About Us
Our Programs
What people are saying about the Co-op!
What people are saying about the Co-op!
- 3 and 4 Year Old Classes
- 2, 3, and 5 Day Options
- Lunch
- Extended Day Available
What people are saying about the Co-op!
What people are saying about the Co-op!
What people are saying about the Co-op!
COVID-19 Response
What people are saying about the Co-op!
COVID-19 Response
Colchester Cooperative Nursery School strictly adheres to all COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions established by local, state and federal health agencies, and the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood.
Meet Our Teachers
Michelle Donahue is the head teacher. In September 2024, Michelle will be starting her 34rd year at the CCNS. This was Michelle’s first teaching job out of college and she immediately fell in love with the CCNS. She found it the perfect fit for her love of teaching and being able to strike to right balance between social development and educational development. Her passion for teaching our children is apparent in everything she does. She has a knack for making each child feel special and nurturing their individual talents. She is a fair and compassionate teacher, and loves getting to know each family.
Michelle also continues with her education by attending workshops put on by C3 (Collaborative for Colchester’s Children), and attends various workshops online presented by CREC. She was asked by CREC in January 2021 to present a workshop on Building Child and Family Resilience. During her tenure with CCNS, Michelle has established a great working relationship with the Colchester school system, including the kindergarten team. She makes sure that the students off to kindergarten have the social, emotional and readiness skills to be successful.
Michelle resides in Portland Ct. with her husband and 4 grown children, who all attended CCNS. She is actively involved in her community. This includes the chairman of Youth Services in Portland, Pre-K soccer coach for her local soccer club, and a member of the Economic Development committee.
Linda Eselunas is the assistant teacher, who is celebrating her 32nd year at CCNS. She is essential to the day-to-day operations of the classroom, and her love of children shines through with her creativity and handiwork in the classroom. She is a caring and loving teacher and has a great rapport with the parents. Linda took courses at Three River Community College and got her teaching certificate. She continues with her education on a regular basis by attending workshops put on by C3 (Collaborative for Colchester’s Children). Linda is CPR and First Aid certified.
Linda resides in Lebanon with her husband and has two grown children and two grandchildren. She is a master quilter, and brings her talents into the classroom everyday with amazing creativity and love of art.
Mrs. Donahue & Mrs. "E"
Brittany Spalla is beginning her second year at CCNS as our second assistant teacher. She has 15+ years in various childcare settings. She is very passionate about the importance of letting children enjoy their childhood through creative expression, outdoor play and free play.
Brittany has received her associates degree in science at Manchester Community College while completing 12 additional early childhood education (ECE) credits. She looks forward to continuing her education towards a bachelor's in ECE, her Head Teacher Certification, as well as general education through CREC & OEC.
She has been a Colchester resident since 1999, attended Colchester schools and is helping the next generation of children prepare themselves for kindergarten!
Taylor Anfuso grew up in Colchester with her parents and two sisters. She enjoyed having many pets, including chickens, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, goats, and many others. During high school, she worked at Curly’s Daycare, and at the Colchester Co-op Nursery School, where she discovered her love for working with children.
After graduating from Bacon Academy in 2015, Taylor attended Riverview School’s GROW Program in Sandwich, MA, where she enjoyed dorm life, attending classes and making new friends. She graduated from Cape Cod Community College’s Project Forward where she earned her certificate in Child Care. Taylor completed internships during her time at Riverview and CCCC in both the child care and elder care fields.
Taylor lives with her 2 roommates in Colchester. In addition to working at the Colchester Co-op, she also works at Mohegan Sun in the employee cafeteria. She participates in Colchester Special Olympics golf and track & field. She is also very proud to have earned her Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do! Her favorite time at Tae Kwon Do is when she helps teach the children’s class at CT Chung Do Kwan Academy.
Working with children has always been her passion. Taylor is so happy to be a teacher’s helper at Colchester Co-op Nursery School!
Ms. Spalla and Miss Taylor
Our Mission
We are committed to each child achieving his/her highest potential academically, socially, and emotionally. In pursuing the mission we believe:
- High expectations apply to all children
- All children have an innate desire to learn
- Learning should be fun and done through play and social interaction
- Each child is unique in his/her rate of growth development skills and competencies
Our warm and nurturing atmosphere enables the child to express themselves through play and interaction. Opportunities for learning are provided according to the child's individual needs and interests.
A Typical Day at School
Arrival
Each day the children are welcomed into the classroom with a smile by their teachers and enjoy free play time. We recognize that each child adjusts to school in their own way. Parents and our teachers work together to make this transition as comfortable as possible.
Circle Time
This structured time encourages the children to raise their hands, take turns and share personal space.
Discussions include the calendar, job assignments, weather, snack and the book of the day.
Team Time
Three groups of children rotate through three activities:
1. Art project
2. Fine motor skill project; such as cutting, gluing, drawing or measuring
3. Playtime; including dress-up, puzzles, playdough, blocks, pretend kitchen, and an indoor sand box.
Social skills such as problem solving, negotiation, cooperation, taking turns, listening and teamwork are practiced during this time.
Additional Activities
- Music and Movement
- Storytime
- Healthy Snack
- Outdoor Play
- Field Trips: Fire Station, Salmon River, Hurst Farm, Public Library and Kid City
- Visitors: Dental Hygienist and Mystic Aquarium
- Special Days: Halloween Parade, Thanksgiving Skit, Mother's Day Tea, Father's Day Special, Fun Day
Parents / Guardians are welcome to attend all special events.
Certifications
Our teacher's certifications include:
- K-6 teaching certificates
- Head teacher certificates
- First Aid/CPR
The staff maintains their certifications and extends their learning by attending workshops, training sessions and credited classes. Our head teacher also participates in the Colchester School Readiness Council's Kindergarten Transition Committee.
What is a Cooperative?
Any family that wants to be actively involved in their child's education is welcome in the cooperative. This enables us to create a continuity link for children between their homes and school. It also enables us to keep operating costs to a minimum.
Parents are expected to work in the classroom at least four times a year, serve on a school committee, pay tuition on time, clean the school once a year and participate in fund-raising. Have an idea of how you would like to help? Talk to us! There are many ways a parent or guardian can help the cooperative, utilize their talents and help build a strong CCNS community!
Our Philosophy
The purpose of Nursery School is to ensure practical learning that promotes individual growth in a world of security and acceptance for one's self and others.
Opportunities for learning are provided according to the child's individual needs and include:
• Building self-awareness
• The ability to cope with failure as well as success
• Use of materials correctly
• Large and small motor coordination and other physical activities
• Awareness of and interaction with their environment
• Spatial relationships
• Quantitative understanding (classifying, sorting, measuring)
• Problem solving
• Language development (speaking clearly, understanding clearly and following directions)
• Sensory awareness (smelling, tasting, feeling and hearing)
• Building creativity - encouragement of self-expression through art, music, dramatization and movement exploration.
The Colchester Cooperative Nursery School has a curriculum guide which parents can see if they would like to know specific areas of learning and how they are taught. Our teachers are also there to answer any questions you may have regarding the curriculum.
