community-building, and parent education.
Taking on a co-op job that fits your interests, skills, and available time.
Attending a quarterly parent education seminar from a range of practical parenting and child-development topics.
Participation can be shared. Grandparents, nannies, aunties, uncles, and other important adults in your child's life are welcome to take part and help your family fulfill its co-op commitments.
Current Pre-K Classes
Find the location and schedule that works best for your family.
Cost & Financial Support
We are committed to making our programs accessible to as many families as possible.
Registration & Tuition
Registration fees are charged annually. Monthly tuition varies by class and location; current tuition is shown with each class above.
Financial Assistance
Tuition assistance is available through SSC Cooperative Preschools scholarship funds. Families can apply for support throughout the school year.