Co-op Enters its 50th Year - A Manchester Tradition Has a Bright Future

In the fall of 1964, the Manchester Cooperative Preschool started with a handful of young students and their teacher, Mrs. Delores Wolff, in the basement of the Emanuel United Church of Christ educational wing.

This year, as the Co-op begins its 50th season, the school boasts 29 eager learners and two fresh and enthusiastic new teachers.  In addition to the 11 enrollees in the three-year-old class that meets twice a week, and the 11 four-year-olds who attend three mornings per week, there are also seven "young fives" who are preparing for kindergarten by attending the morning and an afternoon session every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Led by teachers Ms. Brandi Bennett and Mrs. Shelby Chartrand, both experienced early childhood educators, the preschool is taking a new direction this year in providing readiness skills to many of Manchester's youngest pupils.

Brandi Bennett is the mother of a four-year-old co-op student, the teacher for the threes, and co-teacher of the newly established Young Fives program.

Shelby Chartrand, a native of Manchester, graduated from MHS in 2003. She is teaching the four-year-old preschool class and the Young Fives.

In addition to six years of experience as a lead teacher in various preschool settings, Ms. Brandi, who also is the mother of one of the four-year-old students, loves and has taught ice skating. She currently is a junior in an early childhood educators program, working toward her degree, and has lived in Manchester for three years.

"I am thrilled this year to be both a parent and a teacher," she enthuses. "It's exciting to become part of my new community in this way as well as being actively involved in my daughter's school!"

Ms. Shelby also is excited to be part of the preschool, but for very different reasons. A 2003 Manchester High School graduate, she finds it energizing to be part of her home town again after spending her college years at Central Michigan University and her five-year teaching career in Ann Arbor as a preschool through third-grade teacher in a charter school setting. She is currently working on her master's degree in reading at Eastern Michigan University.

"It's so nostalgic," she says of teaching in the same building where she attended middle school. "I get to teach in Mrs. Nosbisch's room!" She adds that she is "beyond thrilled" with the wide variety of resources available through the co-op program -- for the teachers and pupils alike.

Even in the first week of school, both Brandi and Shelby were highly impressed with how well their friends were acclimating to new routines.

"They are getting so independent and our young fives are already practicing their kindergarten skills," Shelby says. "They are learning self-help as well as cognitive skills and they are really developing  social relationships with their classmates."

Brandi adds that the Young Fives program is a great opportunity to spend a lot of intensive time with the pupils and provides a lot of quieter, more directed learning  in a small group setting.

While the teachers will continue their individual assessments during this first month of school , they are keeping expectations open and trying to gear the curriculum to meet everyone's needs.  Both say they are already finding ways to enhance the children's learning experiences. They will use modern learning techniques and integrate technology in the curriculum to keep the pupils abreast of the expectations they will face in elementary school, while maintaining the Co-op's philosophy of  play-based learning vs. a more structured academic setting.

The pupils at Manchester Co-op Preschool are happy to be starting off the school year with their new teachers and many new ideas!  Photos courtesy of Unforgettable Photos

"Kids learn through exploration and play," Shelby says. "We are developing child-initiated lesson plans while trying to give them a foundation that will serve them well as they begin their school years."

One of the strengths of the co-op preschool, Brandi adds, is that with the extensive parental involvement the teachers have the freedom to experiment, while spending their time actually teaching the students with the added support of parent volunteers.

"We are so thankful for the parents," she says. "Having extra hands, as well as support and encouragement throughout the day, makes a world of difference. And the bonus for the parents is that they have a voice in their child's learning experience."

Both Brandi and Shelby say that they feel incredibly honored to be part of the 50 years of tradition at the Manchester Co-op Preschool, while bringing together their combined teaching skills and styles, to make this the best year yet.

Manchester Co-op Preschool alumni are encouraged to be part of this 50th Anniversary year. Alums may contact MCP Board member Dan Budd, at 517-851-5683, to be part of a celebration planned for the weekend of Christmas in the Village in November. A golf outing is also set for next Sunday, September 21 at Hills Heart of the Lakes Golf Course in Brooklyn. The cost is $35 per person for a 9 hole scramble. Contact Budd to sign up your team!

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.