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Darcy Read Memorial Cooperative Preschool is proudly named after Darcy Read, a long-time educator of preschool students (and their parents) in the Federal Way/Des Moines area. Darcy was an amazing woman who lovingly guided students through creative play, art, music, and movement in a warm, accepting environment where kids were allowed to just be kids! Her love and excitement for children was contagious! |
It is our hope that her legacy can go on through the next generation of students who will pass through the doors of Darcy Read Memorial Preschool. Here, students and their parents will begin the new and exciting world of preschool together surrounded by others who share the same goal - to actively participate with their children in their early education program in a supportive, loving, diverse environment.
Darcy Read Memorial Cooperative Preschool is a registered Washington, not-for-profit school, supported through our monthly tuition and fundraising efforts. The Darcy Read Preschool is owned and operated by the Parent Members and Parent Board. The preschool is also affiliated with Green River Community College which offers parent education topics and much needed support to our parents and teachers.
Our Teachers
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Our 2's class teacher is Diane Miyawaki who began her journey working with children and their parents in 1978 where she herself was a parent in the Parent Education Program at Highline Community College. The following year, she was invited to be the assistant to a Parent Educator, working with families of infants to two-year olds. As the years passed, she graduated into teaching in the cooperative preschool system, working with 2's and 3's and their parents. Her journey has been one of great satisfaction. According to Diane "the joy preschoolers bring to my life still amazes me each and every day....I love their innocence and curiosity and strive each day to expose them to new and challenging experiences." |
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Carol Terrana is our 3's class teacher. She earned an Associates degree and majored in Art with the intention of teaching art to children. She took a break from teaching to work as a flight attendant for seven years. Carol, and her three children, attended the Highline College Parent Education program for five years where she won a parent of the year award. She has worked as a cooperative preschool teacher for ages 2 - preK for a total of 24 years. Carol constantly strives to further her knowledge of best practices in early childhood education through classes, National Early Child Education Association conferences and attending and teaching parent education programs. She truly enjoys teaching young children and opening up the world of knowledge through hands on experiences. |
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Our Pre-Kindergartner class teacher is Andrea Benson. Andrea was a parent and board member at Darcy Read for the 2007-2008 school year. She has a Master of Education from Washington University in St. Louis and has taught children and adults for over six years. She has two boys, Elliot and Andy, who attended Darcy Read. This will be Andrea's third year teaching at Darcy Read. She loves utilizing the play based curriculum to academically prepare her students for kindergarten while fostering a life-long love of learning
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Marya Stanfield is our Spanish teacher. She spent over 2 years in Ecuador serving as a Peace Corps volunteer where she became fluent in Spanish through immersion. She also studied Spanish at the University of Washington where she earned her BFA in Art. She continued her studies at Western Washington University and received her Master’s in Teaching and holds a Washington State teaching certificate. Marya lives in Burien with her husband Brooks, and their two children, Carmen 6, and Desmond 4. She has spent the last 4 years as a parent and board member at the Burien Cooperative Preschool. Marya will take advantage of the many resources available at the preschool, dedicated parents and the vibrant Latino culture in our community to provide an enriching and exciting classroom for your children. |
Our Teaching Philosophy
At Darcy Read Memorial Cooperative Preschool, we value what students learn through play. An excellent article that discusses the advantages of learning through play can be found here.
The Co-Op Experience
A cooperative preschool - is this right for my family?
Parent Cooperative Preschools
A parent cooperative preschool is organized by a group of families with similar philosophies who hire a trained teacher to provide their children with a quality preschool experience. The preschool is administered and maintained by the parents on a non-profit, non-sectarian basis. The parents assist the professional teachers in the classroom on a rotating basis and participate in the educational program of all of the children. Each family shares in the business operation of the school, thus making it truly a cooperative venture. Parents, preschool children, and their teachers all go to school and learn together.
For Parents
Parents gain insight into child behavior by observing other children. They observe how other parents and the professional teachers handle various situations and gain greater understanding and enjoyment of their own children through active participation in their education. They have the opportunity to share their experiences and expertise with others while working together in a cooperative setting. Parents also learn useful ideas for helping their children at home and in the world around them.
For Children
Children participate in a supervised play and learning experience with children of their own age. Equipment, materials, and physical facilities are scaled to child-size. An opportunity is provided to interact with adults other than their own parents. The children are able to find security and a feeling of belonging in a world which is non-threatening and interested in them. Learning to respect and accept the rights and differences of others is emphasized. Children have hands-on experiences in creative arts, music, science, literature, and language geared to their needs and developmental level.